History Main / TherapyIsForTheWeak

* In the end, the villain that caused the Sanctuary massacre in ''ComicBook/HeroesInCrisis'' plays with this: [[spoiler:Wally West was sent to get therapy because of his family becoming RetGone as a result of the events of ''ComicBook/{{Flashpoint}}''/the "New 52" reboot, but the "therapy" he got from the Sanctuary AI did much more harm than good. Believing that his own personal weaknesses were the reason his therapy was going to slowly and that other heroes couldn't be this screwed up, he rebuilt the video confessional files of Sanctuary... and after seeing the ''many'' awful secrets and dark backstories of all of his fellow heroes, Wally didn't get a "YouAreNotAlone" inspiration, but rather a massive FreakOut that caused his powers to go out of control and ''kill everybody who was in Sanctuary accidentally''. The whole mystery of the arc is the result of Wally trying to cover his tracks at such a colossal FUBAR and eventually being DrivenToSuicide over it.]]

* Mariner loudly protests being sent to therapy in ''Series/StarTrekLowerDecks'' after one violation too many of Starfleet protocol. Of course, that also has to do with the fact that the ''Cerritos''' counselor isn't very good--he's condescending and, bizarrely, makes constant food metaphors about his patients' issues. Mariner decides that therapy ''does'' work after being defeated by a holographic simulation of herself which cut through all of her bullshit during their fight-slash-argument.

* In ''We Own The Night'', a police officer has arrived at the hospital to see his son (also a detective), who has been shot. When someone mentions that the department shrink is there for him, he snaps, "I don't need that crap."

The characters may feel this way originally but usually slowly realize the value of therapy and come around. If they don't accept therapy, this will probably lead to a FamilyUnfriendlyAesop. If they do, this will likely lead to EpiphanyTherapy, and further visits are never brought up again. Another very common variation features the characters claiming this, not knowing that they're one GilliganCut away from bawling their eyes out [[FreudianCouch on a couch]]. If it's a PoliceProcedural or military drama and the protagonist is required to see a psychologist before being returned to "active duty," then they'll demand that the psychologist just "sign the damn paper already."

->''"Ha, therapy is for losers.'' (Beat) ''[[MadeMyselfSad I Made Myself Sad.]]"''

The characters may feel this way originally, but usually slowly realize the value of therapy and come around. If they don't accept therapy, this will probably lead to a FamilyUnfriendlyAesop. If they do, this will likely lead to EpiphanyTherapy, and further visits are never brought up again. Another very common variation features the characters claiming this, not knowing that they're one GilliganCut away from bawling their eyes out [[FreudianCouch on a couch]]. If it's a PoliceProcedural or military drama and the protagonist is required to see a psychologist before being returned to "active duty," then they'll demand that the psychologist just "sign the damn paper already."

* In the short story "Literature/AModelLife", no matter how hard Alexis tried to convince him, James refused to seak professional help for his depression, insisting he didn't even have a problem.

* ''Series/{{NCIS}}'': ''Also'' similar to the ''[=NUMB3RS=]'' example. The team finally gets some long overdue therapy. It... seems to help. A little.

* Played with on ''Series/{{ER}}''; the doctors and nurses work closely with the staff of the hospital's psych unit, but most of them seem to view psychiatric intervention as something that ''other people'' need, not they themselves. Of all the main characters, many of whom at some point in the show's run suffer traumas that are shown to have destructive effects on their lives, only a handful ever enter therapy, and most of them drag their feet about it and only go because a concerned third party coaxed them into it. That said, therapy and counseling services are generally portrayed as a good and necessary resource, and the psych staff are genuinely interested in their clients' well-being.
* ''Series/{{Star Trek Deep Space Nine}}'': In "The Sound of Her Voice", Miles O'Brien was speaking to a starship captain about a range of subjects, and when he got to the area of ships counselors explained that he did not see a need for them. She agreed, and they spoke about how you can deal with these issues by talking to friends and loved ones....except for the things that you cannot talk to your friends and loved ones about, and Miles laughed as he realized that he had been lead back to saying that the only people you can talk about these things with is a ships counselor. This is apparently a recurring theme in Miles' life, as when a ship's counselor joined the cast in season 7, Miles O'Brien stated his distaste for the profession to Julian Bashir. Their conversation started as a TherapyIsForTheWeak discussion, but eventually implied that Miles had nothing against therapy, he just felt it should be done naturally and with loved ones, and not a disconnected professional. In other words, he hates therapists, but not therapy.

