To me, the everyday definition of crazy is when you see, hear, feel or smell things that others in the same room don’t feel, see, hear or smell. So, when someone asks me if they are crazy, that’s the open door to figuring out what was normal behavior in their family. For George, normal behavior was parents screaming at each other and their kids. That didn’t work so well for him when he got married and started screaming at his wife. For Sue, normal was never being allowed to close her door at night. That made it easier for her Dad to sneak into her room at night.
As we grow up, we learn to cope in our world, no matter what it is. When we become adults, those coping skills may not work effectively to get us what we want now. So, the answer to the question, “Am I crazy?” is NO. You followed your parents’ examples and learned perfectly to do what you do. That shows that you are smart and capable of learning new ways to get what you want.
Now what? Our next step is to set our goals. Oftentimes, when people come to therapy, they aren’t real sure what they want to accomplish. They are in a crisis and want it to change now. I use the following list by Shedler and Westen to help clients identify their goals for therapy. When you read through it, circle the items that are not true for you, then, give me a call at 404.518.0828 to schedule an appointment . I look forward to your call! Dr. Sharman Colosetti