The Inner Critic: When to Seek a Specialist

The inner critic crosses the line into a professional concern not when it speaks loudly, but when you notice that years have passed and nothing has changed. Dr. Saulitis points out that people often spend years seeing psychologists, specialists, and various "authorities," looking for answers — while remaining in a dependent, childlike position rather than becoming someone who learns and acts.

The signal: you're looking for a saviour, not knowledge

One of the clearest signs that it's time to seek professional help is when you begin treating a specialist like a parent or a messiah — coming not for a tool, but for a ready-made answer to every situation. This kind of dependency is itself a disorder that prevents you from engaging fully with reality. If you find that you cannot take a step without "approval from above," that is the moment a specialist is needed.

What a proper team looks like

When you consult a specialist — a psychologist, psychotherapist, or coach — there is one essential question to ask: is this person willing to work as part of a team with a psychiatrist? If not, that is a red flag. A competent team is structured so that the psychiatrist and psychotherapist work closely together, exchange feedback, and each fulfils their own role. A specialist who refuses this kind of collaboration is either unqualified or serving their own interests rather than yours.

The goal is independence, not dependence

A good professional team always watches to ensure that no dependency on the source of help develops. Once the acute state has been addressed, sessions may take place once a month — and in a different format: you describe how you have been handling your problems yourself, while the specialists act as observers and supervisors. Like an elite athlete who has a coach but trains and competes on their own. If medication is needed, it is prescribed by a professional you trust. The rest of the work, you carry out yourself.