Psycho-Babble Psychology Thread 392271

Shown: posts 8 to 32 of 32. Go back in thread:

 

Re: reality vs fantasay (long) » lucy stone

Posted by Dinah on September 18, 2004, at 20:24:30

In reply to reality vs fantasay (long), posted by lucy stone on September 18, 2004, at 8:34:31

It sounds as if we're in similar phases of our therapy. I refuse to talk termination. But I perhaps accept that I need the fantasy him more than the real him. It's just that the fantasy him happens to occupy the same space. :) And has the same really soothing voice. He's going away, only for a week. And he'll probably offer to let me call him, and I'll probably ask if he doesn't. But I feel more confidence in my ability to handle whatever crops up while he's gone without breaking down. I feel more confident that while I might feel bad short term, it's not going to last forever, and I can live through it.

I used to use the imagery of my being the blind pup to my therapist's milky mother dog. And that I had that blind pup's steady beeline progress to mom. It's interesting to watch a baby pup temporarily separated from Mom. He'll cry but determinedly make his way to where he can sense her warmth or smell her smell. It's astonishing how much strength and single mindedness can be in that little body.

Now, just maybe, I'm a bit older pup. Exploring my immediate surroundings and coming back to Mom to get a good rough ear licking. Checking around to see where Mom is if she leaves the litterbox for a while, but relaxing if I see she's in sight (or internalized sufficiently perhaps).

I refuse to entertain the possibility that I may one day leave Mom, never to return. Maybe I'll leave the litterbox. And maybe I'll go out and hunt and play on my own. But I'd like to be able to plop down next to Mom for a soothing rest once and again. Dogs seem to know their pups long after they grow up, and I often see related dogs piling up in a heap.

But perhaps our therapists handled the earlier stages differently. Mine was willing to be the good enough mother in many ways. And willing to work with my anger on those inevitable occasions when he wasn't quite good enough. I honor him for this, especially since long term transferance based therapy isn't his main focus. I even think he prefers the shorter CBT work he generally does. I think the intensity of my transference bothered him, but he did the work he needed to do to do what I needed him to do.

I always think of transference as being a sort of Chinese finger pull toy. The more I fight it in myself, the harder a hold it has on me. The more my therapist pulls back, the tighter I'm sucked in. Even third parties trying to drag me away binds me more firmly. But if the resistance is taken away, the hold is lessened. Until one day you see that you can step away any time you wish to. By fully entering the process, you speed it up. By trying to keep one foot safely on the ground, you mess it all up. Our efforts to keep safe don't equal safety. It's giving up our efforts that lead to safety. (Like bikeriding maybe? I always rode too slow and wobbled.)

All that of course depends on a decent, ethical, and competent professional being on the other side of the transference process. I'm afraid we've seen far too many lacking in ethics or competence for me to say it's *always* wise to toss caution to the wind and throw yourself into the process.

 

Re: reality vs fantasay (long) » lucy stone

Posted by shortelise on September 18, 2004, at 22:14:48

In reply to reality vs fantasay (long), posted by lucy stone on September 18, 2004, at 8:34:31

Lucy, thank you very, very much for this post.

ShortE

 

Re: reality vs fantasay (long)

Posted by lucy stone on September 18, 2004, at 22:49:42

In reply to Re: reality vs fantasay (long) » lucy stone, posted by lookdownfish on September 18, 2004, at 16:33:34

> Lucy
> Much of what you say resonates with me. I am plagued with a longing for a parent-type figure. The main difference being that my fantasy is generally (but not always) for a woman rather than a man. (I am a married woman).

My longing has always been for a man rather than for a woman. My mother was depressed and frequently ill, she survived breast cancer only to die from thyroid cancer 15 years later. My dad traveled frequently with work and when he was home often flew into uncontrollable rages that terrifed all of us. I started the fantasy around puberty and the fantasy figure was always male, always powerful (sometimes even God or Jesus!), and usually sexual. My analyst and I think that the fantasy involved a man because I was looking for the loving father I never had, but we're not sure why I have never had a fantasy mother figure. When I had the opportunity to pick a therapist I deliberatley chose a man somewhat older than myself. My analyst says that I unconsciously knew I had issues to work through involving men.

