Saturday, October 26, 2013

I hate boxes, part five, or, We'll have the days we break...


At The Place, I learned there was a reason for my odd, anti-social behavior. I didn't have to be this way.

I even have a label: Adult Child of an Alcoholic.


The label comes with a list of symptoms, all of which I had.

I fought against it at first. Why me, and not my brother?

Because in families of alcoholics, we fill roles. My brother was the 'hero'. I was the 'lost child'.

Some people have said to me, "I don't believe in that stuff, Michelle."

That's fine, you don't have to! I can only tell you what I know:


  1. I know that I am an extremely repressed person. I've never been able to let go and have fun, ever, ever, in my whole life.
     
  2. I know that I keep my friends at a distance. I love them, I appreciate them, but I won't answer the phone and I won't return their phone calls. If I do talk to them, they invite me to lunch, I'm always vague...and then I can never make it.

  3. I know that I define the term socially awkward. If it shouldn't be said, I will somehow say it.

  4. I know that I'm a disappointment as a girlfriend. Dwayne's boss had a giant party on his yacht every year, and as a foreman, Dwayne was expected to be there, with...me. Only every year, I wasn't there. I was D's Snuffleupagus.

  5. I know I've suffered from depression and anxiety since I was old enough to know what it was called.


These are all things I can work on, things that I can take medicine for. The big thing was identifying the problem and knowing the issues.

I haven't been as successful as I hoped to be since I got out. I had visions of being even better than my old self; not only being busy, but having real friends and not disappointing people for once.

That hasn't happened.

My depression has slowly eased back, I think. I also think the massive doses of TWO different anti-anxiety meds are doing the trick in regards to public places, because the concert was almost not that bad at all.

But I still don't leave my bedroom much except to go to work.

I just need to push myself out the door.

Just...go.

17 comments:

  1. Can you go to places where there aren't any people? Just for a start?

    I was amazed that you blogged from the concert.

    I hate the phone. I rarely answer it. Most people text these days anyway.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know, I get irrationally irritated when people call instead of text anymore. And even texting back seems like such a trial...

      Delete
  2. Have your daughter change the locks, force you to stay out lol sounds rough indeed. Me, I prefer to be a hermit and stay at home.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So do I! Apparently it's okay for other people but not for me, LOL...

      Delete
  3. I'm so sorry to hear you're having such a rough time. I wish there was something I could do. I'm always here to talk to, okay? Sometimes it's easier to talk to a stranger on the other side of the world.

    You can do it. Just start small. We all believe in you.

    Xo

    ReplyDelete
  4. I think we need to compare notes. All I can say is that I really do feel your pain and that you aren't alone.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much, I'm gonna say the same thing back to you!

      Delete
  5. "Just keep going". I like that. I've been scared today for no reason. Reading that was stabilizing. You keep going too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Geo.!
      The pensive, scared days are the ones I hate the most...I always wonder where they come from and why they're here.

      Delete
  6. I loved reading this. I love that you can share these things with us - yet another reason that I find blogging to be like a big ole family :)

    And I also define socially awkward. I have often said that my life is a continuing series of awkward moments!!

    Your introspection will take you far on your journey my friend.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I share a good fraction of that list... but it's weird how important context is. If I'm at work "talking shop" with colleagues, I can be natural and somewhat gregarious. But the second it turns to other social topics (or if people suggest going out to lunch or other kinds of socializing), I turn back into standard-issue introvert.

    "Just keep swimming..." :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes...when I read further, the socially awkward comes from not knowing how regular people acted around each other, because we've never experienced it. It's a little different in a work environment, because the rules aren't exactly the same. The minute the talk stops being about work and heads toward gossip, I'm the same way... :)

      Delete
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