The Need to be Heard: Venting and Validation

Humans are social creatures by instinct. Friends and family exist to give humans emotional connection and a sense of belonging. Venting to your f&f is natural and should be met with support. Therapists are trained professionals to help with mental health struggles. They are there to give you professional advice that your f&f aren't trained or formally educated on. Venting to your f&f isn't treating them like a therapist as long as you go into it without the expectation of professionalism. Your f&f are meant to be there for you in a more emotional and intimate way than a therapist is ethically allowed to be. Your therapist isn't meant to be there for you like a friend would, that's why you have friends AND a therapist. Whoever tells you that you're overusing your f&f for emotional support probably shouldn't be kept in your life bc clearly they can't handle what it means to be your friend or family member.

I hear you. Humans are made to share their thoughts with others. It’s a need we have that has to be met. I used to live alone and now that I have my partner I can’t imagine how I did it.