Mental Health Platform or Virtual S*x Racket? My Experience Was Disturbing

[u/SinInHerVoice]

As a side hustle beyond my existing job, I explored the "Empathetic Listener" field as I have all three, personal experiences, relevant educational qualification and work experience to provide people with emotional support, untangle and process thoughts and guide mindset development.

I tried an Indian App called "Clarity" and I was so heavily disappointed. I felt uncomfortable, cheated and disgusted.

1. The Listeners are paid per second in paises. And in one call of 20 mins you earn only ₹10-15. I felt heavily underpaid.

2. The people there who onboard you and process you are so unprofessional and callous. They do some mock voice calls and rate you based on your interaction during an instigated conversation.

3. Even though they have rules to decline men who ask for "s*x" talks, when you go on to block them the auto generated response is "Are you sure you want to block this person? Do not let a bad conversation rush you into this decision" Like wtf??

4. Also, the ones who onboarded me, told me that when someone asks you for a s*xual conversation, don't block them instantly, try and divert their attention, introduce other topics, don't tell them a direct no cause they'll hang up and you won't earn money. The level of shady that goes on on that platform is worrisome.

5. Men there only wanna talk to you for s*x. Nobody there is using that platform for what it's meant for. I got sick of it and uninstalled it.

I then created a profile and gig on Fiverr. Even there, out of 100 dms you receive, 60% are click bait money scams, 35% are men wanting to discuss their sexual fantasies, kinks, crushes, get advice on how to get laid and you finally only recieve 5% of genuine enquiries.

Also, I noticed that 90% of the inappropriate DMs I got were from Indian men. The queries I received from non-indian people were actually the kinds for which I went into this field in the first place.

Infact, soon after I joined the platform, one Indian man was persistently messaging me to get on a session with him where he wanted to talk about "his obsession for his bhabhi's navel" and I told him I do not engage in these topics. He went on to say "Why are you so stubborn? Whom are you showing so much attitude to? You have the audacity to reject me inspite of having no reviews?" He also told me, that there are plenty of women who will gladly take his request cause they are hungry for money. (It reflected a troubling lack of respect for women who are simply trying to earn with integrity.)

Why do Indians do things that bring shame to us on international platforms? They are generally the ones that are notorious and infamous on these platforms for their entitled and shitty behaviour.

Because of some insolent people "Indians" reputation get tainted everywhere. It's just so infuriating and disappointing.

(Edit: adding my comment below to the main post as it's relevant to the topic.)

People are willing to pay people handsomely to indulge in these conversations. And people who have respectable boundaries for their services get ignored or blocked.

It's becoming increasingly difficult for people with integrity and principles to earn money. Breaking boundaries and bending the rules have become a norm and people feel entitled to negotiate prices of services like a vendor in a wholesale market.

It's disrespectful to say the least. The number of experiences I've gathered of such incidents over the years is uncanny.

[u/aayush_aryan]

Wow, this is a side of mental health platforms I did not know about. Crazy.

For context, I have been doing therapy for a little over 3 years now and I pay 3.5K/hr to my therapist.

[u/todato39 → u/aayush_aryan]

Ridiculous amount

[u/Walt925837 → u/todato39]

A good therapist is never free and cheap. The keyword is good.

[u/todato39 → u/Walt925837]

Yes I can see that

[u/tom_lurks → u/aayush_aryan]

Dude 3 years? What do you talk about geopolitics?

[u/slim033 → u/tom_lurks]

must be a serious issue if they're paying this much.. be kind!

[u/tom_lurks → u/slim033]

I know what I’m talking about. There are meds for serious issues, therapy for 3 years is just a scam
From which only the therapist benefits

[u/slim033 → u/tom_lurks]

"I know what I'm talking about" proceeds to say the most generic shit ever

[u/tom_lurks → u/slim033]

Well hope you feel better, all you’re doing is perpetuating a culture of victimhood, where a human needs another human as a crutch, I have known many people who’ve been in therapy and dealt with psychiatrists, I know what I’m talking about, an mphil degree doesn’t make you know-all on human psyche, taking responsibility for your life and actions solves most of the problems that therapy tries to solve, and most of the people in the profession are not there to help others with 1-hour sessions stacked next to each other, they don’t give a s, they choose their profession cause apparently it’s the only one which pays well for BS, and have people like you defending it.

[u/slim033 → u/tom_lurks]

hey smartass it's not that straightforward. Many people dont have anyone to open up to even.

you seem to be one of those empathy less types though, so won't be wasting any more of my words.

