Ethical Issues in Psychology and Counseling: Asking for Help

Diploma *In* Psychology: Ethical Issues In Psychology And Counseling Asking For Help {draw:frame} When one asks for help, it could mean that one is unable to solve the problems that trouble him or her. Moreover, that also means that one has no grip over his or her problems and is seeking for a way out. By asking for help, one hopes to get assistance to ease or relieve his or her burden. A person with emotional difficulties might find it hard for them to function normally, therefore school and work could be affected. I would like to use the example of my close friend, Jesse. She was secretly pregnant after a one night fling during the midst of our major O levels exam. Lost, scared and confused, she does not have the courage to ask for help. Now, let’s look at why asking for help could be hard for others, such as Jesse. Family upbringing plays an important part as well. Children who were brought up in an environment that discouraged complaints were often asked to handle their own problems. Therefore, they grow up to keep their problems only to themselves. In such a highly competitive environment in which everyone aims to be at the top, asking for help is seen to be weak and vulnerable in the eyes of others. It is like signaling that one is a weak link or a loser when he or she asks for help. However, I personally think that the main issue that is stopping people from asking for help is fear. Fear of being labeled as incapable or a failure makes asking for help hard. Also, lacking the guts to identify the real root problem is another barrier to ask for help. That is why Jesse would not ask for help because she was fearful of being labeled as a failure or loser by her parents, teachers and friends for being pregnant at such a young age. Other contributing factors such as being unable to find the opportunity to speak to the right person about the problem made asking for help more difficult. At times, we might even find it hard to speak