Showing posts with label psychiatry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label psychiatry. Show all posts

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Time keeps ticking on....

The hardest thing about this personal addiction is deciding when to start trying to forgive.  And I stress trying.  The strange thing is I never thought about forgiving David until about a month ago.  Long story short is that I went crazy in front of his family and did everything but rehash the details of our problems.  His family is non confrontational which is a major part of our problems.  He escapes rather than deal.  I deal rather than escape.  Hey...opposites attract.

CODA has helped me so much with my problems.  SAA has helped David.  I am not sure what will help us as a couple unless the answer is just time.  I see the few people I have told look at me with pity in thier eyes.  They wonder why I stay with him.  I am still young, attractive and rather intelligent.  Why would I waste my time with this loser?  Why do I love him?  I don't know.

The other day I got picked up at a bar after work but a VERY good looking guy from New York.  Italian, in good shape and heavy with compliments.  I was wearing my ring and he freely told me he was engaged.  Our conversation was witty, sexy and fun.  But at the end of the night when he leaned in for a kiss I felt no spark.  No desire.  I appreciated the ego boost and would have loved to have met him in another time but didn't want more than a hug or a peck on the cheek.  He had no part of my heart.  Only one person does right now.  David.

Obviously my heart is masochistic. 

It is such hard work.  I see glimmers.  We went to couples therapy and our psychologist said he wished all wives were as educated and open as I was.  Ha.  It just took me a year.  And a lot of wine.  David and I do talk a lot.  We are honest.  Honesty sometimes hurts.  He has had a bad day that involved porn and chat rooms.  It was one day and he told me within our weeks understanding.  It hurt.  But not as bad as finding out on my own and him lying about it. 

I know David is trying.  But I feel I am trying harder.  I have got to focus on myself.  If I am not happy I can never be happy with other people.  I have to stop thinking of recovery as a competition.  It is not my job to be better at it than he is.  Avoiding codependency is hard.  Helps me realize what an addiction really is like.

Monday, June 6, 2011

Co Dependant

When I joined Cosa the first time I didn't believe I was co-dependant.  Trying to take a good look at my place in this relationship. 

Yep...I may be a bit co dependant.  May be textbook. 

More info see this article.

http://www.webmd.com/sex-relationships/features/signs-of-a-codependent-relationship

Monday, March 21, 2011

March update

The good news: from what I know and what I have seen David has not had a relapse with his porn or sex addiction.  I got a full time job offer that I accepted.

The bad: David has become obsessed with money and "one upping" me.

The ugly: The constant bickering over money and David's need to be the center of attention has cased me to bring back the reality that we are still not at the point to deal with fights over little things. 

I am working on not stewing in my own anger.  When he finally pushed me over the edge with the one upping ("You think YOU had a bad day!!!") and money nit picking ("why did you deposit this check instead of giving it to me? That was MY $100.") I simply told him that this needs to change.  And I KNOW that we are still working on him realizing when he hurts me and me trusting him again.  My boundary (RULE) that I set with him is that every time he does those actions I get to write a $50 check from his account to my account.  I do know money affects him and I am not sure if that worked or the fact that I made it purely BLACK and WHITE what I was mad about and what he needed to stop and what would happen if he didn't.  Like a child.

All I know is that I am really gun shy right now and it seems every time I get a little comfortable with us I have a new behavior to stop.

I visited friends this weekend and discussed our problems minus the sex and porn addiction.  Saying it all out loud was really sad.  We haven't even gotten to the point in therapy when they feel we can handle being together during the sessions. 

Silver lining: I will have money of my own again and my car just got paid off.  I will finally feel a little less trapped by the situation and hopefully David will feel the possibility of loosing me.  This is hard to say but I just feel I need a break from him for a while.  Glad I have a trip out of town in a couple weeks.  For the first time I NEED a vacation.  I need to forget my everyday life.  It is exhausting.

Second Silver Lining:  Appetite is better.  Sweets-especially chocolate-still doesn't taste right.  Honestly most things don't but sweets are way off in flavor.

Monday, February 28, 2011

too busy to be a sex addict

We may have found a cure to sex and porn addiction.  Work about 130 hours a week.  David's job has been so crazy that sleep has to be scheduled and eating tends to get overlooked.  I think we found a cure! 

