Man Getting His Masters To Go Into Mental Health Wants To Quit — 'People Are Having Perfectly Normal Responses To This Horrific Environment'
"It's like if I teach them to cope in this unhealthy toxic environment that's just keeping the system as it is."
@markonyourown24 / TikTok; cottonbro studio / Pexels A man shared that he is reconsidering going into the mental health field after coming to a frightening realization.
In a TikTok video, Mark Wade told his followers that while he's currently in grad school and working toward getting his Master's degree to seek out a job working in mental health, his desire to become a mental health professional has begun to waver after noticing the reason why so many people seek out therapy.
He explained the reason he is beginning to reconsider his desire to work in mental health.
"I decided to go into mental health because I actually wanted to help people," Wade began. "Then, here I am in my masters and it turns out that the reason people are doing so bad is because they're having perfectly normal responses to their environment."
He continued, pointing out that people's responses to growing up in poverty-stricken communities or experiencing exploitation throughout their lives lead them to develop responses that are perfectly adequate to their lived experiences.
"I don't wanna be a therapist," Wade admitted. "I'm supposed to tell this person that they're not having a perfectly normal response to their horrific environment because of late-stage capitalism. It's like if I teach them to cope in this unhealthy toxic environment that's just keeping the system as it is."
While Wade's point of view is understandable and rightfully frustrating, especially for someone who is seeking a job in the mental health profession to aid individuals in receiving help, it shouldn't diminish that therapy can be a good tool for people who have grown up in harmful or destructive environments.
According to the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, 70% of adults in the U.S. have experienced some type of traumatic event at least once in their lives.
Therapy can provide individuals with a safe space to explore their experiences, validate their emotions, and develop healthier coping strategies. A skilled therapist can help clients gain insight into the dynamics of their toxic environment, challenge distorted beliefs, and work towards creating positive changes in their lives.
By engaging in therapy, individuals can gradually gain awareness of their normal responses to the toxic environment and begin to develop healthier ways of navigating similar situations in the future.
In the comments section, people shared their own opinions on Wade's exasperation.
"Therapist here: You can be helpful by pointing this out, normalizing their response, so they can stop blaming themselves, reduce their shame, and increase their self-efficacy," one TikTok user suggested. "This can help to motivate them to direct their energy outward to changing the systems instead of pathologizing themselves."
Another user agreed, writing, "You let people know they're not crazy, they're having normal responses to abnormal life, help them survive and find meaning."
"Another way of looking at it is you’re giving potential clients the tools to manage their emotional responses enough to dismantle oppressive systems," a third user chimed in.
Ultimately, therapy does have the ability to empower individuals to break free from the cycle of toxicity they've experienced in their environments and allow them an opportunity to cultivate a more positive and fulfilling life.
Nia Tipton is a Chicago-based entertainment, news, and lifestyle writer whose work delves into modern-day issues and experiences.