Therapy Vs. Gossip: Why We Confide in Everyone Except Professionals?

Opening up to friends and family can feel comforting. It provides immediate relief, a sense of being heard, even validated. But informal conversations often lack the depth, privacy, and non-judgmental empathy required to address real emotional wounds.

- Gowher Bhat

We talk all the time. To friends. To cousins. To co-workers. We share our struggles over late-night phone calls, during casual strolls, or at wedding gatherings. We speak of heartbreak, family tension, work stress, or feelings of being lost. But when it comes to seeking therapy - real, professional help - we hesitate. We pause. We withdraw. We stay silent.

This contradiction lies at the heart of how many people deal with emotional pain. There's a cultural tendency to equate therapy with something being seriously “wrong.” This stigma has kept countless individuals away from the very support that could transform their emotional well-being.

Despite the rising awareness around mental health, the reluctance to consult therapists persists. According to the National Mental Health Survey of India (2015-16), nearly 14% of the country’s population suffers from some form of mental health disorder - approximately 150 million people. Yet only a small fraction receive treatment from a trained professional.

In many regions, this gap is even more visible. According to a 2021 report by Médecins Sans Frontières in collaboration with the Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (IMHANS), over 45% of adults in certain areas show signs of significant mental distress, with women being disproportionately affected. Yet mental health infrastructure remains underdeveloped, with only a handful of practicing clinical psychologists and psychiatrists for millions of people.

The reasons for this treatment gap are complex: lack of access, affordability, and above all, the fear of being judged by family, by friends, or society. For many, it feels safer to confide in a familiar face a cousin, a neighbor, or a colleague than in a trained therapist. This pattern of informal venting has its own consequences.