> I have been processing it with my therapist, of course, and that helps because it contains the problem somewhat, but I still don't feel any closer to a solution. And I'm beginning to feel there isn't one. I guess the key point is when you say you need to grieve the loss before moving on. How does one actually do that? I don't really know where to start. Any further thoughts would be appreciated.
>
You fantasy sounds so much like mine, and I also reach for it when my life gets difficult. I have processed it my talking, talking, talking about it. We have explored how it started, all the different forms it has taken, the people I have tried to play it out with, everything. The most helpful thing to me has been to talk about exactly what it is I want the fantasy to fulfill and what it would me to me if it happened. For example, I want my therapist to hold me while I cry on his shoulder. I want him to tell me that everything will be alright. Hmm...perhaps this is part of why the fantasy involves a man...I am looking for someone other than my depressed, ill, mother to make it right. Anyway, I know while the fantasy tells me that I want to cry on his shoulder, the reality is that that would be odd and akward. We occasisionally share a hug, and it is never as good in reality as I expect it to be, and I know the shoulder thing would be same. I want him to tell me that things will be alright, but he can't do that, because sometimes things are not right and he can't make them so. It's a very early fantasy, that someone will take care of you and meet all of your needs, but the reality is that adults don't have that. He is trying to make me see that I can get those needs fulfilled in the real world by combining the things I get from real people. I can cry on my husband's shoulder, for example, and he and I together can try and make things OK. My T is trying to make me see that my father will never be the father I deserved to have, and he says I need to give up on that idea and mourn that loss. Like you, I tell him that I don't know how to grieve that loss...I also never grieved the loss of my mother in a real way and I also need to do that grieving. He says that I do know how, and at some point the grieving will just happen. I'm still waiting for that. I think he expects it to happen when we start our termination process. I am terrified of termination and have asked if I can still keep seeing him once or week or so even after we stop the analysis. He says yes, hesitantly, I know he doesn't want to expect that to happen. As I said in a previous post, he says I can live without the real him, it's the fantasy him I can't live without. He says that the feelings I will have around the loss of termination are as important as any others feelings and I think he expects that to trigger the grieving. We'll see, I guess.


> By the way, I always enjoy your posts, and have never seen you post anything remotely hurtful.
> ldf
>

 

Re: reality vs fantasay (long) » lucy stone

Posted by Dinah on September 18, 2004, at 23:04:19

In reply to Re: reality vs fantasay (long), posted by lucy stone on September 18, 2004, at 22:49:42

Funny how they're different. Mine will say everything's going to be all right, as long as I give him a framework so that he feels he can say it honestly. So if things really are going to h*ll in a handbasket and I ask him if everything's going to be all right, he'll say he can't tell me that. But if I say that what I mean by that is that whatever life throws my way, I'll be able to handle it, and that's what I mean by will everything be all right, he'll agree that everything will be fine. Or if we're having a disagreement, and I frame it so that what I'm asking is if even though we're having a fight we'll work through it and our relationship will survive, he'll say that yes, in that sense everything will be all right. Sometimes he makes me say that I'll do what I can to make sure that everything will be all right and won't rely on him to do all of it.

So again, I think my therapist is more willing to be a good enough mother and perhaps isn't trying as hard to make me give up the fantasy. He makes me work for my nurturing though. :)

It kind of reminds me of what I try to do around my son. I'm not above catastrophizing, but when I'm around him I try to both be relatively honest about what's going on and what the possible outcomes are while pointing out to him that whatever happens, everything's going to be all right in the ways that count - and being rather specific as to why that is.

But my therapist isn't an analyst and, I suppose, is more willing to gratify my infantile needs. Plus he's a big believer in reparenting and attachment theory and corrective emotional experiences.

 

Re: reality vs fantasay (long)

Posted by DaisyM on September 19, 2004, at 1:04:45

In reply to Re: reality vs fantasay (long) » lucy stone, posted by Dinah on September 18, 2004, at 23:04:19

This thread made me think about the article on grieving that was posted here a few months ago. I read the whole article carefully because I know this is what I need to do, grieve for the childhood I didn't have, and for the one I did. And then give up the fantasy of ever having unconditional love that most kids get from their parents.

My therapy has helped me to see that part of the deep sadness and pain I feel is grief. I just don't know how to get past this part. I can't seem to force myself through and I can't find the right answers in a book. It is astonishing how painful those waves can be when you get triggered.

