The first therapist I saw happened to be really good, or maybe I was really ready to hear her, possibly both. One thing she mentioned and really affected me at the time: observing how I expressed how guilty I felt about how mad I was about XYZ, that often the “secondary” feelings (guilt) give us more trouble than the primary feeling (anger). This helped me start to drill down into what my actual feeling/reaction to XYZ was, and I could feel less plagued/affected by the guilt/shame/whatev that had been drilled into my head over time (by mom, teachers, whomever).
I went to one therapist in my late 20s for about 6 months, then in mid/late 30s spoke with 2 different psychiatrists and 2 different talk therapists / social workers, plus have experienced 3 different couples counselors (oh joy). Some are not a good fit. I recommend trying someone for a few sessions — at least 3 — and then allowing yourself to try a different person. They will not be offended!
At this point I’m not sure how talking can fix issues…
Like I literally feel anxious just going to a movie theater…
And like now the event is over… my “happiness” crashed again…
Like…
Do I have to constantly do fun things just to feel a tiny shred of happiness? I’m outta energy lol…
Idk if like… going on a trip to like… say, California, would even help… I feel like I’m just get that usual Excitement+Anxiety then once its over, everything crashes again…
You need to start doing these things often enough that the anxiety starts to subside. You are anxious because these experiences are new for you, but do them enough and they will become routine.
Remember how you felt before you went to the theater? You weren’t even sure you could do it. But you did, even if it felt weird during or after. That’s ok. That’s real progress. You did the thing even though you were afraid. Now you know you can do it, and it will likely feel less weird next time. Keep building progress slowly, and remember it’s ok to feel anxious.
Definitely not normal. I highly recommend a trip to a psychiatrist for evaluation. A good psych can help figure out the root causes of your issues, assist them with meds as needed, and refer you to a few appropriate psychologists to start reprogramming your noggin.
The first therapist I saw happened to be really good, or maybe I was really ready to hear her, possibly both. One thing she mentioned and really affected me at the time: observing how I expressed how guilty I felt about how mad I was about XYZ, that often the “secondary” feelings (guilt) give us more trouble than the primary feeling (anger). This helped me start to drill down into what my actual feeling/reaction to XYZ was, and I could feel less plagued/affected by the guilt/shame/whatev that had been drilled into my head over time (by mom, teachers, whomever).
I went to one therapist in my late 20s for about 6 months, then in mid/late 30s spoke with 2 different psychiatrists and 2 different talk therapists / social workers, plus have experienced 3 different couples counselors (oh joy). Some are not a good fit. I recommend trying someone for a few sessions — at least 3 — and then allowing yourself to try a different person. They will not be offended!
At this point I’m not sure how talking can fix issues…
Like I literally feel anxious just going to a movie theater…
And like now the event is over… my “happiness” crashed again…
Like…
Do I have to constantly do fun things just to feel a tiny shred of happiness? I’m outta energy lol…
Idk if like… going on a trip to like… say, California, would even help… I feel like I’m just get that usual Excitement+Anxiety then once its over, everything crashes again…
Is this just life?
You need to start doing these things often enough that the anxiety starts to subside. You are anxious because these experiences are new for you, but do them enough and they will become routine.
Remember how you felt before you went to the theater? You weren’t even sure you could do it. But you did, even if it felt weird during or after. That’s ok. That’s real progress. You did the thing even though you were afraid. Now you know you can do it, and it will likely feel less weird next time. Keep building progress slowly, and remember it’s ok to feel anxious.
Definitely not normal. I highly recommend a trip to a psychiatrist for evaluation. A good psych can help figure out the root causes of your issues, assist them with meds as needed, and refer you to a few appropriate psychologists to start reprogramming your noggin.