Anyone anti-therapy here?

[Rhizomorph1]

I'm not totally anti-therapy but what is true: in most cases therapy is useless because when the actual triggers of MH issues cannot be eliminated and/or cured then what can therapy do in the end? MH isn't like a broken leg that heals on its own. Imo in most cases therapy is a waste of money and time.

I think what many in this thread are overlooking is the efficacy data on therapy. Therapy is effective for a number (majority) of psychiatric conditions and obviously the competencies of the therapist will result in some variability between efficacy.

I think what therapists unfortunately overlook is the relative stability of some mental health conditions and an individual's right to self-determination. Prohibitive norms towards suicide and the legal responsibility taken on by medicine means that therapists will do everything in their power to assume a given client has an innate healing capacity, or that medication will work for all of those with more biological causes of mental illness.

In accordance with the data, I gather this website is awash with a number of people who may be pulling the gun too early on their potential for recovery. The data shows the vast majority of people who experience suicidal ideation at some point in their lives do come to a point where they no longer wish to ctb.

However, there are exceptions. The challenge is in designating who and under what criteria those exceptions are present. And I think medicine/therapy is too conservative/optimistic in their assessments, leaving some people with long-term problems frustrated with their therapists optimism that they can recover.

That is all to say that I wouldn't overlook the benefits of therapy or medication, but if you've already tried it, a true person-centered approach would allow people to self-determine if they are recoverable or not. I recommend exhausting your options with medication and motivational-enhancement of therapy, but I maintain the individual's right to self-determine if they don't wish to go on like this...

Therapy and this website alike are awash with the biases of optimism and pessimism, respectively.

 

[BasicCore]

The thing about therapy is that it is desingned to keep you a functional member of society - or destroy you in the process
modern applications of psychotherapy are exceptionally bad at comprehending neurodivergent methods of thinking, wich almost any sentient being employs since were not machines.
but therapists dont think like that, they either put you in a drawer or outright ignore your issues. they are not here to help, they are here to pretend to help to make money.

 

[rainyraes]

I'm a bit hypocritical - I am actively getting therapy so I seem stable enough to be left alone, but I'm definitely anti therapy

They preach about how things 'get better' and you just 'haven't tried enough' while lacking any actual advice on how to get better, because they don't have any.

Therapy could be for some people, but definitely not for the vast majority of mentally unstable people

 

[rileywatson]

I'm not really against therapy, in theory or in practice. Why the therapy part sucks so much is in no way unique to therapy, as compared to other medical fields.

There are two main reasons I'm not getting professional help right now, both are financial. One is therapy is expensive. The other is that it would probably be career suicide to get professional mental help.

 

[Scythe]

I am anti therapy in the sense that I would never want it. Therapy requires you to open up to this human you never met before, know nothing about, is paid money to be there. Why? Why would I do that? What are they going to do about my problems with society itself anyways? Brainwash me? No thanks. Medication is just another drug anyways, doesn't magically make your problems disappear. I'll stick to alcohol, I know it works for me, has barely any side effects and I won't be around to experience the long term damage.

However, I get that people feel better after therapy, and that's cool. Different coping mechanisms for different people. I just wish the default answer to mental problems isn't "Go to therapy." It shows you don't give a shit and you don't fucking listen. There's probably a reason someone reaches out for help instead of going to therapy and perhaps people should try to help. Sometimes things mean more if a friend says it, or maybe people just feel better talking to whoever. Therapy is only one answer and not always the right answer, so people should stop just telling people go to therapy.

 

[Beyond_Repair]

I'm one of those people

r/antitherapy on reddit has been extremely helpful in making me realize the mental health system is pretty much garbage let alone manipulative.

Anyone else?

I think therapy can help some people. Maybe people with minor depression or are going through a sudden life change or temporary hardship, and just need some extra support or someone to listen without judgement, and that's enough for them. I've been to therapy, and work near therapists at my job, and their job is essentially to listen and to teach coping skills, depending on what they specialize in. Psychodynamic therapists might be more focused on learning about your childhood, and rephrasing what you say back to you so you can hear your thoughts coming from a different perspective.

I've heard that therapy is much more helpful for people with low levels of insight, because people who have high self-awareness likely already know what they "should" be doing, and are aware that their thought process is not healthy, but cannot change it regardless. I'm inclined to think there is some truth to this

 

[ger3172]

im kinda anti therapy because i know the system is flawed and it is only helpful in some cases.

but like, seriously, i just started therapy again after being reluctant for a while because im too self aware already and i rationally just dont wanna be here. they can hear about my past and my present all they want, try to rewire me, whatever, but ill still have to live with that for the rest of the week while other people and society are constantly stepping on me. while i keep having every reason in the world to just quit.

