Try to forget what he said and keep playing! You are not worthless! If he continues being a jerk, find someone new. Play because it makes YOU happy, not because he wants it to be a certain way. Do it for you! Keep your chin up. Hugs to you.

Ok, first off you're not worthless and I know that for a fact so just throw that stupid thought away. Second, its normal to feel this way I know I often did when I use to play the violin. You can't beat yourself up just because your lesson didn't go well everyone has those days where they mess up even the simplest of things I know I do and your teacher should know this too and should've used encouragement to help you through this instead of getting annoyed. I know learning to read music is tough I've actually seen many people struggle with it but I didn't because I took it a step at a time and worked hard it didn't hurt that my violin teachers have all been totally amazing people and taught me a lot and not just about music but about life as well. So, when learning to read music its important you learn in baby steps to ensure you have a solid foundation. Try not to think about failure just erase all those what if's that pop up because I know you'll be just fine. Why don't you paint some to relax a bit then try going back to your piano?

I hope this helps if only just a little :)

Every time I think about that I just want to cry... I feel so sad bcz the solid foundation I had for recovery has all but been destroyed :-(
I sort of see my piano as my enemy waiting for me to trip over so it can point and laugh at me :-(

The piano isn't going to laugh at you; what you're experiencing is fear in its ultimate form; taking something you love and trying to turn it against you; don't let it win. I'm a painter and there've been times I've had an idea for a painting that dealt with something I haven't painted before; whether it's the subject that I haven't painted before or a certain pose for the subject or what not; I sit for a bit like a deer caught in the headlights; frozen with fear but then I pick up my brush and just start in on it and it starts to work itself out. I won't say it turns into a cake walk but what's the fun of it if it were easy? As t hey say, "if it were easy, everyone would do it".

I agree with Snow on taking the task of learning how to read music and break it down into small pieces; that's the trick with anything that's difficult. There aren't many people who can just look at a sheet of music and can learn how to read it properly the first, second or even third try. the stuff is complicated because when does one read something like music in every day life? Never.

When I first started painting I had a lot of ppl who thought I could do it but there were also a few who thought I'd suck at it. One actually came up to me a year or so ago and said " Mike, I have to be honest, when you first started painting I didn't t hink you were very good but wow you've come a long way, your art is amazing"- This isn't me bragging about my work this is me saying that there isn't a better feeling in life than when you can prove your detractors wrong. What you do is you take the negative crap you are told and turn it into a motivational factor by working harder at what you love. NEVER let some idiot, even a teacher, tell you that you can't do something or you're not good at it if it's something you're passionate about.