The reasons that lead individuals to seek psychological therapy to resolve a disorder or overcome the discomfort they feel are different and varied. Many think that it will be simple and they will not have to make an effort during the process, others will resist the change, and others may be misdiagnosed.

In some cases, even going to psychological therapy can be counterproductive (making the person’s problems worse). Despite the fact that a notable percentage of patients improve, others do not achieve their goals and drop out of therapy.

Psychological therapy is not very effective

What reasons lead a person to not comply with the treatment? What causes patients to sometimes end the therapeutic relationship with a feeling of not having achieved the objectives? The following are the main reasons why psychological therapy may not work

1. Lack of psychological resources of the patient

Is the procedure accessible to the patient? In other words, are the necessary tools being provided so that he can improve properly? Can he use them? For example, a patient may not benefit from a type of psychological therapy that demands a great deal of emotional involvement because his level of emotional maturity is below what the therapy requires.

That patient may need prior emotional training as he or she does not have developed EQ skills. On the other hand, the patient may have a low cultural or intellectual capacity that makes treatment difficult.

2. Patient seeks healing without effort or involvement

Psychological therapy involves a certain commitment on the part of the patient in order to make progress. Psychological disorders are not the same as a headache, i.e. they require active involvement of the patient . If the patient does not carry out the tasks or apply the strategies worked on in the sessions, it will be difficult to improve.

3. The patient does not accept the psychologist’s word

The patient may not accept that the psychologist tells him certain things. He/she may also not accept that he/she questions his/her beliefs or principles . If a person is defensive, it is difficult to persuade him/her to improve.

4. Lack of motivation on the part of the patient

This point has to do with motivation, since if the patient is not motivated it is difficult for psychological therapy to be effective. On the other hand, motivation can be lost if the treatment requires major lifestyle changes or when the treatment has a delayed effect. The psychological change is not immediate. It requires, most of the time, changes in deep-rooted approaches or habits, and that means time and effort.

5. Patient needs another specialist

The therapy may not be ideal for the patient. Some people work better with cognitive-behavioral therapy and others, for example, with Mindfulness. In other words, not all therapies are the same for all people.

6. Resistance to change

The resistance to change has to do with a more or less conscious resistance. For example, the patient does not want to lose the treatment he receives or the psychological dependence, anticipates negative consequences after the change, does not want the loss of payments or fears uncertainty.

7. The environment is conducive to maintaining the problem

Certain environments or behaviors impair patient recovery . For example, a person who wants to improve his or her alcohol problems and has friends who encourage him or her to drink, is very likely to have difficulties in getting the most out of psychological therapy.

8. There are other problems that make recovery difficult

It may be that there is a misdiagnosis by the therapist because there are deeper problems than the patient is showing. In addition, there could be a situation that indirectly affects the therapy, such as a bad work or family situation.

9. Patient’s misconceptions about psychotherapy

There are many mistaken beliefs that can hinder the process of psychological therapy . For example, having few expectations of success or too high expectations about therapy, believing that results will come quickly, thinking that going to therapy will negatively affect one’s image, and so on. People, sometimes, have a wrong vision of the psychologist’s possibilities of acting. The psychologist is not going to make his patient a happy person; the aim is for the patient to be the master of his or her own life, and to have the knowledge, means and skills necessary to improve his or her well-being and to solve the problems that arise.

In fact, there are myths and clichés about the profession of psychologist that we summarize in the article:

“The phrases psychologists hate to hear the most”

10. Bad therapist-patient relationship

It is very important that there is a good relationship of communication and understanding between the patient and the therapist, which produces a good therapeutic alliance. If there are problems in the interpersonal relationship, it is possible that the expected benefits will not occur. The cause of this may be the lack of understanding between the two, the attitude of the therapist or the patient, or simply that there is no feeling between the two and a relationship of trust does not occur.