 

[DyingToDie123]

If therapy worked I wouldn't mind it. Apologies if someone said this already, I only skimmed the replies, but I've found that most therapy forms look to alleviate psychological pain, but none (except Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) seem to actually look at making life worth living. I like ACT a little, I'm skeptical that it would be life changing for me or others but I think it gets little credit compared to how not totally horrible it actually is (in my opinion - totally get if it doesn't work for you).

r/antitherapy on reddit

I didn't know about this, thank you!

 

[snowcloud9]

There are 5+ different types of therapy. I would say to generalize such a broad field would have its shortcomings.

I think therapy can work for some things, such as when you have issues not ingrained in reality. Like having low self-esteem about your appearance when you're not really unattractive. There are some things that it doesn't work for, such as with poverty or bullying or whatnot.

But then again, what I'm saying is only true in a perfect world with a perfect therapist. There are too many shitty therapists out there. I've gone through two that were iffy, two that were bad, and only one that seemed pretty good. Sometimes therapists can be outright shitty. I've been told "Why are you coming to therapy if you're not going to open up to me?" on the first visit, even though I said MULTIPLE TIMES that I wanted to cover light topics and get to know each other before opening up. Ugh, so many incompetent medical professionals, I'm frankly just sick of this system.

 

[bridgegirl]

My apologies it was r/therapyabuse but they're anti-therapy on that suv

Thank you!!

 

[LaVieEnRose]

Well, when something ruins your life you don't need to be positively inclined towards it.

 

[Ε. Η. R.]

In no case will I speak for psychotherapy in the USA or Europe. But I clearly know what psychology, psychotherapy, and psychiatry are like in сommonwealth of independent states (russia, ukraine, belarus). In these "countries", psychiatry is exclusively punitive in nature. Especially in russia and belarus. lgb, transgenders according to russian "medicine", it is considered a disease, and in some cases a violation of the "law".
psychology and psychotherapy in russia, ukraine, belarus are exclusively scammers. In these "countries", any person can go to any scammer's office and, without any training, receive a document "confirming" the completion of psychological courses for month. This is just ridiculous. All movements in these "countries" are taking on the ugliest character.
I cannot imagine that in the USA and European countries psychology, psychiatry and psychiatry are of the same absurd, illiterate, destructive nature as in russian countries.

 

[tsumihoroboshi]

It's not so much that I'm anti-therapy as I am critical of the psychiatric industry as a whole, but that includes the therapists.

My first therapist was the worst. She told me my online friends weren't real and to get over my severe social anxiety was to just "smile big" at random people and had me practice it with her. She treated me like a baby.

I dropped her after a month and found a new therapist I had for a couple of years and she was the greatest, I really loved her. She understood my issues and tried her best to help me, but I moved and couldn't see her anymore and as far as I know, I can't have her back for some reason. After trying (and failing) to get a therapist again a couple of years ago (I wanted in person visits but lock-down made that impossible and I kept missing my calls from the therapist they assigned me so she fired me as a client).

So I tried a counselor recently, one of the only ones still available, and he seemed to be trying to call my bluff as if I didn't actually have any issues, and didn't believe me about them either despite what I had on paper. I saw him twice and then stopped after realising he was just... not compatible with me. It really is all about find the right therapist. If you're able to, you can change them and find one suitable for you. I'll never have the therapist I had all those years ago and my psychiatrist has been trying to get me to try another place, but it's such a huge process and burden.

Psychiatry in general though, as much as I need my medication, I feel like it only exists to keep us from having the thoughts that we do. Like a "saviour". I have to lie about my self-harm and suicidal thoughts to my psychiatrist so I don't get institutionalised again, and where I live, it can be instant if they see any fresh marks on you.
I only got out of it from my last psychiatrist after convincing him I was doing it for body-modification purposes (this is half-true) and it definitely wasn't suicidal intent.

I always felt like psychiatry was to "punish" those of us for feeling suicidal or self-harming, like if they "help" us se the light, they'll be spared somewhere. Like they're doing a "good thing". It's always felt like a punishment more than genuine help. We shouldn't have to be institutionalised for our thoughts. Even therapy wasn't a safe space to talk about it. I feel like my issues just get worse the more I hide it because if I'm honest, they'll just put me back in the psych-ward. That isn't helpful to me.

Sorry for the long post, I have very strong feelings on the subject. My friends have honestly asked me "you really think people would waste time and money to go into a practice to force their own agenda on you?". Yes. I do.

