26 May 2026 · 5 min read
Five myths about therapy that keep Indians from getting help
Most reasons people give for not seeing a therapist are wrong. Here are the five I hear weekly, and what's actually true.
I've heard the same five reasons in my consulting room for fifteen years. None of them are true. All of them keep good people stuck.
Myth 1 — Therapy is for crazy people
Most of my caseload is high-functioning professionals, parents, students. Therapy is for anyone whose mind is heavier than they want it to be. The bar is much lower than the stigma suggests.
Myth 2 — It just goes on forever
Most evidence-based protocols run 8–20 sessions. Open-ended therapy is a choice, not a requirement.
Myth 3 — They'll just tell me to think positive
A good clinician will not. They will help you understand your patterns, regulate your nervous system, and rewrite the meaning structure underneath them. Toxic positivity is a marker of bad therapy, not the model.
Myth 4 — I should be able to handle this on my own
We don't say this about a fractured leg. We don't say this about diabetes. The mind is an organ. Sometimes it needs help.
Myth 5 — It's too expensive
Free options exist (Tele-MANAS, the AI Psychologist on this site, government OPDs). Even paid therapy is often cheaper than what untreated depression costs in lost work and broken sleep.
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Written by Dr. Nitnem Singh Sodhi. If this resonated, the next step is a conversation — talk to the AI Psychologist or book directly via WhatsApp.