I've been going back and forth for a few months now on whether I should ask my mom about talking to a therapist (I'm 17). I keep deciding that I don't need it and it would just be a waste of everyone's time. I'm also scared that as soon as I ask she will put me into the same category as my sister (long story) and start treating me like a 4 year old, or act like I'll explode any second. Even if she doesn't do that I know she'll see me differently.

Either that or the conversation will turn into her asking why I don't talk to her. And she'll talk in the voice she uses when she wants me to know I've deeply hurt her which I don't want to deal with. If she'd actually listen to me and empathize a bit, I would talk to her. But in my experience she just talks like she's reading from a script of "correct things for a good parent to say" before making it about herself. Gosh this paragraph makes me sound like a jerk. Maybe I am and that's my problem.

I guess I'm just looking for the easy way out. I'd rather let someone else figure out my problems and tell me what to do rather than face them myself. (And also face no repercussions in the process.) I looked for a while for online therapy sources so my parents wouldn't know - another easy way out (at least it would have been if money wasn't a thing).

I don't know if the kinds of things that bother me are actually issues, or if I'm just looking for an excuse to get out of... well, life. I know there are things I could be doing to improve my mental health but can't seem to stick to them. If nothing else, a therapist would at least hold me accountable. But I also don't want to waste their time. Most of the things I think could be "problems" probably just boil down to laziness.

So, I guess my question is, is it worth seeking therapy if what I'm going through is just regular teenager stuff?