* It's revealed in Season 2 of ''Series/YoureTheWorst'' that Gretchen has suffered from clinical depression since she was teenager, and it's become increasingly obvious that the coping mechanisms she developed aren't working as well as they used to (plus, when it ''really'' flares up, she goes beyond feeling crippling sadness to just being [[EmotionlessGirl completely non-functional]]). However, she never sought out any help or treatment because she "doesn't want to lose her edge". In the end of the season however, [[spoiler:she realizes that it's not worth suffering anymore and how her illness affects the people around her, especially her boyfriend Jimmy, and she begins therapy in the following season (but it's made clear it's not a magical or instant cure-all)]].

* A problem among Americans in general. Americans have the legal right to possess firearms -- unless diagnosed with certain mental illnesses (depending on state). This is the reason Republicans support bills sometimes accused of "giving guns to the mentally ill" -- it's for the purpose of averting this trope, so that gun owners can address mental health issues they may have without having their firearms stripped from them.

In this 'verse, the problem isn't that ThereAreNoTherapists--the characters have just decided they're too cool for therapy. The concept of counseling, therapy, or treatment is discussed or brought up, but it's rejected.

In major examples, characters might actually say this trope word for word, and reject the idea of counseling [[TooDumbToLive despite intense psychological issues or self-destruction.]] In minor examples, the characters will probably just insist that they can handle their problems, a therapist couldn't help with ''their'' super special problems, or that they're just too busy.

[[MenAreTough More prevalent among men than women.]] See also NoMedicationForMe and DontYouDarePityMe

* In ''ComicBook/FiftyTwo'', [[ComicBook/GreenLantern Alan Scott]] refuses counseling after his daughter Jade's death and the Zeta Beam incident, because he thinks he must appear stronger than that for other heroes who have suffered during the same events.

* Fred Perry's ''ComicBook/GoldDigger'' has therapists, or more technically, 'balance councilors,' for helping mages and other magical beings with their problems. The Queen of Dragons T'mat, however, will have no part of them, not even for ''centuries'' after the most traumatic experience of her life (that, among other things, caused her to lose a hand, and this is among the least of the scars it left). Eventually her daughter has to go to significant lengths to get help, and deposing her is discussed.
* In ''ComicBook/{{Batwoman}}'', Maggie suggests to Kate that recent events (i.e. Gotham being attacked by mythical creatures), coupled with the lingering effects of seeing her mother killed as a child, have caused her to develop (or at least start manifesting symptoms of) PTSD, making her slip up and make dumb mistakes while out crimefighting. Kate is very resistant to seeing a psychiatrist at first, but ends up making some significant progress through her issues after a few sessions.
* In the end, the villain that caused the Sanctuary massacre in ''ComicBook/HeroesInCrisis'' plays with this: [[spoiler:Wally West was sent to get therapy because of his family becoming RetGone as a result of the events of ''ComicBook/{{Flashpoint}}''/the "New 52" reboot, but the "therapy" he got from the Sanctuary AI did much more harm than good. Believing that his own personal weaknesses were the reason his therapy was going to slowly and that other heroes couldn't be this screwed up, he rebuilt the video confessional files of Sanctuary... and after seeing the ''many'' awful secrets and dark backstories of all of his fellow heroes, Wally didn't got a "YouAreNotAlone" inspiration, but rather a massive FreakOut that caused his powers to go out of control and ''kill everybody who was in Sanctuary accidentally''. The whole mystery of the arc is the result of Wally trying to cover his tracks at such a colossal FUBAR and eventually being DrivenToSuicide over it.]]

* In [[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/8569799/1/The-Iron-Mask this]] fic, Plastic Man refuses help out of a fear of not being [[CassandraTruth believed.]] It isn't because AllTherapistsAreMuggles, though.

* ''Fanfic/RocketToInsanity'': Rainbow Dash has been having terrible nightmares for weeks on end. It takes a toll on her psyche and she starts undergoing a SanitySlippage. Dash's friend try to get her help, but she refuses. In the end she finally snaps and [[spoiler:kills Pinkie]].

* In ''Film/AnalyzeThis'', mob boss Paul Vitti thinks that therapy is for pussies and homosexuals, but due to extenuating circumstances he goes to see a therapist. He has this exchange with his therapist, Ben.

