How much of the trouble inside my head is caused — or at least made worse — by bad habits? My reflexive reactions to things like perceived slights or simple frustrations get blown up into fantastical threats. I think that it is time to revisit my DBT Handbook and the DBT cards. Now that I … Continue reading Subvert the Dysfunction: Therapy Diary for September 7, 2019
Category: Therapy Diary
Deck Chairs on the Titanic — Therapy Diary for September 5, 2019 (Part Two)
Learning how to change myself is not just a matter of having a realization. It is also a case of deconstructing my existing reaction patterns and gradually replacing them with more-functional patterns. During today's session, it occurred to me that my brittle reaction patterns may be based on fear. In turn, this defensive posture creates … Continue reading Deck Chairs on the Titanic — Therapy Diary for September 5, 2019 (Part Two)
Therapy Diary for September 5, 2019
(from a stream of consciousness moment during Thursday's session) Words to describe how I often react to the world: Brittle Inflexible Fragile Unachievable Unrealistic Hollow Inhuman (inhumane?) expectations Unfair to myself and others MaskMannequinFrameworks that everything must fit within.MatricesDefensive Words to describe how I'd prefer reacting: Organic Flowing Like bamboo Growing
The Butterfly
During my last couple of therapy sessions, we've been discussing my problems with anger, and as a sub theme, my problems with traffic (historically, road rage has been my biggest, most 'reliable' anger trigger). I'd had some minor insights into possible roots of my frustration and rage, and the discussion wandered back to one of … Continue reading The Butterfly
The Butterfly and Me
[ Content Warning: This therapy diary entry references bullying and suicidal ideation. ] Once upon a time, many years ago, a boy was born. In most ways, this was entirely unremarkable. Boys are born all the time, and the boy’s family wasn’t unusual. It was a large family, but families were larger back then than … Continue reading The Butterfly and Me
The Boy, the Man, and the Butterfly (a story)
[ Content Warning: This story references bullying and suicidal ideation. ] Once upon a time, many years ago, a boy was born. In most ways, this was entirely unremarkable. Boys are born all the time, and the boy’s family wasn’t unusual. It was a large family, but families were larger back then than they tend … Continue reading The Boy, the Man, and the Butterfly (a story)
Therapy Journal – March 25
Note: My therapist has been trying to get me to just sit with powerful emotions I'm feeling... stay with it as long as I can. Observe without making a judgement. I think that this is to move me away from automatic coping behaviors & start desensitizing me to the worst of them, without invalidating myself … Continue reading Therapy Journal – March 25
I think there’s a frightened kid living in my head.
After last week's therapy session, I found myself stuck on an idea: That I don't, in fact, have BPD, but am just a self-indulgent, overgrown child. The 'evidence' that I compiled in support of this hypothesis includes: When I'm feeling down I will do things like eating sweets to the point of being ill. I … Continue reading I think there’s a frightened kid living in my head.
The Hollow Man.
I started therapy last September, and soon afterward I started having images of myself as a mask with hollow eye sockets. It was 1983 the first time that I told someone that I felt hollow. This is not new. The difference is, I'm not shut down any longer. Being in therapy has started stripping off … Continue reading The Hollow Man.
I hate my brain (Life and the Fine Art of Learning Perspective)
Trigger warnings: Discussion of suicidal thinking and splitting. As I've mentioned in previous posts, I only got my diagnosis (DX) late last year, so I'm still learning about what Borderline Personality Disorder is. I'm very much aware that a person is not their diagnosis. I treat my DX as a chance to learn ways to … Continue reading I hate my brain (Life and the Fine Art of Learning Perspective)