We all need someone to talk to about life's ups and downs, and most of the time friends and family are there to listen and help. But sometimes it pays to seek professional advice.

"A psychologist is objective – someone who has no vested interest," says Amanda Gordon, a Sydney-based practicing clinical psychologist and President of the Australian Psychological Society.

"And rather than simply offering an opinion, a psychologist will offer solutions based on evidence."

Here Amanda explains some of the more common reasons we might need to speak with a psychologist.

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Depression

Depression is the most likely reason for someone to seek help. Paradoxically, depressed people need more help to get to a psychologist because they can't believe there's anything that can make them feel better. This is because when you're depressed, your thinking is inevitably faulty (the glass is half empty, not half full).

If you're feeling flat and not getting enjoyment out of life, and your mood is influencing your ability to make choices, you might need to see a psychologist.

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Addiction

Psychologists an help with extreme compulsions which are having a detrimental effect on a person's working life and relationships, such as gambling, shopping and alcohol and other substance abuse in adolescents and adults.

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ADHD in kids

Kids can exhibit a huge range of symptoms – including behaving badly and sleep disorders – that can be labelled "ADHD". A psychologist is most skilled to make a diagnosis and support parents in assisting their children with learning and behaviour difficulties.

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Eating disorders

Many people suffer in silence when it comes to relating to food and body image. A psychologist can assist with this faulty thinking, to help change behaviour and responses to food and body image.

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Lifestyle effects on health

We all know there are things we need to do differently – diet or exercise, smoking, drinking. We may know they're not good for our health, but it's hard to know how to change.

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Relationship problems

Relationships are the real core of personal happiness. When relationships go bad it makes us feel like our world is falling apart. Many people are in relationships with potential, but don't have the strategies and resources to make them work.

Also, people can get stuck in a rut and keep repeating old patterns of behaviour within a relationship.

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Traumatic events

This includes things like car accidents, being made redundant, the loss of a loved one. Sometimes it's just so hard to "get over it", when something terrible happens. A psychologist can help normalise what's going on and teach strategies to manage the effects of such trauma on the mind and body.

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Not every psychologist is an expert in all the above fields – but the Australian Psychological Society (APS) has a referral service to help you find a suitable practitioner for your needs.

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If you think you need to see a psychologist, contact the APS on: 1800 333 497 and visit their website: www.psychology.org.au