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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 5 of 5. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by raisinb on May 17, 2008, at 14:55:07
that I wanted to share and get others' thoughts on. It was intense. I'm still pretty shaky from my experience last weekend, and I'm still adjusting to Wellbutrin, so I may be extra emotional because of that.
This morning, I went running and came home to shower. As I was undressing, I caught sight of myself in the bathroom mirror. I was looking into my own eyes--which I realized, I never do--I look at my face and hair, making sure everything is okay, looking for flaws, but I never look into my own eyes.
When I did, it was like I could see all the pain in there for the first time. How bad and hard it had been for me. It was overwhelming, and I felt so incredibly sad, and then I realized, in a rush, that it was the first time I had ever felt genuine love and compassion for myself. My whole life. I have never felt that. I knew intellectually that I had low self-esteem, I analyzed myself, I struggled with rerouting my negative beliefs and thinking patterns. But I had never looked into the eyes of me in the mirror and felt deep love, compassion, and sadness for all I had been through. It was like a--shock--a very shocking feeling, like being punched in the stomach.
And this was so sad that I started crying, but instead of hiding under the covers I watched myself cry in the mirror. It occurred to me to say to myself, everything about you is okay. And in that moment I believed it. And I cried, while watching myself, and it was so, so sad, but all the time I wanted more of it.
I never realized how much I hated myself. On a gut level I never knew how much time I had spent punishing and controlling myself. It was overwhelming and sad and it showed me how far I had to go but I was glad it was happening, just for a minute, anyway.
Just wanted to see if anyone had any thoughts or similar experiences.
Posted by ClearSkies on May 17, 2008, at 15:01:32
In reply to I had this experience this morning *maybe trig?*, posted by raisinb on May 17, 2008, at 14:55:07
I'm afraid that I have yet to get to the compassionate part of seeing my own pain in the mirror. I can sometimes well see the pain. And then I go dead inside, the veil drops down, as does my gaze. I'm not yet at the place where I feel compassion for the person in the mirror.
Reading your post gives me great hope. Thank you for this.
hugs
ClearSkies
Posted by Phillipa on May 18, 2008, at 0:19:53
In reply to Re: I had this experience this morning *maybe trig » raisinb, posted by ClearSkies on May 17, 2008, at 15:01:32
How wonderful that you saw and realized what a wonderful person you are. Congratulations. Love Phillipa
Posted by Happyflower on May 18, 2008, at 17:55:42
In reply to I had this experience this morning *maybe trig?*, posted by raisinb on May 17, 2008, at 14:55:07
Hi Raisin,
Your post was so heartfelt and even stirred up emotions from me "the robot" It sounds almost like a breakthrough or something. You are on a good path. (((Raisin))))
Posted by raisinb on May 19, 2008, at 8:47:43
In reply to I had this experience this morning *maybe trig?*, posted by raisinb on May 17, 2008, at 14:55:07
I never realized you could actually love yourself. It's pretty amazing.
This is the end of the thread.
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