Rio, I'm sorry that your dad has those ideas about therapy. Mental health has been stigmatized, and even though a lot has changed about therapy and mental health treatment, there are still people who only know the old stigmas, and they aren't aware of how it has changed and that mental health is important for everyone.

Ethics now tell us that it isn't helpful for therapists to foster dependency or keep people in therapy longer than is needed. Some people only need one or a few sessions, and that is enough. Others still need long-term therapy because they have more to work on.

Your hair-pulling is more than a habit. It's a fill-in for healthier ways to manage your emotions. You may need to work on being more aware of your feelings and their causes, in addition to learning effective coping skills. You have also mentioned concerns from the past that still bother you, and you will want to resolve that. But from what you have told us, it doesn't sound like you need extensive or long-term therapy.

You will emerge from this strong and healthy, and there is no reason for any stigma to follow you. It's people who are afraid of the stigma that keep the stigma going. They probably have issues themselves that they don't admit even to themselves, so they are lacking some self-awareness.

Good luck with your dad, and everything else too!

Rap