Posted by DaisyM on March 24, 2004, at 12:13:36
In reply to Foreign Emotions, posted by fallsfall on March 24, 2004, at 8:21:04
I swear Falls, you guys ARE talking...
My Therapist often uses the phrase "foreign territory" when we start talking about emotional responses or how I "feel" about something vs. how I think about it. He says he is virtually teaching me a new vocabulary.
I say a lot that I don't know how to "think about this." I need to find its slot or compartment so it fits on the spread sheet of my life.
Plus, I find it so uncomfortable to not be able to follow a discussion about my emotions. It is typical for me to change the subject. He always encourages me to "stay with it...whatever you are feeling...sink into it." I can't! It is so overwhelming, I've described it as drowning. I think because I can't control emotions nor predict what might happen when something deep inside gets pricked.
Success, I think, is learning to be OK with the fact that we have emotional responses that are not in line with our intellect. I might not want to want something...but I do. So I have to learn to accept that sometimes my head has to follow my heart, not the other way around. Especially with the painful stuff. I want to say, "I don't understand why this hurts so bad when it is so old." but it does. Acceptance is a long time coming. Trusting myself to MANAGE those emotions might be the key.
This probably didn't help... but at least you know you are not alone in it.
poster:DaisyM
thread:327676
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20040321/msgs/327739.html