When you can break the professional secret of the psychologist

One of the concerns of the people who have never attended a psychologist is that the professional tells another person the things that arose during the therapeutic advice sessions. Actually, the psychologist is strictly obliged to professional secrecy, therefore, does not reveal news, facts or information learned because of their professional relationship.

The psychologist does not inform about the professional benefits made or programmed, unless some hypotheses are used. Let's see then, in this Psychology-online article When can the professional secrecy of the psychologist break.

1. What is professional secrecy in psychology
2. Suicide cases
3. Cases of aggressions
4. Cases of violence and domestic abuse
5. Judicial cases

What is professional secrecy in psychology

Professional secrecy It is one of the psychologist's obligations, as established in the deontological code of the profession. For example, article 40 of the Official College of Psychologists of Spain (1987) expressly says:

"All the information that the psychologist collects in the exercise of her profession, both in the verbal manifestations of her clients, and in psychotechnical data or other professional observations practiced, are subject to a duty and a right of professional secrecy, of the that could only be exempt with the express consent of the client. The psychologist will ensure that his eventual collaborators atteen to this medical secret."

However, ¿What happens if a psychologist breaks professional secrecy? If a psychology professional breaches the obligation to respect professional secrecy, commits a serious or very serious offense, which It is sanctioned with temporary disqualification or expulsion of the collegiate bodies In all places where the profession is regulated.

¿When you can break the professional secret of the psychologist? Although laws generally vary from one state to another, in some specific situations psychologists can share information without the written consent of the client. Let's look at the common exceptions according to APA (American Psychological Association).

Suicide cases

The professional secret of the psychologist can break To protect the patient of any danger situation. If, for example, a client discusses plans to try to commit suicide or to harm another person. A very common case in which it hurts to break the professional secrecy of the psychologist is when there are patients suffering from depression, in particular, of severe pathological depression.

Those who suffer from a major depressive disorder, in general, have some common characteristics such as sadness, despair, loss of energy, loss or increased appetite, difficulty reconciling sleep and suicidal thoughts or acts.

Cases of aggressions

The professional secrecy of the psychologist can be violated in any situation that puts the life of the patient or other people close, regardless of whether it is a judicial process or not. These patients They can have crisis real if they do not follow adequate psychotherapeutic treatment, And if they do not take adequate antidepressants, and in these cases the behavior to be adopted is to collaborate and communicate with the family.

Cases of violence and domestic abuse

Psychologists must inform about ongoing domestic violence, abuse or abandonment of children, elderly or people with disabilities. The cases of sexual, physical and psychological abuse They are quite common and, most of the time, victims are afraid to talk about them, preferring silence. The most complex cases are those in which the protagonists of the abuses are very young children.

In case of alleged sexual aggression, the psychologist must have the lucidity of investigating, analyzing and verifying if the abuse has really occurred. The moment the therapist discovers that such an abuse is, in fact, happening, it is his duty to inform the parents.

But the culprit, It can often be a family member, that acts without being bothered before everyone's eyes. In these cases, legislation changes from country to country, but certainly the psychologist has the task of alerting other relatives and competent authorities.

However, if an adult reveals that he or she has been abused as a child, the psychologist is generally not obliged to report abuse, unless there are other children who continue to be abused.

Judicial cases

Psychologists can issue information if they receive a court order. This could happen If a person's mental health has been questioned During the judicial process.

Therefore, psychotherapists can have to deal with patients participating in a process, which means that at some point their presence and testimony may be necessary, at the expense of violating the professional secret of the psychologist. It often happens that this point can be reached, and these complex situations test all psychologists.

This article is merely informative, in psychology-online we have no power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.

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