Prejudice Against Therapy

Therapy is a treatment intended to improve and relieve one’s mental state of well-being by psychological means. It has been existing for a very long time, and by most of society, therapy is viewed as something to be ashamed of, or just not needed. Society’s bad views on therapy have affected millions of people, causing them to think it’s a horrible thing, and never seek help for what might be important feelings that shouldn’t be ignored. This has recently been improving as therapy gets more common every day, but still, it is not perfect by any means. But why does therapy have so much stigma? What led people to think of it in such ways?

First, we have the individuals who reside misconceptions regarding therapy. They might think that therapy is something only for people with disorders who they view as ‘crazy’ or ‘psychopathic’. They usually find it weird or uneasy. Going to therapy might also seem like not being able to deal with your problems on your own to some people. This is mostly caused by false presentation in media, shows, movies, and books; and it is a completely stereotypical view. The other group of people is the ones who don’t understand how the process works. They might be thinking that therapists can’t be trusted to keep your secrets or respect your privacy, or they think talking to a stranger won’t make a difference and they can’t fix your problems. Some people are over-identifying, and interpreting the whole idea of therapy as an implication that they themselves are weak, needy, sad, paranoid, or whatever it is they imagine.

It comes down to never actually experiencing and therefore not understanding therapy. So when people say they’re against therapy, they’re against their own image of what it is, not actually what it is. It’s meant to be a safe place for anyone who wants to grow as a person, resolve untouched feelings from their past, or just seek guidance with day-to-day problems. It could be anything you’d like it to be. Therapists are ethically bound to maintain privacy and they don’t exist to fix your problems. They are simply a guide or a counselor in your growth that is entirely personal, and there’s nothing to be embarrassed about seeking help. It’s even quite brave, accepting that a guide might help you and seeking personal growth is a huge step in actually becoming the person you want to be.

(Kapak resmi: Stephanie Deangelis)