Pearls stem from a chronic irritant. Probably feels good.
Honestly, this could be a good metaphor for people who have internalized harmful coping mechanisms as “part of who they are” learning to heal.
Perls are made by placing the right irritant for pearl production in there on purpose.
Oof, even better. My parents (undiagnosed autistic and ADHD) way overcorrected as a coping mechanism and tried to create the same reaction in their kids. My siblings and I had to do a lot of unlearning, and some parts of it still feel inseparable from who we are.
Can you share some of those unhealthy coping mechanisms by any chance? So uh…a friend of mine can avoid them?
Well, first make sure you’re constantly masking because people won’t like you if you’re not sociable and polite, even if it means that you’re so overstimulated that you have zero patience with your loved ones. Then, worry about everything all the time so that you don’t forget important things. Lastly, if there’s a way to sacrifice your own needs to better fit with society, make sure you always do it- I avoided being late to my short-contract job less than 80km away by leaving three to four hours early, even though it fucked my sleep up.
Damn… I feel called out a little. Hope the strides you’ve made have been great my friend
I started my 30s recognizing these issues and I’m still unlearning and relearning and unlearning and…
Late 30’s here, and I recently accepted enough to allow myself to try and unmask a little. Didn’t even know I had one, thought I was just anxious. It’s scary trying to be myself, ngl. Feels nice, but also makes me nervous just thinking about it. It’s wild
Perl is no different than black magic
Perl is the irritant
Look at this hotshot, learned how to reframe negative thinking. “Ohhh, look at me! Therapy was therapeutic for me”… lame
/s if not obvious, love you
There we go, let’s bring this all full circle back to a teachable moment lol
What’s up with all these anti-therapy comics?
Most therapists are only trained to deal with anxiety and depression.
If there’s an underlying problem like bipolar or OCD or something they’re not permitted to diagnose it, so a lot of people DO get benefit but only at at the surface level.
More people need access to psychiatrists, but unfortunately there aren’t enough. When you get an integrated team with your psych and therapist, it’s a whole different thing.
For queer people in particular, the therapist trying to “fix your gender” is a real problem in a lot of places.
I know right. Really cynical. Seems like some people have issues therapy didn’t solve, or they are not willing to let it.
it’s impossible to solve capitalism with therapy so there’s an issue it won’t solve
Okay that’s fair, that one’s on me.
Issues in the subset of those which involve opening up emotionally.
Issues in the subset of those which involve opening up emotionally.
also capitalism, kinda joking but if you were looking for a system to promote shutting down your emotions and alienate yourself from your labor/community it fits really good
Maybe coincidence, from people having bad experiences? It shouldn’t discourage people from continuing to try, though. But it sucks when you’ve had a therapist that made future therapy harder
I had a bad experience with one (they became too invested in my story and outcome, introduced bias, and it became non-therapeutic). So now I’ve had to disclaimer that experience in new sessions, and it just kinda slowed the trust-process down for me. The therapist-client contract was broken once before, and it decreased my trust for opening up
I guess I don’t necessarily see this comic as “anti-therapy”, but I see where you’re coming from. Just wanted to offer a different side to it
Rural America has some of the shittiest therapists you’ve ever seen. You might as well pay a homeless person to sit and listen to your problems. They might actually have better advice.
The biggest problem with therapists is that no one who should be a therapist would ever want to be a therapist and those that do become therapists should really be the ones on the couch so to speak, at least in my experience.
Yeah, this seems oddly sudden to see this many in the past few days
Mugger of Pearl!
To an oyster, a pearl is sort of like a benign cyst more than a treasure.
This is a great definition of “america”.
This is why you’d pick a trustworthy councelor.
If you’re in the US, you’ll pick the counselor that your insurance says you’ll pick…
My insurance has a search feature that literally does not work. Therapists keep putting “official office branches” in places where they do not work therapy, but want to show up on searches. Just drive bro.
That’s fucked up, like “hey loser I know you’re struggling emotionally but look I offer therapy in a different city 500 miles away. Oh, what’s that, can’t get here? Too bad, loser!” Squeals wheels as he peels away in a hotrod
He should have known, considering what she’s wearing around her neck.
Not all bivalves are clams but All Clams Are Bivalves
That’s a metaphor for the end-visit check.
-John Steinbeck
