mental health specialist Klaudia Horváth

“More and more people recognize when they are not well” – interview with mental health specialist Klaudia Horváth

Local News National

According to the specialist from Szeged, more and more women and men alike recognize when they are not well. Interruptions in relationships and work are the most common cases that Klaudia Horváth encounters as a mental health specialist in Szeged. But what exactly do we mean when someone is mentally faltering, what are the signs and how can they help themselves? We asked her these questions.

Please explain what we mean by mental health.

According to WHO, we speak of mental health when a person is in a state of well-being. Or are they able to realize themselves, cope with difficulties, work productively, can get involved in communities usefully, so they function well in all areas of their life? In short: mental health is one of the most important pillars of quality of life.

What does a mental health professional do?

A mental health professional deals with the preservation and protection of mental health. In other words: they help create emotional stability, and they also help the person in question become more aware. They also help cope with stress and difficulties. They help draw boundaries, show the way in self-evaluation and the development of self-confidence, as well as improve the quality of life.

What are the signs that someone is mentally unwell?

Several symptoms can indicate this, such as constant headaches, stomach and digestion problems, sleep disorders, persistent anxiety, regular fatigue, and emotional exhaustion, but it is also a sign if someone finds it increasingly difficult to cope with the challenges of everyday life, if your self-confidence decreases and your self-esteem suddenly decreases, if you reach for harmful passions and habits and incorporate them into your life. So, if these symptoms become more permanent or even more severe, then the person is not mentally well. The biggest problem with this is that it slowly but surely affects your physical health, not to mention the environment. It is therefore important to pay attention to these signs and, if necessary, seek help from a professional. Let’s take care of ourselves and each other! In many cases, the support of family and friends can mean a lot. It is better to prevent than to find a solution to the problem.

What obstacles and cases do you encounter most often during your work?

The most common obstacles include becoming independent from parents, struggling with independence, building a nest, becoming a parent, and coping with new roles. Both women and men have to perform in several places and several roles at the same time, and often, many people do not know what to do with this. Fortunately, it can be said that today neither one nor the other asks for help, they are not afraid, and there is no feeling of shame in front of the professionals.

Among those in their 20s and 30s, the already mentioned independence from parents and struggle with independence most often cause problems, in the case of those in their 40s and 50s a so-called mid-life crisis occurs most often, which involves a lack of self-confidence and a lot of conflicts, which they cannot handle either at work or in their relationships. Letting go of their children is a problem, they don’t know how to find each other again, how and with what to fill the void that the children leave behind.

Can you give me an example where a client’s entire life changed radically because they recognized a blockage in their life and turned to you for help?

Yes, fortunately, I have several examples that clearly show the power of supportive conversations.

I had a young, career-starting client who received a lot of criticism and was subjected to serious verbal abuse. However, the supportive conversations filled him with self-confidence again, he began to trust himself, overcame his low self-confidence and changed jobs. But it was also the case that the person who contacted me lived in a bad relationship and it was the helpful conversations that made it clear that he needed to get out of it.

If you allow me, I would like to quote Magda Szabó: “We should live in such a way that we don’t rub the skin off other people while we are moving around in the world” – this is a very important thought that should come to everyone’s mind when making decisions about their own life or perhaps the lives of others.

What could be the reason that mental health or psychological help is still not used enough?

I think that the trend has improved in recent years, we can access various self-knowledge development content and podcasts on more and more online platforms. Thanks to this, we are becoming more and more aware. There are many lectures and workshops to choose from. If I had to answer the question, I would say that the biggest problem lies in none other than the lack of information, misconceptions, economic reasons, and of course the lack of courage, determination and recognition. Until we learn that there is no shame in asking for help, we are unfortunately sure to have our share of blockages, which can have more serious and socially defining effects.

Translated from Tamara Pósa article from Szegedi Nap’s page.

Main picture: Yvette Frank

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