Posted by fallsfall on April 10, 2004, at 21:42:42
In reply to When diagnosis becomes identity, posted by skeptic on April 10, 2004, at 20:53:06
My diagnosis IS my identity. And I've built a whole life around it. All of my activities and friends are related to mental illness. My therapist keeps telling me that I have created quite an elaborate life around being depressed. And he's right. But I've been disabled from work for 7 of the last 9 years. I guess I don't really see how I could have done it differently (my previous therapist told me to create a support network - I did, it just contains only people who are also mentally ill...).
It has been suggested that my therapist might not be complaining about my "life", simply pointing it out because if I am going to get better a lot of my "life" will have to change. It still sounds like a complaint to me.
When he asks why I don't do things with "healthier" people I tell him (honestly) that I don't have anything to talk to them about - because I don't have a life. And I can't get a life because I never get out of my little mental illness circle.
I LIKE my friends. But, no, I don't want to be disabled forever (or even for much longer). But I am stuck in this rut, and it just isn't so easy to get out.
poster:fallsfall
thread:335038
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20040409/msgs/335049.html