How common is people in therapy in the US? Have you ever had a therapist?

35 comments

1. Increasingly common, talk therapy is great! Helped me sort out all sorts of past trauma so I could move past it and be proud of myself.

2. It’s not uncommon these days. Probably more common now than ever with less stigma.

   Makes sense. If nothing else you get a checkup or routine / preventative maintenance on anything from your body to your car, why not your mind too?

3. I’m gonna get bombarded for this, but most people even if they did got to therapy would never admit to it.

   In the US unless you live in an upper middle class white suburb (in other words most of this sub), no one really cares about your mental health, except maybe if you are a girl on tiktok faking disorders for views. You are supposed to “fix your own problems”. I feel its somewhat more acceptable for addicts such as alcoholics to seek help, but there is still stigmata.

4. Very common and more and more seen as normal in modern times.

   People don’t normally talk about it casually but you almost certainly know someone who has seen or does see a therapist.

5. I have never used therapy in my adult life. I know many who do. My company actually provides a certain amount of free or low cost counseling each year. I see it becoming more common, so that’s a good thing..

   At the very least, I see the stigma going away somewhat… I’ve heard people openly talk about it..

6. I only know one person who has gone to therapy and she goes for a mental disorder she has. She claims it’s really good and worth it for her. I would be more open to it if it wasn’t so expensive though.

7. Saved my life on more than one occasion

8. [From the CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db380.htm#:~:text=Interview%20Survey%2C%202019.-,Summary,from%20a%20mental%20health%20professional.)

   > In 2019, 19.2% of U.S. adults received any mental health treatment in the past 12 months, including 15.8% who had taken prescription medication for their mental health and 9.5% who had received counseling or therapy from a mental health professional.

9. Not as common as it should be, but I think it’s getting more common.

   I’ve been in therapy on and off during my adult life. It’s great. Highly recommend everyone to at least go for a few sessions if you can.

10. Much more common in the US than the UK. Also from my experience much more common in larger cities. Though it depends on what “therapy” means and what one is comparing it to – even saying psychological therapy opens up a lot of different doors for different things. A diagnosed condition for something that is debilitating or a treatment for mild anxiety? Both will have gone to a therapist of some sort. It’s not difficult in the US, and I’ve lived in the UK, so I have seen a difference in the level of illness that could be seen by a therapist.

11. Fairly common. I’ve talked to a therapist, yes.

12. I sure hope it common. That’s what I’m training to do.

13. Not uncommon. I’ve been to therapy on and off. It has helped me handle a lot of trauma and I’m glad I’ve used it. It’s one of the few things my insurance covers 100%

14. I think American media makes it seem more common than it is. For one thing, the people who make TV shows and movies probably live in more urban, upper middle class, liberal areas where therapy is more common and less stigmatized. For another, a therapy appointment can make a good narrative device, allowing a character’s thoughts to be explored.

    In real life I rarely hear anyone talk about going to therapy. I don’t think it’s stigmatized exactly, just personal. It would be an odd thing to discuss with someone who wasn’t a close friend or family member. I don’t know that that’s how it should be necessarily but that’s what I observe.

15. I’ve seen therapists a few times over the years. Sometimes you need someone to unload your problems on that can help you put things in perspective. I don’t really want to vent all of my frustrations to my wife because she’s usually part of them or she’s stressed over the same situations and I don’t want to pile my bullshit on top of what she’s already carrying around.

16. I had one when I was 10 after my parents got divorced. My parents were worried bc my grades started dropping, but going was easier than explaining I had found out what girls gone wild and playboy were

17. Very common and yes.

18. It mainly depends on age group because younger people are more likely to go to therapy then older people especially since older generations have a negative perception of it and view going to therapy as being weak. I think the other cause for why people don’t go to therapy is cost because if you don’t have health insurance, it will cost a lot and even some people who have health insurance have a plan that provides poor coverage compared to another plan and they will just avoid that and going to the doctor altogether. I (25M) never went to a therapist because I just never needed to go to one.

19. Very

20. I’ve been to a therapist when working through particularly rough times in my life. I don’t have a standing appointment although I know multiple people who do. I actually think I’d benefit from it but I already feel time crunched.

21. I went for a month or two when I was 14, to try to release some things that happened in childhood in the far past. The entire time I felt like I was trying to speak to a robotic woman with a pen, giving the most basic responses ever. I was like “uhh I can have better conversations with myself ” and never went back

22. Yep. The world would be better if more people went to therapy.

23. Therapy is extremely common. It varies based on need: talk therapy, group therapy, couples’ therapy, etc. Where I live in California, you can find tens of therapists within 5 square miles of you.

    My company offers 10(?) free therapy sessions and a counseling hotline. A lot of companies that my friends and family work for also provide designated “mental health days”.

    Therapy might be stigmatized in other parts of the world, but in America, there’s absolutely no shame in seeking out mental health treatment.

24. I went for about a year when I was 15

25. Not that common. It’s too expensive to be common.

    Insurance typically covers 2 or 3 visits at the most, and sometimes even just up to 15 minutes a visit, mostly to ascertain and maintain a prescription.

    Depends how good the insurance plan is.

26. I have a psychologist and a psychiatrist. I started seeing them after I was institutionalized when I was 15 for a psychotic episode.

27. if I had to guess I’d say it’s less stigmatized than ever. which isn’t to say it isn’t still looked down upon by certain people, but in general telling someone you see a therapist wouldn’t get much of a reaction. I see one regularly

28. I’ve had a therapist and psychiatrist for years. It’s greatly improved my day to day

29. I’m a psychologist, so my answers might be biased a bit.

    It is more common with younger generations than older ones. Therapy was generally seen as a bad thing in the boomer generation, thus many are hesitant to get help and tend to be somewhat secretive about it if they do. Millennials and GenZ completely embrace therapy and are very open about it with their friends.

    Have I been in therapy? Yes I have. I’ve sought out therapy at different times in my life for various reasons. I’m actually thinking about going back, but I have to make it work within my schedule.

30. I’ve never been. No idea what it’s like or what you would go for. Then again, I very rarely see a regular doctor

31. More common that it used to be, but not as common as it should be.

    Yes, I’ve had a couple of them over the years, for various issues.

32. From my experience, it’s relatively rare and increasingly so with older Americans unless they have a specific diagnose issue. Firstly, a lot of older Americans just don’t believe in any kind of mental health treatment. Secondly, a lot of insurance companies won’t cover therapy fully for many conditions that could benefit from it, so it can be prohibitively expensive. However, most large universities offer therapy at a discounted rate, so it seems like most college students I’ve met have been at one time or another.

    Personally, I went to two sessions, didn’t feel like I was getting anything useful out of it (and spending $150 an hour), so I stopped going.

33. I’ve spent more of my life in therapy than not

34. I have one now, it helps dealing with issues.

35. It depends on your audience. In my opinion, I think the younger generation is utilizing therapy and discussing mental health. The older generation, not so much. My parents and grandparents don’t believe in mental health. I have used therapy and I find it very beneficial.