[laxer12]

Last night I got pretty drunk with my coworkers, who's a couple years older than me, at a conference and ended up crying a little in front of one of them (in privacy) and told her that I'm talking to a therapist. It's a big deal to me because only one other person knows but I haven't talked to that person about it for months so she doesn't even know that I'm still going.

I feel so vulnerable right now...I started a new job a few months ago in a new city so I'm not super close with this coworker which makes me feel even more vulnerable.

Literally no one other than my therapist knows I'm in therapy and I was kind of planning on keeping it that way.

Do you tell people you're in therapy? Has it changed your relationship with them?

I told and still tell everyone if the opportunity comes up. That even includes strangers.

[gayleggg]

I've told friends and coworkers that I'm in therapy. I don't tell everyone but the ones that I've told have handled it very well. They were all pretty understanding.

[musinglizzy]

I'm picky about who I tell. I know it's nothing to be ashamed of, but I still feel it. So only really close friends I trust know I'm going.

I'm surprised at these posts, I thought that having therapy in the US was kind of normal, maybe it depends where you are in the US?

[Salmon77]

I don't really talk to people about it unless somehow the topic comes up. Like if someone says, "How do you cope with X and Y?" I say, "Therapy helps!" or something like that. Or if someone says, "I'm thinking about therapy," I might talk to them about my experience. So it's not something I share with everyone but it's not something I hide either. I don't think it's shameful or anything.

People's feelings about this probably vary a lot depending on background etc.

[brillskep]

I'm normally open about being in therapy. My family all know and my colleagues (psychotherapists or trainee psychotherapists) are in therapy or have been or are thinking about therapy too (it's even a training requirement in order to become a therapist). I don't normally tell people who my therapist is. But recently I've joined a group of non-therapists (studying a couple foreign languages as a hobby) and I haven't told them about my therapy. For me, being in therapy is so natural, but I realize that to others who don't know as much about therapy it may sound unusual. If someone I like and trust in this group asked me about it, I would tell. I'm not trying to hide it but I'm not telling it without being asked, either. It's my personal space and I only tell when that information is welcome and likely to be understood.

[precaryous]

Some of my family know. The ones that know act embarrassed or uncomfortable, as if they would rather not know about it. I have told a very few close friends. One seems to understand, the other one just doesn't get it.

I don't talk to anyone about it anymore.

[Coco3]

It took a while for me to tell people I was in therapy. I found it very hard. My husband knew right from the start. Later on I told my friends and siblings. Eventually I had to tell my coworkers too, when I had to take a step back at work.

I can imagine you feel vulnerable, since you don't know your coworkers that long. But being in therapy is nothing to be ashamed of. My experience is that everybody is very understanding.

I prefer not telling people. For some stupid reason i find it embarrassing. Most of my friends know and my family know.

[NowhereUSA]

I tell people I'm in therapy all the time. I mean, I don't necessarily volunteer it, but if it's part of the conversation, sure. Sometimes I make a joke when someone says, "That's so sensible!" I'll reply, "Glad to see all those years of therapy are paying off!"

[growlycat]

My family and close friends know but I don't talk to them about it.

I absolutely avoid telling people from work. Only once did I reveal this to a coworker who was pretty open about being in therapy herself. We talked about it at lunch away from work

I have seen coworkers get tipsy at offsite company events who then say stuff they regret later. Not that anyone is asking, but I advise not to drink heavily in front of or with coworkers. I've never seen it end well.

It completely depends on what part you're in, Brown Owl, and even in a fairly open, liberal part, there will be people who react negatively.

The most common negative reactions I hear are people being called "nut case" and "crazy" and being gossiped about so if you tell one person you're in therapy, you can assume most everyone you know will soon know.

Then there are the people who will tell you that if you pray harder or read the Bible more that you wouldn't need therapy.

Oh, and the parents who are insulted if their adult child goes to therapy because they take it as a slight on their parenting skills.

And then there are lots of people who will say "Oh, it's great that you're getting help" because they feel it's socially unacceptable to say otherwise but then go away and say all kinds of negative things.

So what's the general attitude in Scotland?

[Suraya]

I'm very open about it and will tell anyone if it happens to come up in conversation. I believe we need to break the negative stigma mental health has associated with it in our society and culture.

[SoupDragon]

I have only told 2 people that I am seeing a T. One because I know she had seen one in the past and the other as I was spending a lot of time with her when things were not going well for me.

[stopdog]

I do not tell people at all - my partner and my bff know and that is it. And bff does not know if I still see either of them. No one in my group would guess - I am not very enamored of that job or those who have it.

I do not tell my family (husband, siblings etc) that I am in therapy. There is no reason why I would do so, and good reason not to. I have told a couple of friends, and my boss. I think I have told five people in total, and two of those know I'm still doing it.

I am not ashamed of being in therapy - it's just not anybody else's business. I wouldn't tell anybody about my sex life or my dreams about the future or other things that only interest myself. Why would therapy be different?

I don't discuss my therapy with people in general. My family knows I see a therapist (they see the same therapist), so it isn't a big deal between us anyway. On occasion I may mention it in passing in other avenues; it isn't something I hide. It just isn't something I feel at all necessary to bring up with others most of the time.

[LonesomeTonight]

Many of my friends know I'm in individual therapy, as do my parents and in-laws. The marriage counseling was a bit more under wraps for a while, with only one or two friends, my mom, and my mother-in-law knowing (plus my husband's boss, so she would know why he had to be out an hour a week). But gradually, I've let more and more people know I'm in marriage counseling, especially as they've opened up about issues in their own marriages. I feel like letting people know takes some of the stigma out of it (and also lets them know that we aren't some perfect couple, even though we're often good at playing one at parties and family events). Plus I've come to realize I hate hiding stuff--not that everyone needs to know everything (like all the stuff I/we discuss in therapy or that I have erotic and paternal transference for my marriage counselor), of course!

[Elisabetta346]

I do not mention it to people unless I am extremely close to them. Its my business not anyone else.

I have told some people and it did not change my relationship with them, however I am selective of who i talk too about personal information and deeply trust them.

I'm quite open about it, because I see it as no different to taking care of physical health. I would tell people I see a doctor, but not tell them what I discuss with him. I tell people I see a therapist but I don't discuss what goes on in therapy much.

I tell anyone and everyone if the topic even remotely comes up. I am proud of the work I've done in therapy and it has been the absolute best thing I have ever done for myself. I also tell it because I hate that there is still some stigma attached to the whole mental health thing.

[Soccer mom]

The main reason I have told friends is their comments about how I've changed. My close coworkers know because I have a standing appt on Mondays. And most people know it's due to my moms death and that she had alcohol/drug problems.

I see it as a positive and many people have said how they wish they could go. I've also had several friends enjoy hearing what I've learned because they can relate to the way I interact with others and the ways I've become a better mom. Ironically the people who I tell are a lot like me (since I chose them as friends) and also have a hard time expressing their feelings.

I haven't had one negative reaction. And, if they did, they wouldn't be my friend anymore. I was prepared to lose friends due to my changes and have lost one.

Just about everyone knows I'm in therapy - but I once spent nine months in a residential facility, and that sort of thing is rather hard to hide. Most assume it's because of issues I have because I was very ill which resulted in a leg amputation.

[catonyx]

I have not tried to hide it from anyone. I'd say the majority of my friends and close family know. I don't really care who knows to be honest.