Incels and Psychotherapy: Experiences, Attitudes, and Resistance to Mental-Health Interventions
Year: 2025
Type: preprint
Abstract: Objective: Men are more reluctant than women to engage with psychotherapy. Incels—an online community of involuntary celibates—have been identified as needing mental health intervention. Despite high rates of depression, suicidality, and social isolation, little is formally known about their therapy experiences or attitudes. Methods: We conducted qualitative discourse analysis of 100 psychotherapy discussion threads from incels.is, the largest incel forum. We coded experiences of 89 users who reported attending therapy, analyzing therapist gender, motivation, and satisfaction. Inductive thematic analysis identified community attitudes toward psychotherapy.Results: Among incels reporting therapy experiences, 70.8% reported negative outcomes whereas only 7.9% reported satisfaction. None of those forced into therapy (25.8%) reported positive outcomes. Preliminary analysis suggested higher satisfaction with male therapists (16.7% vs. 7.1% for female). Thematic analysis revealed barriers to therapeutic engagement: (1) "blackpill" ideology attributing sexual/romantic deprivation and associated mental health issues to immutable factors; (2) conspiracy theories framing therapy as designed to sedate and control; (3) view of therapy as female-biased and hostile to men; (4) practical concerns including cost, privacy fears, and hospitalization.Conclusions: Incels present intervention challenges due to their fatalistic worldview, institutional distrust, and extreme misogyny. Findings suggest potential benefits of male therapists and clearly defined therapeutic goals that acknowledge but do not promise to resolve romantic concerns
Authors: Louis Bachaud, Andrew G. Thomas, Macken Murphy
Language: English
Subfield: Social Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: gold
OpenAlex ID: W4416959251
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