It is a courageous step when anyone embarks on a journey of self-discovery and mental well-being through therapy. Yet many individuals are deterred by pervasive misconceptions that shroud the field.
In a world where mental health awareness (along with its issues) is on the rise, it is crucial to debunk the myths that surround therapy and help individuals to approach this process with clarity and an open mind.
Happiest Health delves into some common misconceptions people have about therapy.
According to Srishti Saha, clinical psychologist and senior consultant, Fortis Hospital, Anandapur, Kolkata, these are some common and wrong beliefs people nurse about therapy.
`Therapy is for the ‘crazy’ ‘
It is commonly assumed that therapy is only for people who are in severe distress and that there has to be something very wrong with the person who seeks it. According to Saha, “Mental health, even today, continues to remain stigmatised in our society, and going for therapy is often taken to mean the person has gone ‘crazy’ or is ‘mad’.”
However, therapy is beneficial for a wide range of concerns, from everyday stress and relationship issues to more severe mental health conditions. It can support and enable the person to cope with life’s various challenges.
`Therapy is a one-time magic cure’
Saha says some people look at therapy as a panacea or a magic cure which will miraculously resolve all their problems in just a single session. In reality, it takes time for the therapist, who is seeing the person for the first time, to explore, understand and untangle the person’s vulnerabilities, not to mention the active effort over multiple visits. Any fruitful outcome can be accomplished only by giving the matter the time, effort and patience that it requires.
Gaurangi Gupta, a Gurugram-based psychologist, puts it in perspective: “People come into therapy with concerns that they have been dealing with their whole lives. It is impossible to tackle a lifetime of concerns in a single session.”
`My therapist is my problem-solver’
Another commonly held misconception is that the job of a therapist is to solve problems. People commonly approach their sessions to seek advice and quick solutions to their emotional, relational and social concerns.
According to Saha, people often look at it as a personal session with a problem solver, who has immense wisdom to quickly conjure up easy solutions to all their difficulties.
However, the therapist needs to gain insight and awareness into the therapy seeker’s concerns and issues; and the process aims to equip therapy seekers to find ways to manage and tackle their concerns.
The misunderstood first session
Saha lists a few common but wrong presumptions people often have about the first session:
- Persons going into therapy would be expected to know exactly what to say and share.
- The individuals would need to share many details regarding their personal life and childhood, against their wishes.
- The therapist’s interview will be very probing.
- A lot of traumatic memories would come up to the surface and not be addressed, leaving them feeling worse than they did before therapy.
- Details of what they confided in the therapist will be disclosed to family members or accompanying individuals. (This fear is especially prominent among children).
- Popular culture and media misrepresentations often lead people to fear that they may be “hypnotised” in the first therapy session and be made to say or do things against their will or beyond their control.
Many such wrong assumptions and stigmas surround therapy. But experts in the field stress that it is essential to recognise the power of therapy in fostering personal growth and well-being. By challenging these misconceptions, we pave the way for a society that embraces mental health as an integral part of our collective journey.
