Psychology is the study of the human mind and behavior. There is psychology in everything; we use our minds and behave in all sorts of ways always. There are many branches that are specifically studied, such as clinical psychology (focuses on diagnosing and treating mental and behavioral disorders), school psychology (focuses on mental health, behavior, and academics of students) and cognitive psychology (focuses on language, memory, thinking, and problem-solving), just to name a few.
Since the mind is very intricate and complex, it is hard to truly understand every little thing that the brain does. With physical illnesses and ailments, it is relatively easy to see what is wrong. But it is the opposite for the brain. Most mental illnesses or brain injuries cannot be seen on the outside, which is why it is important to get a closer look at the brain to see what is wrong.
Psychology is extremely interesting because, with it, you can learn how to understand why people do what they do, and why they think the way they think. One well-known psychologist is Sigmund Freud. He was prominent in the 1800s and is the person responsible for psychoanalysis. Psychoanalysis is a type of therapy that treats mental disorders by considering both the conscious and unconscious parts of the mind. In movies, when you see people in a psychologist’s office laying down on a sofa talking about their repressed fears or their mother’s unacceptance, this is the work of Freud.
There are many different career options for those who study psychology. There are forensic psychologists, consumer psychologists, educational psychologists, industrial/organizational psychologists, neuropsychologists, social psychologists, sports psychologists and more. All of them have vital jobs and all require an in-depth understanding of the mind in order to solve problems.