** Kestra'chern in ''The Black Gryphon'' counsel armies who are in a war that has been raging for over a generation. Unfortunately many people in said armies consider them to be nothing more than very pricy prostitutes - in fairness, [[IntimatePsychotherapy they do some of that too]], as part of helping people feel that there is more to their lives than endless fighting.

[[folder:Live Action TV]]

* ''Series/{{Numb3rs}}'': Don wants to the therapist to just sign the paper and get on with it. He has no interest in actually engaging. Eventually, the shrink brings him around.

* ''Series/GilmoreGirls'' features the mild humourous version. Lorelai/Rory have both dismissed therapy as unnecessary, only to end up talking for hours or bursting into to tears and spilling their guts, respectively.

* In ''Series/{{Scrubs}}'', Turk concedes to Carla as far as attending their couples therapy, but refuses to actually say anything.

* Subverted in ''Series/UnbreakableKimmySchmidt''; the title character initially refuses a therapist's offer to get help for her many hang-ups and believes she can handle everything on her own. After going through a dissociative fugue state however, she decides to take up on the doctor's offer, and goes through more than a few sessions.

** David Madsen has PTSD from his time in the army, and is avoiding therapy implicitly because of this trope. In the better endings, he starts going to therapy and getting properly medicated.

'''Admiral:''' God damnit that's even lamer than a therapist!

* In the short film ''WesternAnimation/AnimalBehaviour'', Victor the gorilla thinks therapy is a waste of time, and mocks all the other patients. It's not until [[spoiler:he thinks [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone he made Dr. Clement jump out a window]]]] that he realizes he needs help with his anger management issues.

* Beth and Rick in ''WesternAnimation/RickAndMorty'' both seem to think this in "Pickle Rick". Beth refuses to concede her faults and instead uses the session as an excuse to blame her problems on her kids. Rick claims that therapy just makes people boring and complacent like livestock, and he's no cow. The therapist responds by pointing out that the real reason he is so averse to therapy is because it is ''boring'' in the way that brushing your teeth is boring. The work that is done to maintain and repair life is not exciting, but it's necessary for most people to thrive. But people like Rick and Beth are so AllergicToRoutine that they would do stupid and self-destructive crap just to avoid it. In Rick's case, he ''turned himself into a pickle in an attempt to get out of therapy.''

** Since UsefulNotes/WorldWarI it has been commonplace to treat combat troops with PTSD and shellshock, even TBI, by offering brief, focal counseling and then sending the men back to the front as quickly as possible.

* In ''ComicBook/FiftyTwo'', [[GreenLantern Alan Scott]] refuses counseling after his daughter Jade's death and the Zeta Beam incident, because he thinks he must appear stronger than that for other heroes who have suffered during the same events.

Speaking seriously for a moment, if you feel that you are struggling, then it's of paramount importance to remember that therapy is ''not'' for the weak. If you are in need of help then trying to obtain the help you need is a sign of courage and maturity, not weakness. If you feel you need to talk to a therapist, then by all means talk to one. If you feel like you have [[DrivenToSuicide only one final way out]], [[UsefulNotes/SuicidePrevention rest assured there is always a better way]]. [[YouAreNotAlone There are always people who are able and willing to talk to you]] and who will do everything in their power to help you if only you seek their help out.

* Unfortunately there are plenty of parents that use this as an excuse to keep their kids from attending therapy. It either starts a cycle of the kids adopting the same beliefs or they seek therapy themselves upon adulthood.
* There are some anxiety disorders that can lead to a person refusing therapy either because they're too embarrassed to go, the thought of therapy causes them anxiety, or because they don't think a therapist will care about their issues.

* In the short film ''WesternAnimation/AnimalBehavior'', Victor the gorilla thinks therapy is a waste of time, and mocks all the other patients. It's not until [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone he thinks he made Dr. Clement jump out a window]] that he realizes he needs help.

* Weiss' abusive father Jacques has this opinion in ''Fanfic/RWBYScars''. Upon learning about Weiss' {{hallucinations}}, he tries to cover it up by keeping her a shut-in. He believes that Weiss going to a hospital or seeking therapy will reflect badly on his imags and his company's image.

** WebVideo/SailorMoonAbridged, too:

->''"Ha, therapy is for losers.'' (Beat) ''I Made Myself Sad."''