Thursday, May 6, 2010

Delusional

A few months ago, my therapist told me I was delusional. I was a bit taken aback, "did she just tell me I was delusional? Isn't she supposed to make me feel better about myself?" Later she would go on to diagnose me with severe anxiety, severe depression and postpartum depression. Holy smokes! I am apparently more screwed up than I thought. I don't think she meant it to, but this just made me more depressed. I just never thought myself as SEVERELY depressed. Jeesh! Anywho, back to the accusation of me being delusional. I think I'm beginning to see why she called me out like that... So, would you like a peek in to the twisted world of my "reality"? No? Well then just don't read anymore. Yesterday, I was having a decent day, I mean, this is California and its always sunny so I have to try hard to be depressed. Decent until I went with my sister to Target. As we start strolling the isles I start feeling a familiar sensation come over me, I hadn't had it in a while but I recognized it all the same. The feeling that I am, at that very moment expanding, physically. That I am the largest woman in the entire store. In my mind I feel that my skin is actually stretching as though I am gaining 5 pounds a second. I quickly become panicked, knowing everyone is probably looking at this huge monstrous woman in the greeting card section. My anxiety levels are through the roof and I want nothing in the world more than to be out of there. With each step I take I am in pain feeling my "fat" jiggle as I walk, there must be some teenage girls commenting on how disgusting I look. I think "why did I wear these pants? I shouldn't wear these". I want to cry. Melanie notices my uneasiness and I give her brief explanation. She is kind and understanding but clearly thinks I'm DELUSIONAL. We exit the Target and I am still shaking nervously on the car ride back home. I read some more of my book and then I am finally able to relax. This is not the first time I have had this irrational feeling, I remember nights when I would lie awake crying because I feel my skin stretching and there is nothing I can do about it. It didn't matter how many times my husband would tell me I was beautiful or, reassure me that it was all in my head. Crazy huh? You all probably think I am a nutcase after reading this and that perhaps I should be committed. Now, the purpose of this post was not to get a bunch of people saying how I am "thin", or "beautiful" or "perfect just the way I am". I would just think you were all lying to be nice anyway. The point of it was to give you a glimpse into my head. To see that eating disorders involve a seriously distorted body image and sense of reality. Some days I can see more clearly than others, it all can change very quickly. The sad thing is there are girls out there with even worse delusions about the way they look or the way people perceive them. It's not just something we can all stop doing, you can't just empty these irrational thoughts from our head. It's like half of me knows that I am being delusional and the other half believes it to be reality. Or, it like having an angle on one shoulder and a devil on the other. I have been listening more to that little devil lately, but I am trying hard to tune him out and begin living life listening to my angel.

3 comments:

  1. Wow, thanks for the insight into your head. You're doing a good thing here, Christie, opening up about this stuff. I think it's really important. You rock.

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  2. Haha, I have felt like I could feel my skin stretching before! (but then I realize I am just bloated.) Thanks for sharing. It is interesting to understand what you are thinking. One thing that has helped me is to try and not think of what other people think. Just what you think and how you feel. And if the way that you think isn't ideal (beating yourself up), then do what you have to to think another way. It isn't always easy. And I know exactly what you mean by of not being able to "turn off" or switch your mood, but...you can do things to prevent feeling this way. That's the hard thing that I have learned. If you want help though, I can help. If you want to talk more about this call me:) Love you Christie! And I am sad that you are gone.

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  3. Thanks for the comments guys. I really have been doing much better lately, it was almost out of nowhere when I had last this experience. It just reminded me of how I used to be even more miserable than I am now. Maybe I was just bloated, or maybe I am a lunatic, or both. I think being a lunatic is an adventure though!:)

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