Summary

The article addresses common misconceptions about mental health, emphasizing that young people also face valid and significant psychological challenges that may necessitate therapy.

Abstract

The article titled "“You’re Too Young to Need Therapy,” and Other Foolish Things People Say" highlights the ignorance surrounding mental health issues, particularly the belief that therapy is only for the elderly. It underscores that mental health problems can affect individuals of all ages, with conditions like major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia often emerging in young adults. The author points out that young people today are dealing with a multitude of stressors, including political strife, the COVID-19 pandemic, student loan debt, climate change, and the pressures of social media. The piece also criticizes the persistence of mental health misconceptions despite the abundance of research available online, citing examples of dismissive comments that trivialize mental health conditions. The author advocates for seeking therapy and suggests that those with misguided views should educate themselves rather than expecting individuals with mental health issues to explain their experiences.

Opinions

The author expresses frustration with the notion that young people are too young for therapy, highlighting the absurdity of such a claim.
Mental health issues in young adults are validated by the author, who references the onset of serious mental illnesses during late teens and twenties.
The article suggests that the challenges faced by young people today, including societal and environmental issues, contribute to the need for mental health support.
The author criticizes the choice of ignorance in the face of readily available information on mental health, emphasizing that misconceptions are no longer due to a lack of resources.
Phrases that trivialize mental health conditions, such as "Everyone's a little bit ADHD," are seen as harmful and contributing to the stigma and misuse of prescription medications.
The author encourages those with mental health issues to direct others to resources rather than feeling obligated to educate them personally.
Self-education is presented as a responsibility of those who hold misconceptions about mental health, with the author suggesting that individuals can choose to ignore empirically supported information.
The article concludes by affirming that it is not the job of those with mental health issues to justify their struggles to others, advocating for a focus on self-care and personal management of mental health challenges.

“You’re Too Young to Need Therapy,” and Other Foolish Things People Say

Everyday phrases from ignorant people who don’t understand mental health.

Infrequently, working retail led to pleasant conversations with strangers.

Most of the time, it went more like this:

“I was hoping to find this book my cousin wrote. You know, sometimes stuff like that turns up here.”

“Oh yeah, I know what you mean. When I started here, I found a book my therapist wrote on one of the shelves.”

“Therapist? What could you possibly need a therapist for? You’re too young to need therapy.”

I’m thankful for that man — I had no idea therapy was for old people!

I’m being facetious. Duh. The comment stuck with me based purely on its sheer outlandishness. And to say it to a stranger! Someone who you know nothing about! The gall — the absolute gall.

Never say our country lacks brave patriots.

Young People Have Valid Problems. Obviously.

You’re never too young for therapy. Psychologists and therapists offer counseling for children as young as two; unless you’re in your first years of life, you’re old enough to have problems.

But let’s look at this for people in my age group since that’s apparently still on the “too young” end of the spectrum at 25.

Firstly, some mental illnesses first appear in one’s late teens or twenties, as reported by Dr. Kristine Goto, Director of Behavioral Science at Banner — University Medical Center Phoenix. Among these are major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia.

The sudden onset of any form of illness will disrupt life to some capacity, but these conditions fundamentally alter the way your brain works.

If you’ve spent the first 20-odd years of your life without a mental illness and suddenly develop schizophrenia in your 20s, it’s going to be a shock to the system. Depressives unaccustomed to the condition are often confused when they experience it.

Queue Ben Wyatt’s, “Do you think a depressed person could make this?” moment.

Mental illness aside, though, young people have a shit ton to deal with between America’s intense political divide, a seemingly unending pandemic, grossly disproportionate student loan debt, the ever-looming threat of climate change, awful working conditions, and social media apps constantly vying for attention while simultaneously making people feel worse about themselves.

Let’s not forget that there are still a concerning number of nuclear weapons spread across the world. It’s not a constant threat like it used to be, but they’re still out there!

Even the most mentally resilient are having quarter-life crises.

If you’re one of them, it’s okay to go to therapy.

I’m giving you permission.

Go to therapy!

Despite A Collective Increase in Available Research, We Still Hold Many, MANY Misconceptions About Mental Health

I’m old enough now that they taught us how to “refine” our Google searches by using the “+” symbol and exclusionary phrases when I was in school.

Not only is that not necessary anymore, but Google Scholar provides academically verified and peer-reviewed results.

Of course, I know most people won’t read academic journals. Hell, most people won’t read anything that takes more than a cursory glance, but that’s just part of the whole point. To some degree, there used to be an excuse for ignorance. Information wasn’t readily available.

Now, ignorance is a choice. Ignorance means actively ignoring empirically true information to maintain flawed opinions with no basis in fact.

Here’s a good one: “Everyone’s a little bit ADHD.”

No, they’re not. Firstly, nobody is ADHD — they have ADHD. Secondly, being forgetful sometimes or occasionally struggling to focus is not the same as the crippling effect ADHD can have on a person’s life.

This kind of ignorance leads people to abuse prescription medications like Adderall, further increasing the stigma around both the drug and the condition.

A few more golden examples:

“Quit worrying so much!”
“Just don’t think about it.”
“Why would you be anxious about that?”
“Snap out of it.”
“You don’t seem sad.”
“You think you have it bad…”
“You’re just imagining things.”
“Other people have problems, too.”
“Don’t be lazy.”
“Get your head out of the clouds.”
“Remember that thing you started? What happened to that?”
“You don’t need medication.”

Honestly, I could write a thousand lists of phrases like this, but you get my point.

It’s Not Our Job to Educate People Around Us

I’m a fairly open person when it comes to talking about my mental health, but if I’m being honest, I’m exhausted. I’m over trying to explain to people who already have their minds made up that the shit going on in my head is, you know, a problem.

I’m sure I’m not the only one.

Dealing with mental illness, neurodivergency, or both is a daily struggle, and we have enough on our plates trying to manage the chaos of life alongside our screwy, frustrating brains. It’s not on us to explain to people how our ADHD, depression, anxiety, PTSD, OCD, bipolar, or whatever makes life more challenging.

Send them a link. Send them a video. Tell ’em, “Here, do some research,” and move on with your life. If someone chooses to remain ignorant, that’s on them.

We can choose, too, not to give a damn.

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