According to the National Center of Educational Statistics, 16.1 percent of all undergraduate students in college study social and behavioral sciences in 2011. Psychology is one of the major fields of study for college students because it is a diverse degree that can be connected to many other majors. Some people hold assumptions about students who decide to get a bachelor’s degree in psychology, and they don’t seem to understand the struggles of being a psychology major. Most college freshmen do not initially go into college thinking they will become a psychology major. But that doesn’t mean that it is a “last resort” major. Being a psychology major can be tough, and it isn’t quite what most people think.
Psychology majors can’t diagnose others
Some people assume that psychology majors have the knowledge to diagnose their friends and family members with mental illnesses because "that’s what psychologists do.”
I am not a psychologist. I am a psychology major. There’s a big difference. As a student, I’m learning about mental illnesses, how the brain works, why humans behave the way they do, and what medications do to the brain. That does not mean I can figure out what’s wrong with someone, or that I can diagnose a mental illness. That is something a professional, with a doctorate, can only really do. Just because I’m a psychology student does not mean I can tell you what’s wrong.
The psychology job field is large
One of the biggest assumptions people have is that, if someone is studying psychology, they must be going into the field of counseling. But counseling is one of the many fields that a psychology major can go into. A psychology major can go into business, grant writing, research, and many other fields. And just in case you're wondering, most counseling isn't done on a couch anymore. That was Freud’s method of counseling, and it is nearly extinct from current counseling strategies.
Psychology majors can have mental issues of their own
Just because we study mental illnesses, and some of us go into the field of counseling, it does not mean we don’t have problems of our own. Some psychology majors are not “normal” like everyone assumes. I myself have panic disorder, but yet I am studying psychology because I want to help others with their mental struggles. I want to go into research to focus on how to help treat conditions so that others don’t have to go through what I do. I can get very emotional sometimes, but that doesn’t mean I’d be a bad counselor.
Psychology majors are trained how to help others with their problems, and being in the field can be self-beneficial. I have found new ways to help my own mental issues since I became a psychology major. Can I 100 percent “cure” myself? No, because the mental problems will probably never go away. But that doesn’t mean I am unsuited to help others with their issues. If anything, I am able to relate to others with issues more than a “normal” person because I also struggle with similar issues.
Psychology is not easy
Some people think that college students become psychology majors because it's "easy." Have you ever seen a psychology research paper? It's about as hard-core as a biology research paper. Data collection is a tough job, and you have to have a lot of patience with some participants.
Psychology majors may or may not be psychoanalyzing you
But that does not necessarily mean we think you have a mental illness. We just want to help you out with whatever problems you might possibly have. As said before though, this does not mean we can tell you exactly what's wrong. Some people also choose not to psychoanalyze their family or friends, but it might be because they're too focused on psychoanalyzing themselves.
Don't be afraid to come to us for advice
Although we're not certified counselors, we usually don't mind helping our friends out. If it's a small issue, we may be able to give plenty of advice. You don't have to do what we suggest -- it is a suggestion, after all. But please, come to us if you need a friend to talk things out with. Not only will it give us practice with counseling others, but we care about you!