The big negatives are that he has missed doctor appointments and SAA meetings due to travel and work.  We are doing ok.  Thought I would get some time to spend with him this weekend but that didn't happen.  No new developments.  No new secrets.  No relapses that I know about. 

No news...good news?  Well at least not bad news.  Happy March.

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Leveling out?

Not sure why but it seems we have both leveled out in the last couple weeks.  Two things that I think have helped is that David got a raise so his stress levels about money have dropped and I have been strick with my boundaries (aka rules). 

David has also finally seen the Phychiatrist.  The doctor diagnosed him as OCD and with Anxiety disorder.  They recommended Paxil for him and he has started his dosage a couple days ago and will be full dosage in a couple days. 

He told me he feels a little numb but I told him his mind and anxiety has probably been so loud and complicated in his head to not have as much would seem strange.  He needs to realize most people can do simple tasks without list making and going through ever scenario. 

I have said it before...I wonder what it sounds like in his head.  Recap of a strory I think I posted before...but when David was taking a test for grad school he kept scoring lower than all of his practice tests.  He finally scored high enough to get accepted at one of his choices but he had already paid for one more test (you could retake it like the SAT).  With no pressure or anxiety about this test since he was already accepted he scored 30% higher than any other test he had taken and then got into his first choice school.  His anxiety had frozen his potential. 

Hopefully all of these items will help. 

I have started to get my appetite back.  Yesterday for the first time in months I was HUNGRY.  I even craved a specific food and it tasted good.  I take these all as good signs. 

Sunday, February 6, 2011

The first Psych visit for David

It finally happened.  Just a mere 3 months since the discovery David finally made it to a phychiatrist appointment to discuss drug options for someone in his position.  The place we are going assign you to a drug person (psychiatrist) and a therapist (psychologist) and neither of us go to the same person.  David was diagnosed with anxiety disorder and OCD.  Both items have a problem with escapism and some of the people turn to addictions like drugs, drinking or other addictions like porn or sex.  He has started Paxil yesterday and I hope it helps.  I do feel he needs an antidepressant too but I am not his doctor. 

I let him miss SAA this week due to a wicked cold that he had been battling all week.  It seemed to help but his logic was that if he has therapy he shouldn't have to go to SAA.  TO me that is as logical as a fish on a bicycle.  Being sick is a good reason.  He has been running a fever and been very congested.  When he is well...SAA is not an option.

I have been in limbo land as well.  I plan on going on a cruise with a friend to Mexico in April and am not sharing this info with David.  He doesn't understand that I need these things to help keep me focused on fun things and not focus on the negative.  We are still taking it day by day.

Today I found out a friend of mine that was dealing with a separation with her husband found out that her husband was sleeping with one of his teachers from his part time college.  I do believe if you think something is going something probably is going on.  Same thing is happening with my neighbor.  She is going through with the separation from her husband after 17 years of marriage and I told her that there is a way to check texts and even email texts but she doesn't want to know.  Were were live is a kind of a no fault state. 

If anything ever happens with David and I, it would be interesting to see if my info on him will keep it a "no fault" state. 

I have a temp job next week and I have decided not to tell David about it.  I will make about 500 bucks and I want them to be mine.  Not going to pay off his car or our car insurance or cc bill.  Remember his are all paid off.  Good for him. 

Deep down I am noticing that he is working as hard as he knows how to make this relationship work.  Ironically my thin body makes him more attractive to me than ever.  But knowing where my body came from doesn't make me like my body.  I am about 105 now and do have to force feed myself.  I do better if I can eat with friends or family.  Left alone I never eat. 

Another thing that I have started to do is take an extra $20 out of every time I buy groceries and put it in my own checking account.  I figure if I do this every week I am adding almost 2000 a year to my checking that David has not idea about.  I need to start looking out for me first.  I deep down know I need to TRUST David but even deeper deeper down I know I need to PROTECT me.  I used to always keep a thousand in cash as an escape route.  I do thing all people (girls or guys) should have this as a way to leave if you want to at anytime.  I don't have this now but I am starting to rebuild it.  Even if this takes 20 bucks at a time. 

No luck on the job front.  13 years of sales experience and I am like a leper.  Hopefully someone soon will realize my ability.  Till them I will try to make a stash for myself on my own.  Some Days I Hate David.  This evening is one of them. 

