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Julie Answers: Is it anxiety? Obsession? or Dissociation?
Kat asked: Why can’t I distinguish between my thoughts and reality? I feel as though my dissociation has gotten really bad. I can no longer tell what is just in my head or what is real. With my boyfriend, for example. My brain is so convinced he doesn’t love me. But I don’t know if this is because I’m self-sabotaging or if he really isn’t treating me well. This goes for everything in my life. I’ll gaslight myself and I do it for everything. I can’t make any decisions in my life no matter how big or small, and I never stand up for myself. I’m EXTREMELY passive in order to please everyone around me. Why am I so fragile?
Dear Kat,
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to respond to this question. It sounds like these thought patterns are bringing a lot of suffering into your life. Reaching out like this to better understand the turmoil in your mind is the first step in a process that can eventually lead to treatment and some relief.
I want to start by emphasizing that the impressions I’m going to share are based on just reading this one question. I may be misinterpreting some aspect of what you said. So please do not give much weight to what I say unless your symptoms have actually been assessed by a mental health or medical professional.
