My family is generally very traditional, and they brush off my constant anxiety as "sensitive temperament." But I can’t handle it on my own anymore; I want to start therapy. My mom directly says it’s just "empty work." How can I convince them in such a situation, or what should I do? Not having support is also very exhausting.
I experienced the same thing, I literally had a panic attack. When I was telling my mom, I said, 'it's not just sensitivity, it's a physical condition,' maybe it would help you to explain it that way too. I thought this: 'when our stomach hurts, we go to the doctor, so we should go when our brain hurts too.'
Honestly, in order to benefit from therapy, you might first need a mindset that internalizes this and acts despite contrary authority. Whether your family offers support or not, your core need is more important here. It's enough to convey to them just how scientific the treatment process is and to get them to care as much as you can beyond that.
You might be exaggerating a bit here. Families don’t always fully understand anyway, but not everyone goes to therapy after all. I didn’t quite get how concerns create a challenge in real life. Maybe if you didn’t dwell on it so much, you’d gradually get better.
Let me update you: I actually tried to explain to my mom that therapy isn't a 'waste of time,' but the conversation took a very wrong turn. She said things like, 'If you’re anxious, be thankful and pray.' Honestly, after hearing that, my belief that I could ask for support diminished even further.
In this case, instead of trying too hard to convince the family, it might be more sensible to first research where you can get support. There are plenty of free or affordable resources online; gather a little information before presenting it to the family. That way, they may take it more seriously.
Yeah, there was a girl in our department whose family would always react negatively if they heard about therapy or anything like that. She paid for it herself at first and went secretly. Then, once her family saw the benefits of what she was using, they gradually started to support her. I think you shouldn't bring it up at all, just start on your own first.
