Do you consider that doing therapy means one is brave or anything of that nature?

Depression can really mess up your cognition. I am going through that now, although it has gotten better.

Would love for you to participate!

Everyone uses therapy so differently.

At times I think therapy can be really painful and does require a good deal of strength and bravery to go to those hard icky places. Open up old wounds, flush things out... Sort of like a surgical procedure. Bravery definitely required, especially when im not feeling down going in.

On the other end, I've also gone to therapy when I've been in really low places and used my therapist as a comfort person. Accepting care didn't feel very brave.

I voted "I don't even know what that means." It's difficult (and often painful) to look honestly at oneself and trust another for guidance to change what needs changing (as determined by why one is in therapy). I'm not sure I can honestly view going through therapy as an act of bravery, though. Lots of things in life are hard, but we don't get medals for living. So...I still don't even know what that means.

Yes, exactly.

You hit this spot on. I didn't mean any harm in my post and I will think twice before responding on this forum again.

No one accused you of meaning any harm, and no one questioned your motives besides the people you quoted here.

But it's good to think twice about posting if you want to avoid questions or certain types of responses to what you post.

Absolutely.. I think it iS brave to face your junk and process those things you never have and deal with yourself. and let someone see you good and bad and know its ok . Just to learn tools and healthy ways of relating.

Well, I regret typing this. Maybe the folks who criticised me in my offline life are correct - that only "weak" or "crazy" people need therapy, that I'm just having a self pitying party where my psych coddles me...

T says I am brave but perhaps she says that for everyone because the stigma in my country is so high, people rather attempt suicide or go for literal exorcisms than seek help for mental distress.

I chose -others might find it brave. Right now it doesn't feel very brave of me.

But back in dinosaur days when I worked, i kept that kind of activity or pursuit to myself. I felt judged and prejudiced in more than one job that found out I went to therapy. At the time, going to therapy was a brave thing for me to do because it would jeopardize various jobs if I let it be known.

The admin secretary of one job filed all insurance for employees, so they sneakily had to know every employees health concerns, if you used your insurance. I was squeezed out of that job as a direct result...and I was a single parent, my daughter was very young.

I think that kind of prejudice is against the law presently. But back then, it seemed to me a brave thing to do.

Cinnamon, I'm sorry if you felt like I was criticizing you. Your post was interesting and I have a different perspective, so I shared my thoughts. I certainly didn't think you meant any harm! I didn't either. I don't think having differing perspectives on things is bad- it's what makes the world interesting.

Not that my opinion is worth much here, but FWIW-I think it's perfectly ok to respond to what someone said as if what they said is what they actually meant. You didn't do anything wrong.

If anything, your post may have inspired someone reading this thread who was feeling hopeless about the possibility of being helped by anyone. There was a point in my life recently, when I felt that no one--not even a therapist--could help me due to my issues and traits; that I was a hopeless case. Reading a lot of opinions that one must have certain traits to do therapy or do therapy a certain way could be very discouraging to some, even though they are just opinions or not meant literally. I would have seen your post as a little gem of inspiration.

I used to be really affected by people's opinions here, especially of the abandonment by my therapist and how it must be my fault. I think it's really important to tell yourself over and over that it really doesn't matter if other people think going to therapy is brave or not brave. All that matters is one's own experience and belief. Someone else thinking it is or isn't brave does not change that. Of course that is easier said than done, but it can be done. I came to this place by myself, but maybe for those in therapy, the therapist can help with that.

Thanks for the kind words, skies!