A man who decided to invest in his mental health by pursuing counseling was caught off guard when his choice of therapist troubled his girlfriend, who insisted it was "weird and uncomfortable" to have an "attractive" therapist.
The British citizen took to Reddit's AITA (Am I The A**hole) forum to recount the process of sifting through therapists online, seeking a potential match. "I've always found it easier to open up to women around my age so those we the type of therapists that I was looking for," he wrote.
Once he made his selection and booked an initial session, he shared the news with his girlfriend, who asked to see the therapist's profile.
At first she objected to the price, asking if he couldn't find someone cheaper. He said the therapist he chose would be affordable for him. She then followed up by asking how many therapists he had considered, pressing him to change.
When he asked her why, his partner admitted that "she found it weird and uncomfortable that I'd chosen a therapist around my age and who my girlfriend said was quite attractive."
"Are you seriously telling me to change therapists just because you think I've chosen someone attractive?" he asked his S.O., pointing out that he was going there for his mental health, not to pursue a romantic relationship with the therapist.
His girlfriend insisted her request wasn't "unreasonable," adding that he should "take her feelings into account and be open to changing." He disagreed, and wanted to know if he was being "the a--hole."
According to Reddit's users, he was not.
The majority of Redditors think the girlfriend is the one who should seek therapy.
Others point out that therapy could come in handy for dealing with his relationship.
Commenters encouraged the therapy-seeker to set boundaries and prioritize his mental health.
According to the CDC, women in the United States are almost twice as likely as men to receive mental health treatment, with nearly one in four women having received some sort of mental health treatment in the last twelve months.
At the same time, the majority of Americans with mental illness (55%) receive no treatment at all, according to a 2023 study.
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