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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 13 of 13. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by thewrite1 on April 9, 2005, at 10:42:19
Something strange happened to me. I was wondering if anyone else has experienced this. My spouse and I visited my MIL because she just had surgery and is recovering. MIL's sister was there and while I was in the bathroom, she started in on my husband. She was rude and beligerent and you name it. I don't want to go into details, but it was in regards to my son's development. I came out of the bathroom having only heard my MIL's comment to defuse the situation.
Or at least I thought. That was a couple days ago. Yesterday while I was out driving around, I remembered hearing the whole conversation. Apparently it was too stressful for me and I just blocked it out. This is not new to me. I have entire chunks of my childhood that I can't remember, but it's unusual in that I've never been in a position where I remembered the next day.
Part of me feels like I wussed out, and the other thinks I'm under entirely too much stress if I'm denying reality. Anyone else ever have something like this happen?
I'm just glad I have a phone session today. Hopefully my T will help me feel better about this situation.
Posted by happyflower on April 9, 2005, at 13:53:47
In reply to Denying reality, posted by thewrite1 on April 9, 2005, at 10:42:19
I have never expericence this, it must be scary though. ((((((( the write 1))))))))) Let us know how your phone session goes. I know I have also blocked some of my abuse from the past so I hope I am not blocking anything from the present. I hope you are okay today.
Posted by mair on April 9, 2005, at 17:35:36
In reply to Denying reality, posted by thewrite1 on April 9, 2005, at 10:42:19
That must be scary. The only analogous situation I have is that i very frequently block out therapy between sessions. I go on Tuesdays and Thursdays. It's not strange to me that I can't remember what we discussed from Thursday to Tuesday, but occasionally I'll sit down for a Thursday session and my T will ask me if I want to pick up where we left off on Tuesday, and I have absolutely no recollection of what we talked about, and can't even bring it to mind if I think about it. Once she reminds me, it generally starts coming back.
It's always made me feel like I'm not committed to the process and I'm sure it's retarded progress. On the other hand, it may be what allows me to function between sessions.
mair
Posted by thewrite1 on April 10, 2005, at 22:24:37
In reply to Re: Denying reality, posted by happyflower on April 9, 2005, at 13:53:47
My T said it was nothing more than a defense mechanism and there's no need to be concerned. NOTHING would have came of me having a conversation with this woman, so blocking it out was best for everyone, including myself.
She also said that getting me to stop judging myself so much (or harshly) is a big part of our work. She helped me and I feel much better about it today. Thanks for your support. :-)
Posted by happyflower on April 11, 2005, at 10:30:26
In reply to Re: Denying reality » happyflower, posted by thewrite1 on April 10, 2005, at 22:24:37
I am glad you talked to your T and worked it all out! Have a great day!
Posted by Susan47 on April 16, 2005, at 10:22:02
In reply to Re: Denying reality, posted by happyflower on April 11, 2005, at 10:30:26
I've blocked out huge chunks of my life and from my reading I understand it's a defense mechanism. It can happen when an infant doesn't feel safe, that's where it can start. In infancy. I know that's where my blocking out started. It's made me see the world through a very small window, for my own self-protection. Getting that window to open up is difficult, but necessary because seeing so little has really held me back from living ... your T was right I think. I'm glad she's helping you.
Posted by gardenergirl on April 17, 2005, at 2:37:34
In reply to Re: Denying reality » thewrite1, posted by mair on April 9, 2005, at 17:35:36
> That must be scary. The only analogous situation I have is that i very frequently block out therapy between sessions.
Mair, I do this too. I only go once a week, so it seems even longer for me to try to remember. And then I also can't remember stuff I think about during the week that I want to talk about in therapy when I get in the room.
I think there is a protective feature to it. Only in my case, it doesn't seem to work consistently, and not at will.
gg
Posted by gardenergirl on April 17, 2005, at 2:38:08
In reply to Re: Denying reality, posted by gardenergirl on April 17, 2005, at 2:37:34
Posted by Susan47 on April 17, 2005, at 16:20:58
In reply to Re: Denying reality, posted by gardenergirl on April 17, 2005, at 2:37:34
I'm kind of surprised you don't already know about this, gg. It happens with ADD children. You know this, right?
Posted by gardenergirl on April 17, 2005, at 16:36:30
In reply to Re: Denying reality » gardenergirl, posted by Susan47 on April 17, 2005, at 16:20:58
Thanks for the reminder. Yes, I test adults for ADHD, and sometimes the more I test the more I am convinced that when I am more stressed I have mild symptoms. I definitely am a daydreamer, and my attention skills are not so great whem I am under stress.
But then I suppose that is true for everyone under stress.
gg
Posted by Susan47 on April 17, 2005, at 17:22:35
In reply to Re: Denying reality » Susan47, posted by gardenergirl on April 17, 2005, at 16:36:30
But definitely, absolutely not to the same degree with everyone. Because some people have had good childhoods, good lives, where they didn't have to be afraid and/or self-protective. Wherein their brains were allowed to develop normally, without distraction, without neurons firing in the "wrong" places, or simply not firing at all, because so much attention always had to be diverted in the struggle to survive.
This stuff is important. It's important for psychologists to understand it. Psychology is a rapidly growing field, it's very exciting and there's so much to know. Seems like the more you know the more you know you don't know. Hahahahahaha
Posted by Susan47 on April 17, 2005, at 20:35:15
In reply to Re: Denying reality » gardenergirl, posted by Susan47 on April 17, 2005, at 17:22:35
I was really making fun of myself, but my head wasn't completely on my shoulders at the time. So ignore the last post, especially the hahahahaha ... somehow it all came out wrong. sigh.
Susan47, victim of herself.
Posted by gardenergirl on April 22, 2005, at 9:51:47
In reply to I'm sorry, Gardener Girl, I went off a bit there, posted by Susan47 on April 17, 2005, at 20:35:15
This is the end of the thread.
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