[ID: Two flags with seven horizontal stripes, the middle of which is slightly thinner and the third and fifth of which are very thin. In order, they are dark blue-gray, pale blue, off-white, teal, light blue, blue, and dark blue-gray. In the middle of the second flag is a dark blue-gray icon of a clipboard. /End ID.]
Theraphobia - A term for the fear of therapy (in a mental health sense) and/or mental health facilities, often as the result of trauma.
This can manifest as:
- Anxiety or nausea from hearing other people's experiences with therapy or mental health facilities, whether positive or negative
- Extreme fear of being involuntarily sent to inpatient programs, resulting in downplaying struggles
- Seeking help in alternative, sometimes insufficient or inappropriate, places
- Refusal of treatment or support involving therapy or the perceived threat thereof (medication may be considered a "safe" option if prescribed by a primary care physician or other professional that the affected person does not consider a therapist in any way)
...Etc., which may result in compounded stress, loss of connections due to being seen as "unwilling to change", or other daily adverse effects that negatively impact the individual with the phobia.
(Something something, obligatory disclaimer that this isn't encouraging unhealthy behavior, get help if you can, we're not responsible for misuse of this term or flag, etc. etc.)
This is technically a MUD coining, I suppose, since there's no actual term for or information on this subject, but I'd rather not label it as such. Perhaps someone else will feel seen by this ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ (shrug emoticon)