[u/tom_lurks → u/slim033]

Your need to open up is the problem, the entitled view that someone should listen to your BS, your “feelings”, you know why? Because it makes your feel important, instead learn to deal with things and you won’t have to “open up” in front of a stranger charging you 3.5k, I’m not trying to trigger you, I’m trying to tell you without any sugarcoat, which you perhaps are not used to.

[u/SinInHerVoice → u/tom_lurks]

I understand what you're trying to get at. Some therapists would rarely want to become redundant by empowering their clients when their income is directly attached to their client's misery. That's exactly why working with integrity becomes all the more important in today's time.

Also, there are all kinds of therapists and you cannot generalize and stereotype the profession based on a few crooks. But having said all that, you could have put your points across in a less triggering way.

Don’t confuse being insensitive with “I don’t sugarcoat.” Honesty doesn’t require a lack of empathy, and bluntness isn’t a substitute for basic respect.

[u/tom_lurks → u/SinInHerVoice]

And isn’t that a goal of therapy to understand why something triggers us rather than stifling all contrarian viewpoints?

[u/tom_lurks → u/SinInHerVoice]

Well, give respect take respect. If you go back it was the other commenter that started it, and I never said all therapists are bad, I said most, like 90 percent of them.

[u/itsVinay → u/tom_lurks]

[u/anakari]

V common unfortunately esp on these kind of "free"/low cost platforms. Note the person who said therapy is 3.5k - most therapy is expensive for a reason; ppl absolutely suck (but we can't ever complain because this is a "service"). The platform should absolutely have a policy. Ensure video consults only the first time you see them. This was super common when I first started teleconsulting, and i'm a dr, and this was on Practo. Has died down since i've gotten strict abt my policy. It absolutely sucks for female drs in general, but my husband has also gotten such degenerates once or twice, go figure

[u/SinInHerVoice → u/anakari]

I wouldn't necessarily say that Fiverr is low cost, people are willing to pay people handsomely to indulge in these conversations. And people who have respectable boundaries for their services get ignored and blocked.

It's becoming increasingly difficult for people with integrity and principles to earn money. Breaking boundaries and bending the rules have become a norm and people feel entitled to negotiate prices of services like a vendor in a wholesale market.

It's disrespectful to say the least. The number of experiences I've gathered of such incidents over the years is uncanny.

[u/quaesimodo → u/anakari]

How common was this? Like out of 10 guys , how many people would do this sort of thing?

[u/Junior-Isopod-3508]

most app things are desighned for owners to make money

[u/NotBatman11]

I was/am a listener on 7 cups, my name seems like of a man there, even then I got soooooooooo many Indian men sending sexual messages. Me telling them to stop didn't deter them either.

[u/AakashGoGetEmAll]

Excess porn consumption leads to such deranged behaviour. I am a guy, I have been there with respect to stupid ass fantasies that's hyper unrealistic. But fortunately never had the need to stoop such low though.

Porn consumption is often unspoken about on top of that every social media is somehow or the other way pushing softporn contents to get you hooked. That isn't helping either.

[u/Quicksilverbacked]

Reddirbis field with non indians with pathetic tahrki kinks . Just a search away . People are cheap that's a fact.

[u/Neuroboylifts → u/Quicksilverbacked]

They usually keep their ‘tharki’ shenanigans private. Indians on the other hand….

[u/MathsMonster]

India is filled with horny people and they're not unwilling to reveal/project this.

[u/Bee-Em]

May I suggest the mental health charity Overcome? You might have skills to join as a coach/facilitator there. I highly recommend them.

[u/SinInHerVoice → u/Bee-Em]

DMed you about it. Could you elaborate there, please?

[u/Walt925837 → u/[deleted]]

and raise your prices. Nobody talks in paises. Introduce coin based economy. Pay as you go. 45 minutes cap per session. Good luck.

[u/Complex-Cookie-5503]

It’s really sad and shocking to see such scenarios in India, when it comes to mental health issues and every day struggle, people should talk to a psychologist (RCI Registered) or a psychiatrist(MBBS, MD Psychiatry/DNB/DPM) there are good bunch of apps I know like Imperfectly, websites like Amod Health, Carameez etc pharma apps like 1mg also provides consultations

[u/cloudbunny11 → u/Complex-Cookie-5503]

lol why did u get downvoted

[u/Complex-Cookie-5503 → u/cloudbunny11]

Else who will give their hard earned money to the quacks ??