i know about 8 personally who have been in therapy and of those 8 three were long term and two of the long termers i consider my closest mates (next to hubby). this is probably because i have been able to have many conversations with those mates about our long term therapies and our issues openly and honestly. it's definitely about sharing a commonality and and knowing that these two can understand unlike many other people in my life who haven't had a similar experience.