I think my therapist is putting his emphasis on building trust because he doesn't think I will even begin to look for this level of support IRL until I really learn that it exists and is possible from mere mortals. Once I've accepted that he can hold some of this pain and not get crushed beneath it, then maybe I'll look to sharing more with some significant people in my life.

The other thing I've grown to realize is that I have different realities, based on which part of me is in charge. My reality as a mother and wife differs from my reality as a boss, which is significantly different than my reality as a therapy client. Depends on the emotional lense I'm viewing the landscape with.

It is interesting how we are all trying to get to the same place in different ways. I'm glad we have each other.

 

Re: reality vs fantasay

Posted by Annierose on September 19, 2004, at 7:12:52

In reply to Re: reality vs fantasay (long), posted by DaisyM on September 19, 2004, at 1:04:45

Lucy -
You're leaving and you started an interesting thread.
My T also talks about going through the grief process and I struggle to begin that process, especially since she is still alive. But having worked through some issues in therapy, I will say I am more at peace with my mother now, less shocked over her "disconnect with real life, real emotions". But I see how these issues do come back with my own children, and I am glad to have a supportive T to work them out.

 

Re: reality vs fantasay (long)

Posted by lucy stone on September 19, 2004, at 7:46:56

In reply to Re: reality vs fantasay (long), posted by DaisyM on September 19, 2004, at 1:04:45

I'm glad we have each other and I'm also glad we each have a T that is right for us. There are so many theraputic approaches out there and the match between provider and client is so important.

 

Re: reality vs fantasay (long)

Posted by lucy stone on September 19, 2004, at 7:52:02

In reply to Re: reality vs fantasay (long) » lucy stone, posted by Dinah on September 18, 2004, at 23:04:19

> Funny how they're different. Mine will say everything's going to be all right, as long as I give him a framework so that he feels he can say it honestly. So if things really are going to h*ll in a handbasket and I ask him if everything's going to be all right, he'll say he can't tell me that. But if I say that what I mean by that is that whatever life throws my way, I'll be able to handle it, and that's what I mean by will everything be all right, he'll agree that everything will be fine. Or if we're having a disagreement, and I frame it so that what I'm asking is if even though we're having a fight we'll work through it and our relationship will survive, he'll say that yes, in that sense everything will be all right. Sometimes he makes me say that I'll do what I can to make sure that everything will be all right and won't rely on him to do all of it.
>
> So again, I think my therapist is more willing to be a good enough mother and perhaps isn't trying as hard to make me give up the fantasy. He makes me work for my nurturing though. :)
>
> It kind of reminds me of what I try to do around my son. I'm not above catastrophizing, but when I'm around him I try to both be relatively honest about what's going on and what the possible outcomes are while pointing out to him that whatever happens, everything's going to be all right in the ways that count - and being rather specific as to why that is.
>
> But my therapist isn't an analyst and, I suppose, is more willing to gratify my infantile needs. Plus he's a big believer in reparenting and attachment theory and corrective emotional experiences.


It's possible that part of the difference is the difference between you and I. I have repeated this pattern over and over in my life in ways that have been harmful to me. One of the things I am seeking in therapy is an end to the pattern. I may be wrong, but I don't get the sense that you are looking for attachment in places other than in therapy. I get the sense that what you want out of therapy is much different than what I want. I suspect that your T would treat me in a much different way than he treats you. Do you think he would? Do good Ts have different approaches for different clients or is the approach pretty consistent?

 

Re: reality vs fantasay

Posted by lucy stone on September 19, 2004, at 7:55:33

In reply to Re: reality vs fantasay, posted by Annierose on September 19, 2004, at 7:12:52

I hate to leave this intersting thread in the middle, but I am off to the airport for my trip to Spain. I get back in 2 weeks and I'll talk to you all then. I want to re-recommend a book that I found very, very, helpful in understanding my transference: "In Sessiion", the author I don't have time to look up right now but maybe Dr. Bob could do that Amazon link thing for it. I lent a copy to my analyst and he liked it so much he ordered a copy for himself. Right after he read it he started referring to my fantasy as the "Golden Fantasy" from the book and that has also been helpful to me. Bye all and take care.

