Men's health care, psychological adjustment, and self-psychological treatment methods

The Key to Self-Psychotherapy

In the past, psychotherapy was only applied to mental illnesses, becoming a specialized technique believed to require special training and only psychiatrists or clinical psychologists could perform it. This is an incomplete understanding and a misunderstanding. Psychotherapy is diverse. To date, what exactly is psychotherapy? While there is no universally accepted definition, one thing is certain: the patient's active role is crucial. In general prevention and treatment, everyone is their own doctor; without reaching the level of mental illness, self-treatment is entirely possible. Learning some knowledge of mental health science, exercising one's own initiative, improving one's mental state, turning adversity into advantage, and achieving bodily balance—this is the key to mastering self-psychotherapy.

1. Relieve Worries and Maintain a Youthful Spirit

As the saying goes, "A worry ages you ten years," and "A smile makes you ten years younger," which holds true. If someone asks why people worry, some people react quite strongly.

From a mental health perspective, worry can harm health. The principle of self-treatment is to overcome unrealistic expectations. When comparisons arise, recognize the efforts others have made, and even compare yourself to those in worse situations. This allows you to find contentment and joy, and to free yourself from worries.

2. Youth Should Last, the Mind Should Not Age

As people age, this is an unavoidable objective law, but one's mental state should not age with age, much less prematurely. This applies not only to the elderly but also to people of all ages. Those with this weakness in their consciousness should pay attention to clearing away such potentially unhealthy thoughts. Yang Xueliang's article, "Establishing a Youthful 'Self-Image'," addresses this issue. This is very enlightening and worth reading. The editor's note is summarized below:

"The theory of 'self-image' is the most important discovery in psychology this century. The 'self-image' of the elderly accelerates the fading of life; the 'self-image' of the young keeps them young forever." Establishing an optimal "self-image" can expand one's "potential domain," generating new energy and new talents.

People of any age may experience varying degrees of psychological aging. For example, some may believe their youthful peak has passed or is over, and that their efforts are too late; others may feel they haven't achieved much by middle age and have little hope for the future; or they may think they will soon enter old age; older people may lament that they have no future in their twilight years, or even feel they are heading towards the end of their lives. These are all signs of psychological aging and have a negative impact on one's mental health. If such a "self-image" plans and controls one's life, it will cause a loss of life's purpose and lead to accelerated aging.

Conversely, if one establishes a "self-image" that is younger than one's actual self, and uses this positive self-awareness to design everything about oneself, it will increase vitality, allow various life mechanisms to function fully, not only increase the success rate of one's career but also delay aging, making life more fulfilling and enjoyable.

3. Controlling Unhealthy Mental State and Protecting Mental Health

Unhealthy mental state manifests in various ways, such as suspicion, pride and inferiority complex, habitual lying, etc.

Suspicion is a common manifestation. Such individuals hold an excessively suspicious attitude towards everything and everyone, often entangled in unfounded doubts. Some develop hypochondriacal neurosis, which requires medical help and is beyond the scope of our discussion.

For those whose condition is not as severe as the aforementioned, when suspicion arises, the first step is to acknowledge the existence of this deficiency in one's mental activity. Recall several examples that have been proven to demonstrate suspicion, using them to alleviate the stubbornness and inertia of suspicion. After calming down, rationally analyze the impossibility of the suspicion from multiple perspectives, or talk with a close friend, sincerely seeking objective judgment. Over time, by gradually negating the suspicion, the suffering caused by the suspicious mental state can be reduced, creating favorable conditions for future self-control.

Pride and Inferiority Complex While seemingly opposite, both stem from an inability to accurately assess oneself. Note that this "pride" and "inferiority" do not refer to occasional, general feelings of pride and inferiority, but rather to a psychological state that frequently dominates and borders on pathology. Pride can develop into arrogance, blind self-confidence, and strained relationships with superiors, subordinates, and peers, hindering normal life and work. Prevention is key; it's best to address it early, before it becomes severe.

Inferiority can lead to despondency and inaction. When combined with suspicion or guilt, its harm is even greater. There are various ways to overcome these two pathological psychological states. A simple and easy method is to, in addition to paying attention to "correcting" this psychological state in daily life, remind yourself in specific situations to "compare two sides" when assessing yourself. The proud think, "There's always someone better than me," and have no reason to be arrogant; the insecure think, "I'll play to my strengths and avoid my weaknesses, accumulate experience—everyone has their strengths..."

There's no need to be insecure. If someone truly looks down on you, it's a problem with their personal character, not yours to worry about.

Unfounded fear: A minority of people experience unfounded fears, such as fear of ghosts or gods. This may stem from the influence of superstitious propaganda. If it develops excessively, it can lead to hallucinations, which may even seem like "proof." The fundamental way to change this unhealthy mentality is to learn scientific knowledge, understand the laws of nature, and comprehend the scientific principles explaining many phenomena. This will naturally eradicate the root of unfounded fear.

Lying: People who habitually lie often experience inner conflict and anxiety due to the fear of being exposed. The psychological and emotional changes caused by lying can lead to dysfunction of the central nervous system and induce various diseases. The solution is to consciously cultivate a spirit of seeking truth, analyze the harm caused by lying, reform unhealthy psychological responses, and become a trustworthy and respected person. This is the greatest spiritual compensation.

3. Psychological Treatment Principles for Non-Organic Sexual Dysfunction

Human sexual response is a fusion of physiological and psychological responses. Organic sexual dysfunction (referring to physiological and pathological changes) is relatively rare. Regardless of gender, most sexual dysfunctions are non-organic. That is to say, psychological factors can strengthen or weaken libido and function. Therefore, psychotherapy is one of the effective measures.

Common male sexual dysfunctions include premature ejaculation and impotence, followed by difficulty ejaculating. Common female sexual dysfunctions include lack of orgasm and painful intercourse. Vaginismus is also common. Their psychological factors for dysfunction share some commonalities. The main reasons are as follows:

① Children receive incorrect sex education from a young age. Parents and some people in society often imply to children that sex is "dirty" and "indecent." This influence causes children to associate sex with anxiety and fear from a young age, and they also despise normal sexual activity.

② Problems in the marital relationship, lack of love, or feelings of shame in front of their partner.

③ The influence of various psychosomatic factors, such as work stress, financial difficulties, unexpected setbacks, and interference from external factors.

Furthermore, women are also influenced by feudalistic ideas that place greater emphasis on sex than on men, believing that sex is "a pleasure for men and a suffering for women," and that women's duty is to bear children, with no concept of orgasm. Many women lack understanding of sex or develop sexual dysfunction due to suppressive conditions.

The principles of psychotherapy for non-organic sexual dysfunction begin with learning scientific knowledge about sex and understanding what normal sexual life should be like. Next, the specific cause of the sexual dysfunction should be identified, and the related psychological barriers should be addressed and eliminated. For example, vaginismus can be quickly cured using relaxation techniques combined with a vaginal speculum in behavioral therapy. Painful intercourse due to insufficient vaginal lubrication can be relieved with lubricants and sufficient preparatory movements. In the treatment of erectile dysfunction, attention should also be paid to eliminating the influence of inhibitory psychological factors; stimulating sexual imagination combined with penile massage can be effective.

In short, many psychological factors affect health, and treatment methods vary depending on the specific psychological cause. This article cannot cover everything; it only provides a small example. The remaining issues can be addressed according to the principles and self-treatment outlined in this article.