I found the perfect valentines day card for him.  It says:
"Even though you are the biggest pain in the Ass I still love you". 

Perfect.  It is supposed to be funny and ironic.  In my case it is serious and not ironic.

How Ironic.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Limbo Land

We are stuck in a place I am calling Limbo Land.  Nothing is getting better but nothing is getting worse.  We are dealing with trust issues and the funny thing is that it is more David not trusting me than me not trusting David.  He is paraniod about the money I spend.  He is saying this to a woman who dyed her hair back to her natural (or as close to my natural) color so that she didn't have to pay 200 bucks every 3 months for highlights and cuts.  I clip coupons.  I use restaurant.com and groupon for things that we do outside the home.  I am a big fan of Redbox.  My car is almost paid off (my second paid off car and I am only in my early 30's).  Yes, I am the one that you should worry about. 

My psychologist said he may be projecting.  I want to insert that I am so tired of phsych words that I could spit.  He had two years where he was lying to me on a daily basis and during that time he thought there were things I was lying about.  Now that we are being more open and truthful he either thinks I am still lying-which I have NEVER done, or he things that I am going to get even with him by maxing out his credit card that he gave me because I haven't found a job yet.

He also doesn't believe that I am hunting for a job.  Oh yes, I am sitting at home eating bon-bons.  I am not sure what a bon-bon is but that sounds like a hell of a lot more fun than the hours I have spent in staffing offices, online submitting resumes, and phone interviews. 

David's first doctor's visit is next week.  I really hope that some medication can help. 

Trying to save some money I did suggest that if we do go out to eat for Valentine's Day we do it this weekend before places start making their fixed price menus for the holiday. 
David: But if we do something this week when Valentine's comes around you will still want to do something else.
Me: Oh yeah. Like last year when all I asked for was a card since we were saving money for a house and you didn't even get me a card.  Then you didn't even open my card to for a week.
David: (silence)
David: Well we could go this week if you want to.

Wow.  Don't make me force you to try to work on this marriage. 

I took my ring off a couple weeks ago.  Still only eating about 500-800 calories a day.  I tried eating breakfast to hope that would make my appetite return.  The only time it comes back is when I am in a completely different environment. 

Gonna start running on Saturday to try to see if that boosts my mood. 

Tried to think of something positive to end on and I can't think of one. 

Thursday, January 20, 2011

SAA

My husband has not enjoyed going to these meetings.  He has only gone to two and he hasn't shared yet but he has no choice.  One of my "boundaries" is that he has to go until his doctors tell him not to.  I feel that SAA is like a reminder of how much worse it could have been.  As a reminder (not that I need it) my husband was addicted to online porn for the last two years.  During bad days he would spend 13 hours straight on the computer, phone, chat rooms, or sexting. 

He goes to SAA with people who have lost everything due to sex addictions.  David has jeopardized a lot but since it never went past the fantasy world I have chosen for now to stay with him.  If someone used to be overweight and to avoid going back to those unhealthy habits they post a picture of their former selves on the fridge, I feel it is a good reminder of remember what you were and what could be again.

That is how I feel SAA is.  A weekly reminder of why those actions are not welcome in his life anymore.  Pretending that these last two years never happened is not the answer. 

And on a venting side note...due to bad weather last week his Phych appt has been delayed until next month.  Sigh.  I feel like something is working against me getting him to the doctor. 

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Back to the real world

My fears with leaving David were semi unfounded.  He is working his butt off at work so he didn't have time to give in to a relapse.  He has his compulsive side and it can work towards good sometimes.

I got stuck in Florida with the southeastern storm locking up all ways out.  The trip was longer than expected and he still did good.  The bad news is that we live somewhere in the southeast and his first Psychiatrist appointment had to be postponed due to bad weather.  SOOOO he still hasn't gotten professional medical treatment. 

My appointments were all messed up too but the one hiccup we had was that David missed his SAA appointment because he figured if he couldn't show that he went what was the point.

Sigh.

He did go this week and I had to establish the boundary that he is to go to every SAA meeting unless he is told by his doctor not to or has a meeting with a boss that he can prove with an email or voicemail.

