I should go to therapy but my friends make fun of me

I think you should just go without announcing it, especially if you're afraid of your family's reaction. Start with a state hospital that has a psychology department; it should be affordable. Just make an appointment directly, and you can think about the "What will they say?" part later. You can't know what will happen until you take the first step.

It may sound silly, but write down your worries on a piece of paper first. If you plan what to say to the psychologist, you'll feel less tense. I did this when I went to a private clinic, and it helped me feel more organized. Also, you can resolve this without ever bringing it up with your family; they don't necessarily have to know.

Honestly, I find this fear of "What will they say" to be unwarranted. If you care so much about it, you might be feeding into their pressure a bit. If you listen to people this much, you won't be able to take any steps. If your family is old-fashioned, shouldn't you be different? You need to show some courage 😅

If you are constantly experiencing anxiety and struggling with low self-esteem, therapy is a great choice. Treatment is not a weakness; on the contrary, it's a strong step. Before your session, write down specific problems in the form of questions so you can progress more quickly. As you focus on these questions, the therapy process will also get on track.

I want to add that I actually thought about explaining it to my family like it's a bit like "going to a psychologist." It seemed like they would accept it more, but I'm not sure. I don't want to lie, but I don't know what to do if this topic comes up.

The family's view of going to a psychologist as a weakness stems from a lack of education. You could be the first person to break this perception. This is your mental health; it doesn’t matter what anyone else says. Especially as women, we already have a ton of burdens on our shoulders, so don’t suppress yourself for anyone.