I don't really have anything to defend here. Neither therapy nor what your friends are experiencing. I simply want to share a few thoughts about how we, as human beings, function.
Whenever we go through a difficult situation, we naturally seek support. If that support comes from a psychologist, and it feels like a safe space where we feel heard and understood, it makes complete sense that we would want to reach out again when life feels heavy.
But this isn't something unique to therapy.
Think about the people in your life. Your parents, siblings, cousins, friends, or partner. If someone consistently offers emotional safety and stands by you during difficult times, you will naturally want to turn to them again. That is simply how we are wired.
When we struggle, we seek connection. We want someone to know that we are going through something difficult. That is a deeply human response.
Coming to the idea of losing independence, I don't think seeking support takes away your independence. Independence exists alongside accountability. As long as a person continues taking responsibility for their own thoughts, choices, and actions, they remain independent.
If someone is going through a crisis and doesn't know what to do next, reaching out for support doesn't mean they have become dependent. It simply means they are in a situation where they don't yet know how to move forward, and they are choosing to seek clarity, perspective, or support to help them through it.
Seeking support is not dependency. It is often one of the ways we take responsibility for our own well-being.
Interestingly, as human beings, we all want to be understood, supported, and cared for. Yet many of us hesitate to ask for that support because doing so requires vulnerability. It asks us to admit that we cannot carry everything on our own.
Perhaps that is the part we struggle with the most. We question whether we should ask for support, even when a part of us already knows we need it.
Your Psychologist,
Ambidextrous Anmol
