Posted by Orchid on January 29, 2007, at 16:56:50
In reply to Thanks. Friends here are NOT confusing, posted by Daisym on January 27, 2007, at 19:10:13
The one concern that I always felt with this detailed therapy approach, is its toll on the physical health and perhaps on the wiring of the brain. With this kind of intense stress over a course of several years, I think our body will likely feel its effect and we might end up developing some chronic illness. Even our brains wiring might go erratic and we might end up developing things like ocd etc.
If a person is in early 20 s or so, then it is completely good to do such a thorough clean up work, since they have to build their life entirely after that. So I would think even if we suffer for a few years, then the rest of the life will be good so it is worth it. And our bodies are also more resilient at that young age.
But when we become middle aged, I doubt if the value that we get at the end out of this intense suffering over several years, trying to solve all the issues, is worth the stress and the strain on the mind and the body. A more patchwork and dealing with the issues then and there on a minimal supportive level also might be considered. Especially with people prone to developing illness due to stress (since I have rheumatoid arthritis, I am particulary concerned about the effect of stress on the physical body. but it may not be fully applicable for a very healthy person).
I remember you are about 40 + and have already been under intense emotional stress for 2 - 3 years. If you remain at this level of stress for another 2-3 years, while trying to heal fully, it might take a toll on your body. Please keep that in mind also. I do not think you should give up therapy. But maybe ask your therapist about how long he thinks it would take before your stress level returns to normal, and maybe another approach would be to take it on a less intense level but over a longer period of time.
I don't have any answer, but just raising some concern I always had. Please take care.
poster:Orchid
thread:726973
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20070119/msgs/727815.html