Ask Lemmy

shills for big therapy?

Cheaper than actually fixing our world.

We don't need therapy for every negative emotion. Some we might if they are persistent. But I agree, it is possible to rise to the occasion more often than not when it comes to dealing with our emotions and our current situation.

Maybe it is the frequency and or severity of those negative emotions that has got people trying to institutionalize you?

The core of your question is really "Why do people suggest therapy when I want to talk about my negative emotions?"

Because working through a damaged psyche isn't something your friends and family are qualified to do, and they're likely going to make it worse or damage their relationship with you if they try.

But I get why you're asking - you reach out during a dark time looking for support and community amongst those you know, and they use "you should talk to a therapist" to dismiss the conversation, which really doesn't solve anything and ends up making you feel worse by suggesting that only a professional you pay would want to listen to you.

I've noticed the same thing over the years. There's some people that won't accept anyone having any sort of negative emotion.

You're mad, but all you're doing is grumbling, sulking, and keeping to yourself? Some people act like that's just as bad as getting into fights.

Negative emotions are human. We're not unfeeling robots, and life will have highs and lows.

Sometimes people are stressed because of a particular project at work, or because they're having car/house troubles. A therapist isn't really the answer to that. They're better suited for longer-term problems, such as issues with getting along with parents, mental trauma, or having a diagnosed condition.

But unfortunately, when it comes to mental health of others most people don't really care. They say whatever is expedient for that makes them vaguely feel like they're helping. Because so often, that help is more about them, not you.

I feel like in the last decade narcissism has become mainstream, almost everyone that works out and has some muscles will post themselves on social media, then there's the self care movement and the breakfaceboneswithhammermaxxing trend.

My question then is, who helps those people?

If it is not the job others to attempt to "mend" broken hearts, whose is it?

No I agree with you, no emotions are negative. They all have a purpose, and are a personal message to you (not anyone else). Boredom is a wind up machine for future prospects, that's where you develop your sense of who you are and want to be. And if you want to be a crazy inventor, grab a white lab coat, mess up your hair and get yourself some Boredom. Anger can fire action to improve your situation. Or, you know if you happen to have a lot of money and no relatives, grab yourself a black rubber suit with wings.

I could go on. But all emotions are a message for you from your sense systems. They're always reading the room, they're non verbal, emotional alarm systems are the way they tell you a room is on fire or full of flowers.

It's when you get stuck in an emotion that can be problematic. Rumination, or inability to emotionally process those emotions can cause life to feel super uncomfortable. And you can absolutely ask for help from someone who went to school to learn the mysterious ways of the emotional brain.

Emotions are kinda like a more sensitive and intricate alert system for danger approaching, as opposed to the more sledge hammer version provided by your fight or flight systems (all the same place).

If you don't notice your emotions, bottle or ignore your emotions, they feel unheard, and what does any alert system do if it's mildly sentient and feels like their danger alarts didn't get heard? They just get louder until they feel like you got the message.

So whilst absolutely all emotions are a full and complete part of the human experience and can be vital and essential to life's progression and an assistance, they can also start going defcon 5 over the toast being burnt, and therefore need some recalibration.

And then there's emotional immaturity....

Some might find this an interesting opinion piece: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/26/opinion/mental-health-exercise-charity.html

Therapy is like a good gym or (insert good phisical activity) for your brain… some pople exercise to correct a physical ailment, overweight, physio, etc… but anyone, no matter how healthy, would benefit from some regular gym time (read physical activity)

You seem to assume therpy is only good to fix a problem but that is a wrong assumption

Therapy will help you develop healthy coping mechanisms to replace your childhood ones, which were likely unhealthy.