I've been in therapy for nearly 5 years with two different therapist and after all this time I can't see any benefits. Surely talking through emotions was making me feel better short term but I look back and see this unhealthy dependency on ultimately a stranger that I developed.
My main problem is that therapy tries to mimic a genuine, empathic relationship but is none of it. Its unnatural for any interaction to be so one sided. In the course of 5 years I became so self-absorbed and focused on emotions labelling it as "self-awareness'. I feel hooked like on any other drug. Craving a warm, mutual interaction because thats how our brains are wired. When we get close to someone we dont want a 50minute time limit on it. If you have anyone listen to you and not show any signs of judgement it will create warm feelings towards that person.
Therapy feels like a trap because all i want from my therapist is validation and attention.
So many here are hyperfocused on every word the therapist says (I am too) but none of it is authentic. Its their job to understand when other people don't, it's their role to listen and be present with you but they are not 'in it' with you.
It makes me so sad and almost cheated to think how imbalanced the client-therapist interaction is. The power that the therapist holds over our emotions is crual. I turned into a needy person so desperate for validation.
Its a set up to create 'safe space'. We pay them so they don't react like everyone else with boredom, disinterest and judgment/advice.