I have always considered myself a fairly open person, but maybe I’m really not. Blogging has made me realize how little I have shared of my suffering with others. Even friends and family. Even when they ask me how I’m doing.
During the summer when I was depressed and my dad was depressed and I was contemplating ending my marriage, I was rushing to a tennis league match, barely able to suppress my tears. One of my players noticed and asked me how I was doing. I just said, “Oh, you know….” To which she replied, “No. I don’t know.” But I still didn’t say anything.
A few months before this I confessed to my parents that I was depressed because I was missing so much work and felt ashamed, weak, and irresponsible. My parents never missed work, and they had far more responsibilities than I did. During my dad’s depressive episodes he still went to work every day, even though it took him forever to do his job. I wanted them to help me with my depression, but I guess I also wanted them to tell me that it was OK that I was struggling. That I wasn’t a terrible person.
But I didn’t tell my brothers. Luckily my mom did it for me, and they each reached out to me and asked me how I was doing. I said I was fine, even though I wasn’t. Even though I had to will myself to go to work and to stay at work every day. It’s only because they read my blog and because I’ve been helping one of my brothers who has been struggling with depression that they now know what that time was like for me.
A few weeks ago I had a client make a public declaration to his friends that he wanted them to approach him if he looked like he was not doing well. And if they asked how he was doing and he said he was fine, he wanted them to push a little harder and make him talk. It terrified him to do this, because he has always valued stoicism, and he’d had a ton of traumatic experiences that he might have to talk about now.
I’m not even sure what possessed him to do something so brave. Even now, I’m not sure I would make such a declaration to my friends and family. I’m trying to make myself ask for help when I need it, and I am more honest now when people ask me how I’m doing. But I haven’t gone so far as to tell them to ask and to hold me accountable if I say I’m fine.
I imagine our work together contributed to his decision to ask for help, but it’s still surprising when clients take steps that are more courageous than anything I have done because of therapy. Sometimes I even use them as inspiration to do something courageous. Sometimes I wish I could tell them how much they inspire me to take risks in my own life.
Maybe I can tell them to read my blog. But I’m still not that brave…yet.
Sounds like you & your clients are a gift to each other. Wishing you well in this tough journey:)
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Thanks! It really is like we are on a journey together. I am just on multiple roads, I guess! Thanks for sharing mine with me.
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That part about self disclosure sure can be tricky. We all need a support system that we can be open with. That is extra hard for professionals. Saw you listed on Blog for Mental Health 2014 and wanted to stop by and say Hi. . Glad to see you are still blogging. Best wishes. David from counselorssoapbox.
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Thanks David! I do struggle with how much to disclose every time I post. And who I share my blog with.
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That’s right.
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Well yeah thats true. But why is it too tough for us to share our heart out with the ones close to us? Why can’t we just open ourselves without the fear of being judged, rather misjudged? And when it happens coincidentally, i have always found my friends and family standing there for me with open arms giving me the feeling that may be i was mistaken when i tried to hide myself from them.
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I think it’s because we’re told to suck it up and be strong rather than to be honest about feeling vulnerable. If you’re honest, you risk rejection. Even with the people who love you. It feels safer to hide it.
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