CynthiaWVirginia
Posts: 1915
Joined: 2/28/2010 From: West Virginia, USA Status: offline
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Is there anyone who feels single or multiple parts of themselves (mentally, emotionally and/or socially) did not develop as they should have? Yes, in the past tense. I survived my childhood, but I definitely did not turn out in a way that would make living the rest of my life bearable. When the time came, I began reading as many books as possible and studying other people (and went to shrinks) and made changes in myself over time. In baby steps. I had to reclaim myself, if that makes any sense to you. My father had been mentally ill, which led to an addiction to prescription meds and then to alcoholism. He felt the call to be "King of his house" but lacked the needed competence and caretaking skills...so I was raised to be micromanaged, a slave who doesn't question anything. The problem was is that without him there, though it was a huge relief, left me completely lost. I didn't know how to do anything because part of me waited for orders, and I struggled with the WHEN and to what degree anything should be done. I had almost zero ability to say no, or to get angry. My life revolved around other people's needs and expectations, not my own. I needed to find balance in my life, and to repair the damage so I could feel like...a person...again. I think I was in my mid 30s before I was satisfied with myself. quote:
Does anyone feel as though nearly their entire SELF is absent, and they only have a life in response to other people. Mostly in the past tense, but occasionally I lose myself in service to someone else. This last time was while a next door neighbor and friend of mine was dying from cancer. It took a year and by the end there was almost nothing left of me. I regret nothing, I did what had to be done and damn the expense to self, but...I am very wary of making that kind of sacrifice again. Healing from that has been a b*tch. Long time ago when I lived in California, my answer would have been a definite YES. At one job I had been promoted three times and...others in management didn't see me cuz I had just come downstairs but I heard them talking about me. A guy was hamming up, holding court and cracking everyone up...and then his little comedy centered on me. He said that, "Has anyone else noticed *******'s ego problem?!" And others were all saying, "WTF are you talking about? She doesn't have an ego problem." Then he laughed out loud that my problem was that I DIDN'T HAVE any ego, and then everyone cracked up laughing telling him he's right. I just stayed in the shadows, digesting that. It hurt, I felt confused that they would talk about me like this behind my back and be laughing...when I was doing everything "right", always dependable and helpful and quiet as a mouse. Somehow all the men disrespected me for who I was and not how well I got things done. quote:
I have only acquired the courage to ask this after seeing two of LadyHibiscus' posts on the ECT thread, lines from which follow: I create my reason for living based entirely on other people. I wish I could focus on doing things for myself, but it's really not there, and might never be. Being other-centered means that I lived a lot of my life to make other people happy, and while that was not a bad thing, it's my turn now. I didn't catch that other thread, so thanks for posting that here. I never thought of it as being other-centered, but yes, that does resonate with me. Being other-centered is somehow different now that I have control over my nature and have a choice. I don't get swept away handling other people's needs as easily. I thought my work was over until I had cancer that first time, but somewhere during the second, third, and fourth times something changed inside of me. Thinking about my death made me think about my life and appreciate each day, even the bad ones, even more. It's MY life. I know words cannot express the ownership I feel over myself now, lol, and that all that caretaking I did for other people...I focus some of that on myself. Indeed, it IS my turn now. quote:
Of any who feel this may be the case for them, do you find there may be a correlation between it and depression? Back then I felt numb all the time. Feeling sad would sometimes break through, but this was rare. I guess I would have been diagnosed as depressed but I wasn't taken to a shrink; we had a bad experience with counselors when I was six and then later when I was around 11 and it made us lose respect and trust. I was so deep in "shut down" mode that my stepfather assumed I was taking drugs. Nope, my family did not drag me in to get me tested, nor to get to the bottom of why the eldest daughter of the house was a spiritless zombie. I cannot really think of it as depression, cuz I went through depression during my several bouts with cancer. I will try to explain it better though...I felt nothing, "all the time". The problem wasn't the lack of lows, or depression, it was the lack of any happy thoughts. Joy in life. I functioned very well, but never went through any typical teenager stages of defiance and all that. I never needed a scolding nor to be punished. Could this possibly be labeled as depression? Being told what to do was a calming thing, not something I resented because...I fit in somewhere, had a purpose, a place. It was comfortable, if not "happy". I would gladly give up all the violence and pain in exchange for a peaceful existence where I could try to make others feel more peaceful and comfortable. quote:
For those feeling/believing they are in this way, to whatever degree, have you any clue why it is you are so? Have you managed to change or improve upon this? If so, how? Since I have done a deep study of myself and thought everything to death, yes, I know what molded my personality as well as what I started out as and was lost to me for many years. Yes, I've done my homework and continue to do so. How? It's complicated. Done in baby steps. Sometimes when I am ready to deal with some past garbage, my brain digs it out of the skeleton closet and it is time to roll up my sleeves and get to work. Some of this involves turning into a waaah waaah and running to a friend to spill my guts. She listens without criticism, disbelief, or "should haves", and I can calm down enough to start with the repair work. I am tired of handling past shiite that left scar tissue and each time another bone drops out of my closet I am like, "That's ENOUGH already!" I LIKE MYSELF; I am one of my greatest life's works...and am still a work in progress. Btw, one thing I have learned is that my life needs a balance; to recognise when I feel myself being sucked dry...and when I need to be selfish and put my own needs first.
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