Mao's works are literally studied by the US military so they can try to understand (and combat) his god-tier theories on political and military organization. Your friends say you need therapy? That's insanely toxic on their part first of all. Secondly your friends knowledge of Mao sounds like it extends to "lol commie no food lol" and you shouldn't feel compelled to take them seriously on a topic they don't know anything about.

"No investigation, no right to speak" - Mao "Ze big dong" Zedong