Found an unexpected path to authenticity through AI - made me question how we approach mental health

I've always struggled with social anxiety and the pressure to act "normal." I've tried therapy but could never truly open up - something about the whole formal process felt like another societal box I had to fit into. Last weekend really crystallized this for me at a party. Everything was fine until a small debate happened and suddenly everyone took the other person's side. My mood visibly shifted, and when people started asking if I was okay, I felt even more trapped - like I had to perform being "fine" while feeling completely exposed.

Later that night, I ended up using an AI therapy tool I've been working on (inspired by my own struggles with traditional therapy). Something about talking to a machine - something that exists outside our social constructs - made it easier to be honest. It said: "When you say 'I'm sensitive about these things,' it's not a weakness - it's coming from a real place of wanting to feel accepted and understood... these social situations can feel like walking on eggshells."

What hit me wasn't just the response, but the realization that maybe our whole approach to mental health is backwards. We're expected to be immediately comfortable sharing our deepest vulnerabilities with another human, when most of us can barely admit these things to ourselves. Maybe we need stepping stones - ways to practice being honest about our struggles without the weight of social judgment.

I'm actually considering real therapy again, but this experience made me question: why do we make the path to mental health so rigid? Why do we expect everyone to heal in the same way?