While taking care of one’s mental health and seeing a therapist when needed might seem absolutely reasonable, sometimes, unfortunately, in addition to dealing with a certain challenging situation, like the loss of a close friend, one has to face the shortsighted reaction of people around them and gets shamed for seeking professional help. This is often done by people who refuse to take problems of the sort seriously, in addition to pushing their belief that suppressing one’s emotions is what it takes “to be a man”, which this Redditor was not having.

More info: Reddit

A man was happy his son was making progress due to seeing a therapist, but his BIL intervened

Image credits: cottonbro studio (not the actual photo) 

The 15-year-old started going to therapy a few months ago, after his close friend passed away

Image credits: u/No-Draft450

Image credits: Francisco Gonzalez (not the actual photo) 

Image credits: u/No-Draft450

The teen was at a family gathering when his uncle overheard him discussing his therapy session with his dad

Image credits: Jack Sharp (not the actual photo) 

The teenager’s uncle started on a tangent about boys not needing therapy and called him ‘a girl’

A man took it to Reddit when he snapped at his brother-in-law and was confronted by his wife for disrespecting her brother, while the man felt he was only protecting his son. 

The man explained that it all started when his 14-year-old son’s best friend passed away a few months ago. After such a big loss, the teenager was seeing a therapist and his father was very happy to see that therapy was working and his son was making progress.

Just recently the man and his wife picked up their son from his therapy session to attend their family gathering. The boy was just telling his father something they talked about with his therapist, when the boy’s uncle overheard it.

The boy’s uncle started on a tangent about boys not needing therapy, in addition to calling him “a girl”. The teenager was visibly hurt, while his father was livid and snapped at his brother-in-law.

The man told his brother-in-law to get lost, adding to his point that right now his son was more of a man than him, which resulted in the boy’s uncle storming off and the boy’s mother being livid at her husband for disrespecting her brother.

The teen was visibly hurt, while his father snapped at his BIL, claiming his son was more of a man right now

Image credits: Brett Jordan (not the actual photo) 

The uncle stormed out of the house, while the boy’s mother was livid at her husband for disrespecting her brother

Discovery Mood went deeper into the reasons why one shouldn’t be ashamed to see or share that they are seeing a therapist by debunking the myths surrounding this topic.

They listed the misleading idea that therapy is for “crazy people”, noting that there is no type of people who go to therapy, as people with severe trauma, depression, or people who just need a support system might benefit from seeing a therapist.

Another popular myth that prevents people from seeking help is thinking that one should be able to handle it on their own, which, however, is not taking into consideration the social aspect of being human, which includes learning to grow both independently and in the context of others, those being various professions like doctors for physical illnesses and teachers.

Finally, Discovery Mood debunked a myth that being emotional or seeking professional help with one’s mental health is weak, noting that seeing a therapist shows strength, and self-care.

Redditors backed the father for standing up for his son

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