emotional observation

[firecat]

I rarely mention in public how I'm feeling emotionally. (I'll talk about it with a few close friends, if they ask.) This goes not only for negative feelings but also positive ones.

I have a lot of reasons for not talking about negative feelings in public.

But here's what just percolated into my consciousness: I really only have one reason for not talking about positive ones. I believe that if I say "I'm feeling X" and then at some later point I'm not feeling X any more, people will judgementally think I'm foolish for having talked about feeling X in the first place, or possibly for having felt X at all.

I know where that belief came from. But you know, I think I don't really believe it any more.

Yay.

Comments

[dandelion-diva.livejournal.com]

I don't know if it was internal or external, but I used to think that if I was/seemed happy (or even laughed about something) when I was depressed, everyone would think I was lying about depression. I don't remember when I started doing it, but I would take pains to tell people that just 'cause I was depressed didn't mean I couldn't feel other things as well. I still don't know if I was really talking to them or myself.

I'm so glad for you. :)