He says going to SAA makes him feel bad but I think that is a good thing.  You need to remember what could have been to appreciate where you are.

Like someone who has lost a ton of weight keeping an unflattering fat photo of themselves on the fridge.  It doesn't take a lot to fall back into bad (and very established) habits. 

He went to SAA this week.  We are talking so much more than before. 

I can honestly say I missed him.  And he said the same and for once I feel I wasn't just getting lip service. 

Monday, January 3, 2011

New Year...New Therapist

Still waiting for David to go to the Psychiatrist and I started going to a new Psychologist.  I liked her and she was so calm and understanding so I was surprised when she said that I need to see her weekly.

She said that because there are few people that I can really talk about this problem with (only a couple friends know and NO family) she said that I need to have a safe place to talk and need more support. 

In this session I realized how angry I am with David.  His actions have affected me so much.  There is not one day that doesn't go by in which his sex addiction has not slapped me in the face. 

She also said that my not eating could be the medicine but it is probably because food is related to nourishment and self care and right now I don't feel like I deserve either. 

As mentioned before this time last year I was a 139 and now I am 114.  I am averaging about 500 calories a day.  Some days nothing.  Food looks bad and tastes bad and I am never really hungry.  I know it is just muscle that I am loosing and as soon as I feel "better" all the weight will come back. 

New years went fine.  Nothing crazy.  David's anxiety came up when I mentioned we should visit the neighbor's party.  He bargained not to go and as soon as he got there he had a good time.  He makes everything in his mind worse than it is.  He also obsessed about a gift he needed to return for about 3 days this weekend.  How he must exhaust himself.  I am starting to see how with something with porn as an escape he got so lost in it.  His OCD, anxiety and tunnel vision is made for addiction. 

Started a temp job today and it keeps my mind occupied 8 hours of the day.  Still hunting for full time but no luck yet.  Wish me luck!

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Fight

We got in a big fight last night.  After or nice heated email exchange he called and the first words out of his mouth were "You need to calm down." 

David has lost the right to tell me to calm down. 

He explained that he just didn't read the emails well enough and had he noticed that I wanted him to go to the phych appt over the derm appointment he would have. 

Then he said if I am upset I need to send an email and he will step out of the office and call me.  That work email is no place to bicker back and forth since they monitor his email because he works with confidential company info. 

I told him that if it is because of his actions that we really have no other way to talk during the day.  Due to being a SA he has no personal phone, he has no texting, he can't access his email at work or on his phone anymore, and his work phone doesn't even have the voicemail set up yet.  His actions have caused me to use his work email as the only place I can talk to him.

The day I found out about his problem I sent him a text that we need to talk ASAP.  4 hours later I sent another asking if he had gotten the last text.  So sometimes when it is not convenient to him or he doesn't want to deal with it he won't just step out and call me.

We are still not talking.  I can honestly say I hate him right now.

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

My day in the chair...

Saw my new psychiatrist.  I guess new is not the word...never had one before.  Saw my first psychiatrist today.  Went well.  Didn't cry as much as I did when I saw the therapist a couple weeks ago. 

I like that he wants to get David into a doctor to deal with his anxiety and SA problems and that it won't be him due to a that being a conflict of interest.

I like that he helped make the session about my healing and then get him help on his own.

I like that he told me it was ok to be un-trusting and snoopy and that will take time to get over. 

I like that he made me feel less alone.  He said David's problem is becoming more and more common.

I like that from the little he heard about David he agrees that he probably has an anxiety disorder and we are taking the right steps towards getting better.

I like that he didn't assume we will "make it through this".

I also have night terrors (if you don't know what those are in comparison to nightmares go here.  I also sleepwalk.  I also have a habit of falling asleep in repetitive tasks.  So aside from my depression I was a smorgasbord for this doctor. 

He said he had never seen an adult with night terrors.  My dad also sufferers from them so I figured it was common.  From what I have read only about 5% of adults suffer from night terrors.  My husband used to use this condition as a way to sleep in other bedroom and avoid time with me at night. 

He also gave me the name of a local certified sexual addictions therapist.  This one is not on my insurance plan so I am terrified how much it will cost.  But maybe if we put a price on healing David will see value in it and invest more in it. 

My brain hurts.  Have a phone interview today.  Gonna zone out for a while before the call.