Lucy

 

Re: reality vs fantasay (long) » lucy stone

Posted by Dinah on September 19, 2004, at 8:30:00

In reply to Re: reality vs fantasay (long), posted by lucy stone on September 19, 2004, at 7:52:02

I think any halfway decent therapist tailors therapy for the client.

Bon voyage!

 

Re: reality vs fantasay (long) » lucy stone

Posted by gardenergirl on September 19, 2004, at 12:47:23

In reply to Re: reality vs fantasay (long), posted by lucy stone on September 18, 2004, at 22:49:42

> >
My T is trying to make me see that my father will never be the father I deserved to have, and he says I need to give up on that idea and mourn that loss. Like you, I tell him that I don't know how to grieve that loss...I also never grieved the loss of my mother in a real way and I also need to do that grieving. He says that I do know how, and at some point the grieving will just happen. I'm still waiting for that. I think he expects it to happen when we start our termination process. I am terrified of termination and have asked if I can still keep seeing him once or week or so even after we stop the analysis. He says yes, hesitantly, I know he doesn't want to expect that to happen. As I said in a previous post, he says I can live without the real him, it's the fantasy him I can't live without. He says that the feelings I will have around the loss of termination are as important as any others feelings and I think he expects that to trigger the grieving. We'll see, I guess.
>

I had a somewhat similar experience as a child. My mother is still alive, but she was often anxious and depressed. She is also somewhat narcissistic. Being a sensitive child, I experienced the void from her inability to meet my needs acutely. I still seem to long for her caring and love, to feel that security in a loving attachment. But through therapy I think I have finally learned that I continue to go to an empty well for water. That was a hard lesson to learn, and it doesn't mean that I don't still peer into that well longinly at times.

My dad is an alcoholic, also travelled a lot for business, and although he never really flew into rages, he was quite demanding. He is also narcissistic, and treated us very much as reflections of him. This meant we had to be perfect children, like little adults. My stuff related to him is an intense fear of failure and rejection.

Although I am still working on these issues and always will to some respect, I think I have started grieving over the mother issue. I don't really know how it happened, but I can agree with your analyst that if you keep working, it will. In my case, I was remembering a time when I was in the hospital as a toddler, and feeling again scared and alone. My mother would usually "visit" me, but didn't spend significant periods of time making sure I was allright. And what toddler would feel safe and secure in a hospital for eye surgery. I remember waking up with bandages over my eyes and my hands restrained because I had a bad reaction to the anesthesia (PCP/angel dust anyone? Gotta love the late 60's). I was asking an essentially disembodied voice if they would untie me, and they couldn't until the doctor gave his okay. Where was my mother? I know in my heart if that were my child I would BE there. Especially when she woke up. Now I have always remembered this incident, but for some reason, I was much more open to feeling that pain, anger, and fear recently. And I began to sob uncontrollably for awhile. It felt very different to me than other times when I've cried. It felt like grieving. It had a quality to it that felt like movement towards a healing place rather than just experiencing pain as usual. That felt kind of good. Still had the damp dishrag aftermath, but it was okay.

I don't think it's a coincidence that I have started to set boundaries with my mother. I point out to her when on the phone she shifts back to her talk when I am talking about something important and need her attention. I also have been able to tell her that I understand she is concerned about the meds I am on (an MAOI), but it is my decision, and I don't want to hear her continually saying I MUST get off it ASAP. I sometimes just need information from her (she is a nurse). Although in time, I suppose I'll get my info. elsewhere, too.

I'm glad your T honors and respects the termination process. And I'm sure it will trigger a lot of feelings. I hope that it leads you to grieve if you haven't already. I can so understand your wish for reassurance that you can still see him down the road. A lot of T's view therapy as a life long process. Sometimes you actively engage in it, sometimes you sit with where you are at and work on your own. And sometimes you need that active engagement again. I know one of the things that was stressed in our training is to make sure that even if you only get to work with someone a very short time, you wanted to make sure to give that person a positive therapy experience so that they will be more likely to try again down the road when perhaps they are ready. It sounds like you have been ready, willing, and able for some time! :)

Also, I think I am going to bookmark your origninal post on this thread. It's such a good explanation about the power and usefullness of transference. That question comes up again and again, and your post was quite eloquent. Thanks for sharing that with us!

