Sapphix wrote:
I'm sorry that I didn't reply to this post earlier, I've only just seen it now.
If I may venture an opinon, and please be aware that I am neither a psychologist nor psychiatrist, but I would like to offer my view.
Is there a possibility that you are, in fact, very sensitive and emotionally empathetic and have at some stage, perhaps very early on in life, simply shut down in order to cope with pain?
I know that for myself, I am extremely sensitive to other people's emotions, especially pain. Often, I'm not sure why I suddenly feel sad, until I realise someone has entered into the room who is in pain. It is very difficult to cope when feeling other people's emotions strongly, and all the more confusing when they mask these emotions with a different surface appearance.
I'm wondering if the real you is like this too, but it was too much, too overwhelming, so you shut it all off at some stage?
I remember being alot like you when I was younger, in my early to mid-teenage years particularly. Even abit past then.
I htink for me it was a combination of, like people said, not understanding some emotions and being abit on shut down. There were times and people with whom I was verry empathic, but usually animals like you.
Maybe they were easier to understand, simpler. When a dogs happy he wags his tail, when an iguannas pissed she hisses and puffs up.
But I do know bad stuff happened too that made me shut down alot.
If theres anything I've found its that certain thoughts and feelings are like muscles in a way. In some aspies like us, at certain points in our lives they may be atrophied from misuse, injury, or disorder so you kind of have to work on bringing them up to strength and exploring them. Finding balance in yourself and all that jazz.
But they can be repaired it just takes time and effort.
I hope I helped a little, I really feel for you.
30 Oct 2007, 3:58 am
