Psychoeducation & 4 Ways It Benefits You

PUBLISHED May 28th, 2021 & UPDATED ON Nov 17th, 2022

If you’re not sure what psychoeducation is, let’s start off with a great example — it’s essentially what we do here at DiveThru! We give you education and info on allll the conditions that can affect your mental health. So, when you get that diagnosis you can turn to us and feel better about what’s going on.

Psychoeducation shows you why the condition popped up the way it did, how it will affect your life, and what your treatment options are! It’s facilitated by therapists, psychiatrists, support group leaders, and psychoeducational specialists — who we turn to so that we can give you the most reliable info possible. So, let’s dive into the specifics of psychoeducation and how it can help you!

What Is Psychoeducation?

The term psychoeducation was made popular by psychologist C.M. Anderson in 1980, so we guess we can thank her for helping us understand what we’re going through. Shoutout to you, C.M. Anderson! Now, let’s figure out what makes it so helpful. Chances are, with pretty much any diagnosis you’re going to be a bit anxious (totally valid! We’ve been there, too!). You’re constantly thinking about what’s going in your body, maybe because it wasn’t properly explained to you.

That’s what psychoeducation is here for! It lays out the causes of your condition, the symptoms, how it’s going to fold out over the years, and what you can do about it. Because you should know that what you’re going through is normal and doesn’t mean you’re broken!

How It Works

Psychoeducation can be practiced in two ways! If you JUST got diagnosed, or you’re experiencing hella symptoms and want to know what’s going on, you’ll probably turn to the internet. And not to brag…we’ve got a pretty awesome resources for you to check out! Here at DiveThru, we have a diverse group of mental health professionals who help us curate the best content for your needs (so you don’t have to self-diagnose on WebMD). Whether you need psychoeducation for depression, psychoeducation for anxiety, or anything in between we’ve got you covered!

When it comes to psychoeducation therapy, a professional will sit with you one-on-one (or screen-to-screen) and explain everything there is to know about what you’re going through. They’ll be there to hear you out and walk you through any of the scary emotions you might be feeling. They might also give you homework through books, pamphlets, websites, videos, or support groups related to the condition! Family members may also be involved in those conversations because it’s helpful for them to understand what’s going on rather than you having to explain it ALL. OVER. AGAIN.

4 Outcomes of Psychoeducation

Once all is said and done, there are a lot of great things you can get out of psychoeducation! Being left in the dark about your condition — or whatever is making you feel uncomfy — just brings about anxiety and fear! We defs don’t want that, so just look at allll the benefits that psychoeducation has to offer.

1. The Facts

You’ll know alllll the things about what’s happening in your brain; the what, the why, the how and everything in between! You’ll learn:

Factors: You figured out what caused your condition (whether biological, genetic, or environmental).
Symptoms: You’re aware of common symptoms associated with the condition.
Treatment: You were shown what your treatment options are and how each of them work.
Prognosis: You know what you can expect in the future.

These 4 points will be a BIG support in helping you feel in control of your body and mind.

2. Calmed Emotions

Like we mentioned earlier in the article, there’s a lot of anxiety involved with a new diagnosis or symptoms that you’ve never experienced before! Talking that out with a professional, or even reading about how what you’re going through is completely normal, can lift a HUGE weight off your shoulders. Knowing that you’re not the only person in the world that’s going through this can help you come to terms with your condition even more!

3. Medication Specifics

Sometimes a condition can be managed with medications. It may be a hard journey to start because you don’t WANT to rely on them just to exist. But that’s another thing both DiveThru and a mental health professional can help you learn more about!

Psychoeducation teaches you:

How and when to take them, what happens if you miss a dose, and the side effects you might experience.
How the medication works and how it helps your body and mind.
What precautions you may need to take while being on them, or what things to avoid.

And, finally…

4. Self-Support

If you choose not to go down the med route, there are other ways that you can cope on your own. It may not be a cure but it’s defs a way to calm down when things act up! A therapist can help you with that and, here at DiveThru, we make sure to always incorporate some effective strategies.

Psychoeducation helps you:

Know how to spot symptoms as soon as they come up, and when to get help.
Build skills to ease those symptoms when they do appear.
Feel better about what you’re going through and more confident that you can handle it.

Sometimes psychoeducation therapy isn’t an option. But, we’re always here to educate you when those resources aren’t readily available or if you don’t have access. Turn to any of our FREE articles reviewed by incredible mental health professionals, or check out our suuuper informative podcasts!