Be well,
gg

 

Re: reality vs fantasay (long)

Posted by gardenergirl on September 19, 2004, at 12:53:42

In reply to Re: reality vs fantasay (long) » lucy stone, posted by gardenergirl on September 19, 2004, at 12:47:23

Whoops, forgot to wish you well on your trip. Enjoy!
gg

 

Abandonded but not forgotten » lookdownfish

Posted by 64bowtie on September 19, 2004, at 16:43:13

In reply to Re: reality vs fantasay (long) » lucy stone, posted by lookdownfish on September 18, 2004, at 16:33:34

ldf,
>
> By the way, I always enjoy your posts, and have never seen you post anything remotely hurtful.
> ldf
>

<<< I'm stting here in pain. I can't tell Lucy Stone why her post to me resulted in my pain. Her post included an estopal of my replying to her post. I never once used the "you" statement. I only used the "I", chiefly because I thought this was a safe place to share. Slamming the door on my fingers without cause has left me abandoned. Abandonment hurts, today and every day.

Rod

 

Re: reality vs fantasay garden girl

Posted by Annierose on September 19, 2004, at 17:27:27

In reply to Re: reality vs fantasay (long) » lucy stone, posted by gardenergirl on September 19, 2004, at 12:47:23

gg-
I really liked your last response as well. The idea of setting boundries with your mother hit a cord with me. I think I have been doing that on some level, but didn't put a label on it and now I will try to do more boundry setting with her.
That's so interesting. In therapy, the T sets the boundries (my T's are rather firm) but needs me to open myself up to her (and I really do try).
IRL, I need to set the boundries to keep my heart safe.
GG - I really enjoy reading yours posts as well. You offer such an interesting perspective as both a T in training and "client".
-Annie

 

Re: reality vs fantasay garden girl » Annierose

Posted by gardenergirl on September 20, 2004, at 1:00:17

In reply to Re: reality vs fantasay garden girl, posted by Annierose on September 19, 2004, at 17:27:27

Thanks for the kind words. Good luck in boundary setting with your mother and in other areas. It can help, but it sure can be hard sometimes!
:)

gg

 

Re: Abandonded but not forgotten » 64bowtie

Posted by lookdownfish on September 20, 2004, at 5:35:21

In reply to Abandonded but not forgotten » lookdownfish, posted by 64bowtie on September 19, 2004, at 16:43:13

Rod,
I see why you are hurt by this. But I also understand why Lucy responded how she did.
I think your post came across as saying that one could just make a decision one day to be rid of distracting fantasies. If it was that easy, then that would be great. But people like Lucy (and myself) would not be spending hours in therapy/analysis if we could just decide one day to stop the fantasy. I think it is just not that easy for most people. That is why I think your post could be perceived as belittling the problem, and therefore upsetting. If this was was a message board for headache sufferers, and someone posted that they no longer had headaches because they decided that they were better off without them, then that would be unhelpful and upsetting for the other headache sufferers. I see you were trying to contribute to the discussion, but I feel it could have been phrased more empathetically.
All the best
ldf

 

Re: please be civil » 64bowtie

Posted by Dr. Bob on September 20, 2004, at 7:37:44

In reply to Abandonded but not forgotten » lookdownfish, posted by 64bowtie on September 19, 2004, at 16:43:13

> Slamming the door on my fingers without cause has left me abandoned.

Please don't post anything that could lead others to feel accused.

If you or others have questions about this or about posting policies in general, or are interested in alternative ways of expressing yourself, please see the FAQ:

http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/faq.html#civil

Follow-ups regarding these issues should be redirected to Psycho-Babble Administration. They, as well as replies to the above post(s), should of course themselves be civil.

Thanks,

Bob

 

Re: Re: Abandonded but not forgotten

Posted by 64bowtie on September 20, 2004, at 19:13:32

In reply to Re: Abandonded but not forgotten » 64bowtie, posted by lookdownfish on September 20, 2004, at 5:35:21

At no time and in no way did I flatten history and eliminate the 20 years of struggle that led up to that moment on that day for my big epiphany. So far, That's always how it works. Hard work for several years, all for just one moment of insight. I would never say or imply that this stuff is easy. Some of my years of struggle seem a big waste of time to me, but never easy.

