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Re: Riding a wave

I don't know @Phoenix_Rising, but I get why that's something you're feeling. It's scary to try to trust people when there are so many reasons not to.

You have a gut feeling that this it is a good decision to try with TTT and I'm not sure there's much more you can do than try again. It really sucks to have to keep trying.

I wish there was something that could actually guarantee this will help but we both know there isn't anything that can do that.

Re: Riding a wave

@CheerBear we are back in the space of you being the only thing between me and suiciding today. I have nothing and no one. I super super super badly want to die today.
I do not matter,
I'm only one person,
Destroy me completely,
Then throw me away.

Re: Riding a wave

@Phoenix_Rising ...... I imagine that your particular combination of sub-personalities is very powerful. Have you had a look at the Internal Family Systems model ? I imagine in studying psychology, you have .....

Powerful is not wrong ...... it's not" fked up" ..... it's not unlovable ...... I expect it is not untreatable either ...... it just is what it is ...... and with anything powerful comes some form of dilution in order to make the powerful entity manageable for not-so-powerful entities.

The muddles you are encased in appear to make the entire combination far more powerful and intense again ...... so you are right, if I am right, that even small inroads into reducing the muddles becomes an extinguishing of some of the force that is your world at the moment.

When we take x-rays, the X-ray radiation is amoral ...... it helps us and it harms us ..... it doesn't intend to do either ...... it just is ...... so, we utilise the helpfulness of X-ray radiation, assuming it's risks within the process, but those in the room who are not the subjects of the x-rays wear protective lead-lined clothing, and stand behind screens to shield them from the accumulative affects of X-ray radiation ....... and fyi one of my baby dragons probably glows in the dark by now ......

Stay with me for this ......

The forums act like a form of screening for all of us. Many of us are powerful entities, with powerful issues and challenges ...... perhaps at this point in time you are the most powerful amongst us - personality-wise and trauma-wise ....... who is to say ?

For my thinking, you require several forms of shield to cope with the take-down of "radiation" in your life, and once the muddles are seen to as best they can be ...... only the strongest of personalities may be able to keep regular company with you ......

Powerful is strong @Phoenix_Rising ..... not wrong ......

Shields come in many forms ...... the forums is one such screen I have already identified. The phone is another one, as is email communication ...... as is Skyping ...., as is traditional letter-writing, or communication through symbols such as chemistry or mathematic codes, hieroglyphics, computer systems ...... and so much more ......

I have a question ...... is it possible to apply a series of screens to the therapist - client relationship until the level of radiation (muddles) is reduced ?

We use a multi-approach to so many things ...... if we have an unorthodox difficulty to resolve, then unorthodox combinations of solution need to be applied, surely ......

Please, please stop beating yourself up with words of those who were unable to handle the heat and got out of the kitchen ......

Sending rose petals across the waves to you ...... they are invisible because I don't have my iPad with me ......

Please excuse any spelling errors here ..... if there are any, may they be particularly hilarious today ......

Re: Riding a wave

I can identify with your muddles @Phoenix_Rising and have asked many of the same questions, burnt many friendship bridges, burnt out many therapists. I guess we just have to say to ourselves... well, I’m still here, I’m meant to be here and I can’t do it on my own.
You do very well, asking for help, you have a gorgeous sense of humour and a very appealing character. It will get better... keep paddling 👍🏻❤️
Former-Member
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Re: Riding a wave

@CheerBear and @Faith-and-Hope are gathering around near you to float on, keep hold of your surfboard @Phoenix_Rising or whatever you usually use (sorry my memory is failing me today!) to stay afloat in a storm.

Re: Riding a wave

Then that's where we are right now @Phoenix_Rising

I am heading out for a while with the LF but before I head off I wanted to remind you that I will be right here wherever we are even when I am not, just as I plan to be tonight and tomorrow and the next day and the day after... etc.

You've got this and we've got this with you.

Re: Riding a wave

@Faith-and-Hope I am not a fan of any of the therapeutic approaches that conceptualise the self as being made up of "parts" (e.g. family systems, schema mode therapy) because of my experience of schema mode therapy with Fred. This is a part of my muddle that I choose not to discuss in Forum Land.

I am unlovable. I'm not even LIKEABLE. I know, I know, this is the point at which people challenge this. I had this conversation with my turtle whisperer today - the way people challenge it and then after spending a bit of time with me irl they turn around and say something along the lines of "well actually, you're right, you really are a nightmare to be around" and then they leave...just like my turtle whisperer has done. 

A few months ago, when my turtle whisperer first approached me about working with me, we talked about how Fred had said no one else would stay and that I was too f*cked up to treat. Do you want to know what she said then? She said "well I'm here and he isn't, and I don't believe that." And yet look at where we are today!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My turtle whisperer said today that she thinks it is probably the ASD side of things that makes it so difficult. And the reality is that this isn't going to change. ASD isn't an "illness." I am autistic to the very core of my being. It is ME. It isn't ever going to "get better." I told my turtle whisperer that I can learn rules around how to navigate this, if someone would just teach me, but she said it isn't just about learning rules around what to say/not to say. Smiley Sad It's like my whole way of being is aversive to people. 

Do you want to know a secret about my turtle whisperer @Faith-and-Hope? All of our sessions have happened via the phone. This is something I have chosen not to previously share. But it's the truth. And you are right - the intensity of me is dampened by distance...but clearly not dampened enough via the phone!!! My friend who dumped me last year was also a phone-only contact and she ended up bailing out too.

Both my turtle whisperer and my GP strongly advocated to TTT that it would be best for us to start working via the phone, but TTT has refused that request. Thus I will be in her office in less than 48 hours time. She super promised on the phone the other day that she wouldn't dump me for being too loud. The only rule is that I can't hurt her or myself while in her office. Given this most recent turn of events, and also the fact that I have to somehow deal with the peanut practice manager, I'd say the chances of this initial session being chaotic are extremely high. I am hoping with all my heart that she is strong enough to deal with...well...me because it turns out that my faith in my turtle whisperer as being strong enough was misplaced. Smiley SadSmiley SadSmiley Sad

 

Re: Riding a wave

@Former-Member Er...I'm a sea turtle. I don't use anything to ride the waves. {Face palm}. Smiley Happy

@Catcakes I superly duperly appreciate the sentiment Catcakes, but you don't actually know that it will get better. There is no evidence at all to suggest I'm ever going to have any close interpersonal relationships (and there's a LOT of evidence to suggest I won't). What I am hoping for is a stable therapeutic relationship with TTT and then I hope to learn to be increasingly more ok with being alone. I also hope to get to a space where I can be in employment (I've had two major workplace incidents and thus am on the disability pension).

The fact that you think I have an "appealing character" reflects what I was saying about how people like me until they get to know me. I used to be very active on my uni forum and people seemed to super like me there. However, the few people that I went on to connect with in real life ended up dumping me as a friend very quickly, telling me that I was nothing irl like I was on the forum. I don't think that is an accurate summation. Rather, I think it's that I'm actually MORE me irl than I am in cyberspace. It's not that I'm DIFFERENT, it's that the "me" people see in cyberspace is very much magnified irl. 

Super big thank you for riding the waves with me @CatcakesSmiley Happy

Re: Riding a wave

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FYI .... turtles eat rose petals .... I didn’t know ..... but it does make sense of this ..... 🌹🐢💕

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Former-Member
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Re: Riding a wave