Therapists aren’t people who you “pay to pretend to care about you”, therapists are people you pay to teach you how to care for yourself
Me: I am violently depressed.
Therapist: Oh! Sounds like you need to do YOGA! That will help!
Me: *signs up for yoga*
Me: *is violently depressed in Downward Dog*
Me: I hate myself and only see my flaws
Therapist: ok lets refocus on things you like about yourself. This week i want you to try and journal about good things you’ve for yourself and others.
Me: *does the homework* yeah but i still hate myself but feel bad cause i shouldn’t
Therapist: feeling like you shouldn’t hate yourself is a step in the right direction. Mental health is complex and isn’t something that will ~magically~ improve. We have a lot of hard work head of us but I’ll be here to help you.
TL;DR stop perpetuating the idea that therapy is unhelpful because the results are not instantaneous.
FUCKING THIS.
As a psychologist the amount of bullshit on this site, the amount of fucking dangerous bullshit on this site about how therapy is neurotypical bullshit and isn’t worth it and how exercise is pointless and good diet is pointless and that therapy homework is pointless DRIVES ME UP THE FUCKING WALL
Exercise is fucking important. good diet is fucking important therapy is fucking important. WHY???
because pills alone don’t help. they improve the hormonal imbalance (as does exercise and good diet which ALSO are a form of very real self care as your physical being is sorta connected to your mental one but go fucking figure right?), but guess what? the suicidal thoughts, the thoughts of harm, the thoughts of hating yourself, they’re still there. suicides actually increase when medicated. why? because suddenly you have the energy to fulfill thoughts of harming yourself. which is why you NEED therapy alongside pills.
it has taken you years, or decades to create your maladaptive thought processes and behaviours. that shit doesn’t disappear overnight. core beliefs don’t change overnight. these are the very fucking core of your personhood, your being and personality. THAT TAKES TIME TO CHANGE
STOP ACTING LIKE THERAPY IS SHIT IF IT DOESNT WORK IN TWO SESSIONS
Ways in which my cat is helping me fix my mental health
Having a little living thing around makes me feel less alone.
He doesn’t have the expectations that humans have. He will never judge me or abandon me. He’s just there.
Caring for a living thing is honestly so therapeutic. I get to give, and I’m good at it. It’s good for my self-worth and it gets me out of my own focus.
It’s not a lot of pressure or a lot of work so it doesn’t affect my anxiety much.
I have to feed him and clear his litterbox which gives me regularity in my day. If I have to get up to feed him I don’t stay in bed all day.
I can talk to him instead of being alone with my thoughts.
Getting to know him, play with him, communicate with him keeps my brain busy so I don’t spiral.
Cats are lively and like to play. Life is easy and fun for them. Seeing things through his eyes gives me a different perspective.
They also sleep a lot and watching a cat sleep is one of the purest and most soothing experiences on this planet.
Very Soft. Peaceful. Grounding. Warm. Petting a cat will improve your day 1000x
PURRING. That’s all.
I love him. Feeling this love makes me feel warm inside, it’s gentle, it’s hopeful. And it shows me I can still feel good things.
He loves me back and I don’t think I’ll ever be over how happy and purry he is everytime I get home, how he comes running, taptaptap, squeaking, when I call his name, or the way he looks into my eyes when he feels safe and content. I’m loved!
I’m responsible for this little thing. He depends on me. That’s a good enough reason to stay alive even when things get bad.
If you are able to care for a cat, I could never recommend it enough. Plus, a lot of cats need homes.
If you can’t, know that Loki knows it gets bad sometimes but he also knows that you are brave, and that you will be okay.
Fuck anyone who says I have to forgive everyone, “for my sake.” I worked hard for this anger. I worked hard to love myself enough to hate them.
Shit, yeah, this is a thing that is hard to articulate. Some people don’t feel healed by forgiving the people who hurt them, because that’s what they kept doing over and over and it only led to getting more hurt. Sometimes you feel healed when you’re finally brave enough to say “This person was horrible to me, and I did not deserve that treatment, and I don’t have to be okay with it.”
Loki is the Philosopher King 