Rod

 

Re: Abandonded but not forgotten » 64bowtie

Posted by RosieOGrady on September 20, 2004, at 19:55:16

In reply to Abandonded but not forgotten » lookdownfish, posted by 64bowtie on September 19, 2004, at 16:43:13

But Rod in your earlier post you said


<<The crucial question I had to ask myself, which stopped the internal torment of the fantasies was, "Am I better off or worser off when I play out my fantasies?" This was never a cleverly couched assessment of my goodness or badness. It was like a business decision in its underlying objectivity. Did I do better right now today, or worser right now today, playing out my fantasies.

I today have no sadness nor grief since my day to day life is better beyond my expectations and beliefs, so I can't muster a tear of remorse, even aligator ones. I found freedom and happiness. ...and not by seeking "comfort" and "feel-goods". My way today is easier and less distracting and catastrophic without the seeking "comfort" and "feel-goods" I used to do.>>

Rod

Shouldn't you make a cost benefit analysis of your feeling of abandonment and pain? Isn't the idea of non-abandonment just a fantasy? Rationally don't you know that everyone is rejected sometimes and you are no different than others, etc Would being abandoned hurt you if you had no fantasy of yourself not being abandoned to compare it with? How does it profit you to believe that it is possible not to be abandoned? Aren't you seeking comfort and feel-good by choosing to believe that it could be otherwise? Wouldn't it be more cost effective to decide that the fantasy of "not being abandoned" is causing pain and therefore abandon it? Once you abandon that fantasy desire, abandonment will have no power over you.

I would say that your pain is not caused by someone else's post but by your own fantasy of how things could be.

I'm not trying to be unsympathetic, I'm just pointing out an inconsistency in your method.

And I wish you lots of comfort and feel goods....it hurts to feel rejected (but it's not fatal-just part of being human)



> <<< I'm stting here in pain. I can't tell Lucy Stone why her post to me resulted in my pain. Her post included an estopal of my replying to her post. I never once used the "you" statement. I only used the "I", chiefly because I thought this was a safe place to share. Slamming the door on my fingers without cause has left me abandoned. Abandonment hurts, today and every day.
>
> Rod

 

Re: reality vs fantasay (long) » lucy stone

Posted by thewrite1 on September 20, 2004, at 23:02:41

In reply to reality vs fantasay (long), posted by lucy stone on September 18, 2004, at 8:34:31

My story is very similar to yours except that I seem to looking for a mother. It sounds like you've come a long way and that gives me hope. Thanks for sharing your story.

 

Re: Re: Abandonded but not forgotten » 64bowtie

Posted by lookdownfish on September 21, 2004, at 2:45:41

In reply to Re: Re: Abandonded but not forgotten, posted by 64bowtie on September 20, 2004, at 19:13:32

I don't think it works like that for me. I'm not expecting any epiphanies or flashing moments of realisation. Just hoping to gradually increase my understanding and self-awareness.

 

Re: Re: Abandonded but not forgotten » RosieOGrady

Posted by 64bowtie on September 22, 2004, at 2:17:42

In reply to Re: Abandonded but not forgotten » 64bowtie, posted by RosieOGrady on September 20, 2004, at 19:55:16

You said,

> Shouldn't you make a cost benefit analysis of your feeling of abandonment and pain?

<<< I'm upset about someone telling me not to ever post to her again when I wasn't talking about anyone other than myself. I never proferred any judgement of any kind on or against her, yet I am judged... unfit...

> Isn't the idea of non-abandonment just a fantasy?

<<< I absolutely agree, and that's why I don't much depend on other's acceptance of me. Someone not liking what I do and say, doesn't impact my image of self. In the past, high school in the 60's, I did suffer from image assaults (that only I took note of). No one else much cared. They were more afraid of me than I was of them.

> Rationally don't you know that everyone is rejected sometimes and you are no different than others, etc?

<<< (I hope my statements above clear this up for you)

> Would being abandoned hurt you if you had no fantasy of yourself not being abandoned to compare it with?

<<< I don't know you well enough to answer this the way I want to... Read my posts in the Archive starting around November 15, 2003. I started here with an objectionable username, and was asked to change it because it was confusing or irritating to others. My e-mail address is dr10day-deskof at yahoo dot com, a sub address of dr_rod1 at yahoo dot com. Perhaps you can now intuit why many found my username objectionable.

> How does it profit you to believe that it is possible not to be abandoned?

