So I’m a non US Redditor and I’m CONSTANTLY seeing posts recommending therapy for individuals in threads (particularly AITA).
In my country therapy is not common. I don’t know anyone who has had it regularly and only a handful who went once or twice. Is it really as common in America as reddit makes it seem? Are you all in therapy?
20 comments
Reddit skews younger, and their generation is way more open about mental health, and dealing with mental health issues. That said, Americans as a whole are more accepting of therapy than a lot of other countries.
It’s common because it’s healthy. You don’t need to be mentally ill to go to a session or more. It just helps to have a professional sort your mind out. Therapy should be more common than it is
If you can afford it.
I’d say it’s common.
It’s not ubiquitous — from what I can find, it’s around the range of 10% of adults. But, yes, it’s largely considered a “normal” thing by many people these days. Which is good; there’s nothing shameful about it. For many, it’s a valuable form of preventative healthcare just like any other.
I’d say it’s becoming more common because it’s been normalized. My company actually gives us a couple days per year that we can take a half day to go to therapy without using PTO. Nothing wrong with going, even if it’s to clear your head. I don’t normally go, but i have a few times and it benefited me.
It isn’t as ubiquitous as it should be. There aren’t enough good therapists to go around. I could really benefit from therapy, but haven’t found someone with availability who suits my needs. And if you’re trying to use insurance instead of paying cash, it can be even harder to access.
Almost 22% of Americans sought mental health services over the last two years.
Little lower than it should be imo.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2022/09/18/more-adults-received-mental-health-treatment-over-past-two-years/10369715002/
I see a dentist because I have teeth, an optometrist because I have eyes, and a therapist because I have relationships and feelings and past trauma. Normalize therapy.
A counter to what’s being said here:
It is *not* common, at all. At least not by Americam standards. Someone else mentioned it’s only at about 10% of adults. Part of this is because of cost and provider availability, Part of it is fear, stigma, and even people not realizing that what they’re going through *isn’t* normal and *should* be discussed with someone.
*That being said:*
If you assume that adults make up half the American population, 10% is still 22 million people.
In addition, it likely *is* far more common than in other nations, and *shoukd* be even more common now.
Now as for why you see it so much?
Because rcommending therapy is often a cheap feel-good bullshit answer that makes the giver feel morally superior. 60% times it’s suggested on Reddit (and 100% of the time in AITA), it’s being improperly recommended by dingbats who think a few sessions of therapy is a magic cure, and that anyone and everyone can just drop what they’re doing and rock up to a therapist’s office.
Let’s take a step back
Going for a couple months to work through some stuff is fairly common. Maybe it’s a divorce, losing a job, getting to a point where you don’t feel like you’re progressing in life, run of the mill depression, maybe you have a kid whose having a hard time at school, etc..
Being in therapy for your entire life is not nearly as common.
When you’re in AITA, you’re getting people with problems that are relatively serious and coping mechanism that aren’t great (they’re soliciting advice on the internet). Therapy is a reasonable suggestion for a lot of these people.
Therapy? That’s expensive. All you need are some good friends that actually care about you that have the courage to tell you what you need to be old and aren’t scared to hurt your feelings.
>So I’m a non US Redditor and I’m CONSTANTLY seeing posts recommending therapy for individuals in threads (particularly AITA).
And these people are also specifically stating they are American? Gotta tell you, AITA is probably one of the least “American default” popular subs (not to mention being mostly fiction anyway).
For younger generation yes for the older generation like me no it’s not common at all.
Have to admit it’s weird the younger generation says everyone should be in therapy.
I wouldn’t make assumptions about Americans based on reddit
>particularly AITA
I wouldn’t make assumptions about anything based on THAT subreddit, and how do you even know the people on there are from the US anyway?
From my experience, it’s more common in upper-middle class circles. Highly educated, white collar or creative work. More women more than men.
In my city, one therapy session might be $250. There’s very few people (as a % of the country) who can afford $500 a month on bi-weekly sessions.
It is normal, but it is not common. I think around 10% of adults?
Yes, and it should be more common. It wasn’t here till less than 10 years ago IMO – I started 20 years ago and I would never tell anyone about it because there was such a stigma and it was so uncommon. Now I don’t know anyone that doesn’t have a therapist.
Going once or twice does nothing, it needs to be an extended thing. Everyone should go, you should take care of your mind just as much as you do your body.
It’s something that has become more acceptable and less stigmatized over the past few decades. I think this is one of the things that America does that other countries can learn from.
I’ve only gone once when I was younger, but my girlfriend goes. She had a very difficult upbringing and an abusive relationship before me and it really seems to help her.
If you need help, it’s much better to talk it out.
It’s not really common exactly, all us on reddit tend to be from roughly the same circle but outside of our group it’s really not too common, it’s mostly like 20% and let me tell you, that 20%, are the most solid folks you’ll meet, all walks of life, any color, gender, trans, gay, tech dudes – you name it, but all of them share this struggle and it makes them into, in my opinion, better, nicer, more interesting people, very creative too.
People need to talk about stuff outside of the home and therapists do that, it’s a good resource for anyone as a compass through this strange thing we call life. And to all yall in that place, know you guys are loved, know you have value and that I love and care about each one of you deeply so fight whatever you have, you got this.