I recently wrote an article on how India urgently needs more mental health professionals. And here is my follow up article for those who gave it a thought!
People often find their niche in either making every day practical life more convenient for everyone or in going beyond that, i.e. understanding human complexities. If you’re among the latter ones, attempting to address the ‘Why’s’ of human life, you can give Psychology a chance as a career option.
Even though Psychology is gaining momentum all around the world, there are still a lot of queries people often have before deciding to pursue it as a career option. And this article attempts to touch upon the answers to those queries or might even give you newer ones because at the end of the day, clarity in your questioning will help you take a wise choice.
Attend To Yourself And Your Skills
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Before deciding to pursue Psychology as a field, try to talk to people and listen to their life stories. The entire field revolves around humans so the stories will expose you to the happiness and difficulties of human life. Listening is one of the core skills and also the most complex to crack.
“Psychology is not a subject that you can study outside of yourself. It is very much a part of you as it is of the other. One needs to have the patience and acceptance to learn new things every day, challenge your beliefs and exercise or revise your problem-solving skills to help others.” says Kriti Sapra, a Delhi based Research Assistant and Psychologist.
Asking yourself questions like, ‘Do you like working with others? Can you cope with stress? Are you good at solving practical problems and can think creatively?’ and alike might help you reflect on your own life experiences and gain clarity in taking the choice for Psychology.
Check Upon Your Resources And Opportunities
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Initially, start by preparing a list of institutions that offer Psychology as a degree, and if you’re a long-term planner, you can also narrow down your area of speciality for higher education. Psychology is certainly not a one-size-fits-all career choice and your interest may lie in the research side of it or as a direct helper. For the later, there are tons of options, like Clinical Psychology, Psychiatry, Industrial-Organizational Psychology, Licensed Social Work, Forensic Psychology, Health Psychology and the list goes on. While there may be a lot of options that interest you, it is better to have a reality check of your resources in mind, like how much your education might cost at a particular institution, the internships you might have to pursue, any additional skill-related courses that can help you after you enter the field, etc. Talk to your parents, friends and teachers about it, and if your queries still remain unanswered, it is always better to visit a Career Counsellor who can help you out.
The Scope Of Psychology Where You Choose To Practise.
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Psychology as a field has been a popular choice in Western countries like United States where the employment of psychologists is expected to grow at a rate of about 19 percent through the year 2024, which is much faster than average growth. However, in Eastern countries like India, there are still problems revolving around limited educational institutions offering education in Psychology, job opportunities and salary. So, researching a little bit on what area of expertise in Psychology is more in demand at your location you want to practice in. For example, currently there’s a heavy demand in Clinical Psychology, Psychiatry, School Psychology, and Industrial-Organizational Psychology in India with psychological services being offered by schools, hospitals, substance abuse treatment centres, and social services agencies. It is always better to have in mind what your future holds for you and your area of interest. In fact, your own mental health and motivation is also important for you to contribute in helping others.
At last, all I would like to say is before pursuing Psychology, think about how you feel when it comes to addressing the “cry for help” from patients in the mental health sector. And not to forget, the number of such “help cries” is increasing sharply all over the world at an unexpected pace. Now, can you and would you like to take a shot at making lives better, literally?