<<< I have found and read about the fact that abandonment for adults is a leftover from a two dimensional world in their childhood. Read Antonio Dimasio, "Descartes' Error" about adults who miss the "maturity bus" and suffer terribly till they discover how much better it is to be the adult in a three (or more) dimensional world, than it ever was being the child in a two dimensional world. Abandonment issues also are connected to obligation/expectation issues.
<<< So the answer is impossible to relate since I never take abandonment seriously for myself, now that I have learned to honor and embrace my adulthood.

> Aren't you seeking comfort and feel-good by choosing to believe that it could be otherwise? Wouldn't it be more cost effective to decide that the fantasy of "not being abandoned" is causing pain and therefore abandon it? Once you abandon that fantasy desire, abandonment will have no power over you.
>
> I would say that your pain is not caused by someone else's post but by your own fantasy of how things could be.

<<< I sincerely appreciate your effort and integrity, dear RosieOgrady. I hope I am not too coarse and otherwise abrasive that you choose to dismiss me. In your above statement, I sense effort and studied thinking that I greatly admire.
<<< Please be careful herein. I just came off a four week block for stepping into an trip-wire of logic. I sense that someone complained since Dr-Bob didn't immediately block me. I could be wrong, though.

> I'm not trying to be unsympathetic, I'm just pointing out an inconsistency in your method.

<<< If only you could see the history of responses to my posts, then you might see things much differently.

> And I wish you lots of comfort and feel goods....it hurts to feel rejected (but it's not fatal-just part of being human)

> <<< I'm sitting here in pain. I can't tell Lucy Stone why her post to me resulted in my pain. Her post included an estopal of my replying to her post. I never once used the "you" statement. I only used the "I", chiefly because I thought this was a safe place to share. Slamming the door on my fingers without cause has left me abandoned. Abandonment hurts, today and every day.

<<< I didn't do a good job of stating how I felt. With a good job, I wouldn't have gotten a PBC from Dr-Bob.

Thanx Ms. Ogrady...

Rod

PS: Welcome

 

Re: please be civil » 64bowtie

Posted by Dr. Bob on September 22, 2004, at 17:51:28

In reply to Re: Re: Abandonded but not forgotten » RosieOGrady, posted by 64bowtie on September 22, 2004, at 2:17:42

> Slamming the door on my fingers without cause

Please don't post anything that could lead others to feel accused or put down.

If you or others have questions about this or about posting policies in general, or are interested in alternative ways of expressing yourself, please see the FAQ:

http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/faq.html#civil

Follow-ups regarding these issues should be redirected to Psycho-Babble Administration. They, as well as replies to the above post, should of course themselves be civil.

Thanks,

Bob

 

Re: Re: Abandonded but not forgotten

Posted by RosieOGrady on September 22, 2004, at 20:10:53

In reply to Re: Re: Abandonded but not forgotten » RosieOGrady, posted by 64bowtie on September 22, 2004, at 2:17:42

Well I'm all confused now. How did you reach this stage of letting the fantasies go? Are you saying you arrived at the same place as someone who has a successful analysis?

That is actually the part which remains mysterious to me re therapy also. How do you go from insight to change?

No obligation to try and explain if you don't want to. I'll try to go back and look at some of your earlier posts.

I'm sorry you got tripped up with the communication thing. I use a lot of figures of speech and analogies too. Some people read the wrong thing into it I guess.

I think I read Descarte's Error awhile back but I'll have to revisit it.

 

Re: please be civil » Dr. Bob

Posted by RosieOGrady on September 22, 2004, at 20:18:24

In reply to Re: please be civil » 64bowtie, posted by Dr. Bob on September 22, 2004, at 17:51:28

I believe you are referring to the quote I put in my post. The quote was already the recipient of a please be civil from you above. It is not a new statement by Rod-it's a quote of a quote I made of the original post.

> > Slamming the door on my fingers without cause
>
> Please don't post anything that could lead others to feel accused or put down.
>
> If you or others have questions about this or about posting policies in general, or are interested in alternative ways of expressing yourself, please see the FAQ:
>
> http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/faq.html#civil
>
> Follow-ups regarding these issues should be redirected to Psycho-Babble Administration. They, as well as replies to the above post, should of course themselves be civil.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Bob


This is the end of the thread.


Show another thread

URL of post in thread:


Psycho-Babble Psychology | Extras | FAQ


[dr. bob] Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD, bob@dr-bob.org

Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.