My whole existence has been fueled by an internal war. So many of my desires are completely contradicted by my behavior, and most of the while I've been aware of it. It's like I'm looking at myself under an enormous magnifying glass but my arms are strapped down and I've lost my voice. It's incredibly frustrating to feel paralyzed when you know your limbs work perfectly well. What I've learned through this 'crisis' as my therapist calls it, is that there are repeating themes in my life stemming from the same behaviors. To name a few: I don't want to rely on or accept anyone's help because of the fierce independence I'm not even sure how I came to possess. I don't trust people because I'm afraid of what they will eventually want to take from me. That stems from knowing that I put others before myself even if it's to my own detriment and from experiencing painful friendships where I was taken advantage of for precisely that. I have a hard time standing up for myself because I don't want anyone to feel angry or bad or what have you. I think this also stems from putting other's feelings/needs ahead of my own. I run from confrontation because I don't want to get emotional. It goes on.
I thought I had been to the bottom of my emotional barrel and back but it turns out there's a whole other barrel I didn't even see.
I tried to end therapy. Again. I've been feeling really good lately and the sessions were becoming a source of anxiety. It felt like I was just chatting about my week and repeating myself about the whole dating thing. I wanted to stop them so I could enjoy the bit of happiness I've reclaimed. She said that if my goal was to get through the 'crisis' then yes, it has been reached. But there is still an underlying interpersonal issue that hasn't quite come to light yet that will surely come back at another point. She actually said, "don't you want to take care of this while you're still young?" I laughed. I don't feel young. Then again, I often feel like I'm 16 so I guess it's really irrelevant.
I don't feel like I can 'get out there' and meet people while I'm in therapy, because I don't want to talk about it and know that I will have to. I'm so sick of talking about myself and my feelings, I just want to clam up and enjoy my solitude again. I also feel the need to process things by myself. Sharing something new doesn't sit well with me. (E.g., I didn't tell anyone about Red until I'd known him a few weeks.) But I know this is exactly the same state I was in before I became dysthymic, and I would definitely end up there again if I didn't force myself to change my behavior and actively look for someone. So I am at a total standstill. I want to stop therapy to meet someone but I should stay in order to figure it out while with someone. I'm at a point now where I despise myself for all of this, but I know I have to do something different than I was before. Therapy is different. I guess. The part of me that wants to end it also believes that I am totally capable of getting into a relationship without any help. But there's a little voice that squeaks, "what if I'm not?" I hate that voice but for now I guess I'm going to keep going.
Ah Catch 22, how you stab at my heart.
So ok guys. Queen Vee is going to try to meet you. Just as soon as I return from a two week vacation halfway across the world. (And a much needed break from therapy.)
Promise.
2 comments:
I hope this doesn't sound totally presumptuous, but maybe it would help to try to adjust your interpretation of what therapy is / entails. It sounds like you're viewing it as some sign of weakness that indicates that you need help and aren't completely independent or something, and you want it to be over because that would indicate that you are "better" and back to being self-sufficient. Maybe it would help to try to consider it as just another thing you do regularly to develop necessary life skills, just like you'd meet with a personal trainer or something. And that doesn't mean that you couldn't get fit had you never met with the trainer-- it just means that maybe going will give you some more techniques to make your workout less daunting and more productive.
I can understand your reluctance to talk with your therapist about every dumb date you go on, but doing your regular processing of things with a therapist to talk to in "real time" rather than after the fact might help you think about things in a new way or give you new strategies while you're in a position to implement them immediately. Maybe it's worth a shot.
Wishing you all the best!
Hi Queen Vee, Im new at this blogger thing but I find some of the blogs here very fascinating and interesting to read such as yours. I understand the whole therapy because i went through it for a year. I've raved about how much my life has transformed and my awesome therapist, or psychologist, has equipped me with tools to handle the world out there. In a way, therapy is like a place you got to get your wings tuned up or just get new ones so you can fly again. And it's been almost a year since I've been a in therapy. And I would go again, simply just for upkeep and to keep things in perspective on my day to day life, but at this point it's not necessary. Maybe the break is good for you or maybe you just need another therapist. I don't know...but good luck to you, and hope that you find your wings.
love, eats and yoga,
Janette
Post a Comment