 

[Dread#0375]

Therapy won't cure the tism.. what a shame

 

[TheRottingContinues]

I think therapy could work given the right care and action but the system right now is so bad that it's actively detrimental to my mental health

 

[gantaigarashi]

I don't think therapy will do much. It won't change my shitty life circumstances nor will it change my appearance or social skills. Just blabbering about shit is not going to help someone who doesn't want to helped. For that I have this forum and reddit, where I can vent anonymously without being judged. (Thank god for the internet! And people who create anon forums like this)

I just take my meds from the psychiatrist since I have to function in this society and don't want to start using drugs recreationally.

 

[ManByTheRiver]

Me, I don't think the regular type of therapy works on me, talking does nothing for me and I don't want a diagnosis.

 

[Cherry Crumpet]

I had a therapist for a few years. She helped somewhat but sometimes she'd make remarks that would make me feel even worse.

Also, there's something inherently gross about paying someone to care about your issues and your fucked up life. It makes it feel inauthentic and like a transaction rather than truly caring about the person. Like I read this one site because I was trying to find a new one.. and oh they sound so authentic and oh so caring and blah blah blah and they charge $200 an hour. If they gave a shit they would at least use a sliding scale.

Oh yes, I really do care about you and want to help you. But before I help you, give me $200 a week. Feels like a legal scam.

 

[olivia.opossums]

I'm one of those people

r/antitherapy on reddit has been extremely helpful in making me realize the mental health system is pretty much garbage let alone manipulative.

Anyone else?

could not agree more. i've been through two therapists and they've both been so shit. the first one couldn't do shit about my deteriorating social anxiety and overall mental health but offer breathing exercises. the second one was at least a little better but she completely misunderstood what i was going through. that or i am just a really good liar, i wasn't about to tell her everything lest i be sent to the looney bin

 

[LaVieEnRose]

My friends have honestly asked me "you really think people would waste time and money to go into a practice to force their own agenda on you?". Yes. I do.

It's their fucking career lmao.

 

[OhWellDerp321]

I'm one of those people

r/antitherapy on reddit has been extremely helpful in making me realize the mental health system is pretty much garbage let alone manipulative.

Anyone else?

Do you like reddit? Personally I find Reddit is just full of pro lifers. As soon as anything is "negative", they ban it and downvote the comments.

 

[NeedAnEscape]

I wouldn't describe myself as "anti-therapy," in the sense that I believe there should be societal action taken against therapy. However, most people need to rethink what therapy means and what it can actually do for you. Therapy only works, if the individual is compelled to change. Someone has to WANT to turn their lives around for therapy to be effective. When therapy is forced onto another person, it is unlikely to work or result in any change. Therapy isn't the 'cure' for everyone, and it certainly wasn't for me. I was forced into therapy, and it hardly stuck with me. I continued to experience the same struggles as before, and I felt like I was a waste of time and money, by going to those sessions. I was already so vulnerable, and I was expected to open up about all of my pain and insecurities to a stranger. When I left therapy, I was relieved that I no longer carried a financial burden onto my family. Perhaps, if I chose to go to therapy and I wasn't so uncomfortable with voicing my struggles, it could have done something for me. But, I wasn't ready and I doubt that I ever will be.

 

[asian.neet]

Do you like reddit? Personally I find Reddit is just full of pro lifers. As soon as anything is "negative", they ban it and downvote the comments.

Yeah I like reddit. Just specifically r/therapyabuse r/anti_therapy

 

[Kasumi]

Imo therapy is not a cure, it's just trying to help you deal with your problems.
I think my therapist is very much aware that she can't make me healthy, but the things she says are more aimed at improving my current situation, making it easier to deal with it rather than saying some stuff that's "supposed to fix me".

I should mention that I live in the EU so therapy is generally free and also a lot more private than in other places, she'd only be allowed to call someone when I literally tell her "hey I'm gonna ctb tomorrow". Naturally I'm not gonna do that.

I think generally it doesn't even help me, because I'm with my problems for many years already, so naturally I started thinking of what I can do to make life a little easier for me at some point, so I feel like there's not much therapy can still teach me.
But I think that it can help people that either aren't dealing with those things very long yet or just havn't thought about what they can do yet.

And it doesn't help that all the great research models and stuff are made by some philosophists.
It's not very reassuring imo if some probably very healthy academic person makes assumptions about how we think and our brain might work...
If I learned one thing then that's that people are different from each other, even tho I'm nothing special myself and a completely average person on the outside, the way I think and the way my head works is pretty unique, and that's probably the case for a many people.

 

[flower_g1rl]

just gaslighting to me. depression, anxiety, so many words to blame you and your "mind" for reacting very normally to the world around you. it is depressing and it is anxiety inducing. mind tricks, talks and convincings wont change a damn thing. the problem really isnt me