Posted by antigua on April 10, 2004, at 23:16:49
In reply to Re: Flight into Health ??? » DaisyM, posted by fallsfall on April 8, 2004, at 7:40:02
Sorry, I've been out of touch lately (too depressed and dealing w/some new, horrible memories) and haven't responded earlier.
I totally understand "Flight into Health." I think it's our way of protecting ourselves, and it's important. I've been going through something these past two weeks and I think I pushed myself too hard, and almost pushed myself over the edge in my efforts to get "through" this. I put myself in some dangerous, unhealthy situations because I now realize I couldn't handle all that I'd learned. (I'm a slow learner.)
I made it through last week (barely) w/o leaning on anyone for help except my regular weekly T appt, primarily because I don't know how to ask for help when I really need it. I have to be in control and figure everything out for myself. Stupid, I know, but I don't trust anyone, and if I mess up I have no one to blame but myself.
In any case, at my last session I spoke w/my T about this and she was disappointed I hadn't contacted her, but I knew she was going away and I didn't want to bother her (I should have). So she said, more than once, maybe this is all too much for you right now, despite your wish to be well, and maybe we should back off for a while and shore you back up. I liked that, "shore you back up." It fits.
The point of this is that I think "flight to health" is shoring us back up, rejuvenating so that we can find the strength to move forward again when we are ready to. You are in a good place, and maybe you are shutting down your emotions, but as my T says, it's a protective thing and doesn't have to necessarily be viewed as bad.
I've had many "flights to health" and I've learned many life lessons in therapy during those times that have helped me enormously.
So be nice to yourself. You can take a break, but keep going, just maybe not as much???
best,
antigua
poster:antigua
thread:333848
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20040409/msgs/335064.html