Why Is Trust So Important In Psychology?

The word “trust” is a term that is often said by people in a variety of contexts, from the supplier you trust to deliver your products to the people closest to you in your personal life. However, what is trust? What does is it mean? And how important a role does it play in therapy? Continue reading to find out.

What is trust?

Merriam Webster dictionary defines trust as an “assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something”. This definition looks so clear and concise, but trusting someone or something can be likened to scaling a mountain for some people. Even with this, trust is absolutely vital to the success of any kind of relationship – whether romantic or platonic. Without it, you end up second-guessing everyone around you (including yourself). 

How important is trust in psychology?

For therapy to be genuinely effective, trust needs to be established in that therapeutic relationship. Without trust, a therapist can only help a client to an extent. It is a fact that trust is majorly interpersonal, but another kind of trust is as important: the trust you should have for yourself. If one doesn’t have trust in themselves, they might not be able to carry out decisions and actions that will shape their lives in the right direction. They could also end up becoming impulsive, which will entail undertaking rash decisions that will adversely affect them in the long run.

All of these point to the fact that trust is strongly linked with great physical health. A lack of trust in ourselves, most times, results in self-abuse (including addictive behavior as well as failing to practice self-care). Meanwhile, failure to trust other people could lead to loneliness and anxiety.

What can you do if you have trust issues?

If you have trust issues, you could begin addressing the problem with self-help. You could do this by reading up on intimacy, trust, and attachment issues. Doing this could prove helpful in making you understand where your issues might have emanated from.

Another method that could likely be helpful is psychotherapy and counseling. This will be a relationship between your therapist and yourself, and it can also serve as an opportunity for you to try trusting someone else in a more safe, supportive, comforting, and relaxing environment. Do you want to try working on your trust issues with a therapist? You can find a good psychologist in Pretoria (or anywhere close to you) who will attend to your needs and ensure that you improve your mental wellbeing.

Without trust, meaningful relationships will likely not be forged, which will lead to problems in terms of your mental health. It is quite understandable that one would like not to trust people because of a fear of them using that trust against you, but it is not a healthy endeavor. Establishing ties might be hard for you, but it is ultimately the right choice, even if it does take time.