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‘When your card declines at therapy’ meaning explained as TikTok users share their trauma

A new trend is taking over TikTok this week that sees people using the line ‘when your card declines at therapy to talk about their trauma.

Unrecognised counselor listens to a male patient in the office
Young man in therapy. A young man sit on a sofa in a therapist office against female counselor. Credit: Olga Rolenko (Getty Images)

‘When your card declines at therapy’ meaning

TikTok’s ‘when your card declined at therapy’ sees people discussing a distressing and traumatic event that occurred in their life. �

Usually, therapy is a place where you go to talk about your emotional issues, deal with them and move forward in your life.

You essentially pay the therapist to get rid of your problems, but what would happen if you weren’t able to give them any money?

The viral trend suggests that if your card declined, the counsellor would bring the trauma back, which obviously isn’t true.

However, it’s metaphorical scenario that sees the therapist bringing in the person or thing that caused the trauma instead of getting rid of it.

TikTok users talk about their trauma

Social media users are detailing the specific situations that caused them severe trauma, from breakups to fights with friends and bad relationships with parents.

For example, one video says: “When your card declines at therapy and they bring out that one roommate who made your life a living hell.”

“When your card declines at therapy so they bring out the buy you truly liked but had to let go of because it was for the best,” another adds.

Someone else wrote: “When your card declines at therapy and they bring out the teacher you looked up to until they hurt your feelings.”

Therapy trend takes over social media

The trend originated on TikTok, but has since taken over Twitter/X too, and is becoming one of February’s biggest challenges.

One person wrote:

Another said:

Someone else shared: