HIM: "I bought too much lunch meat this time. We need to make sure that we don't buy so much next time because it could spoil."
... Approximately 10 minutes later...
HER: (angrily) "Is that anyway to treat your wife who is sick, who feels like she is about to die?! Yelling at her?! Criticizing everything that she does?! 'Don't ever do that again!' you said. You yelled at me!"
HIM: (softly) "Did I yell at you?"
ME: (confused) "Do you even know what she's talking about? Because I have no idea what she's talking about." (vague feeling that this is not about to make sense)
HIM: "Well, I think she's talking about the meat."
ME: (huh?)
HER: " 'Don't ever do that again' he yelled at me."
ME: "No he didn't. That's not even what he said."
HER: "He has no idea what it feels like to have a headache and abdominal pain. You people always have to criticize me!"
Showing posts with label paranoia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label paranoia. Show all posts
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Friday, October 2, 2009
The Church Cake Fiasco
My mother no longer goes to church. She has decided that the church that she attended with my father must be some kind of cult. As a result of her paranoia, she believes that everyone at church is against her.
This all begin quite innocently. A few months ago, at a charitable event, someone asked if she had brought one of the cakes. If she brought a cake. Out of that simple question she has spun a tangled web of tales, none of which are true. It goes something like this:
She complains that he should not leave her alone on Sunday mornings. She complains that they should be going to the same place together. She complains that with regards to this situation, my dad has not done exactly what she says he should. She also complains that she feels like she's "a widow." Then she complains some more: "I'm a spiritual widow. It's very odd to be married and not things the same way."
This is only the beginning, as you might guess.
You've got to watch out for those people that try to make friendly conversation about your cake. They could be in a cult, you know. Just ask my mother. She can tell you.
This all begin quite innocently. A few months ago, at a charitable event, someone asked if she had brought one of the cakes. If she brought a cake. Out of that simple question she has spun a tangled web of tales, none of which are true. It goes something like this:
It's obvious that the way that they asked the question implied that they disliked her cake. Why, it was actually quite offensive. Not only that, but they purposely offended her. Their behavior is shocking! And everyone at that church is always finding ways to offend her. They've never liked her cake. Or any of her food. She can tell by the way that they look at her. It's cultish. They couldn't possibly have the Holy Spirit. Oh, and that pastor. All he wants is her money. That's probably why his whole family doesn't like her anyway. They're not nice enough to her. It's not a real church. They're just pretending. Why would she want to be around such hateful people? She could never condone such egregious behavior. In fact, she "can't go to that church. It would be like asking [her] to go to a Buddhist temple. It's not right... It's frightening."This has been followed, of course, by her quest to convince my dad that he can't go to church either.
She complains that he should not leave her alone on Sunday mornings. She complains that they should be going to the same place together. She complains that with regards to this situation, my dad has not done exactly what she says he should. She also complains that she feels like she's "a widow." Then she complains some more: "I'm a spiritual widow. It's very odd to be married and not things the same way."
This is only the beginning, as you might guess.
You've got to watch out for those people that try to make friendly conversation about your cake. They could be in a cult, you know. Just ask my mother. She can tell you.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Symptoms
Let's talk about symptoms.
Paranoia
My mother is constantly worried about anything and everything. "I'm so worried right now" she will often say.
She believes that "everyone gangs up on" her. She is not able to trust anyone, as she believes that everyone is out to get her. She says that she can only trust in God. This means that she in unable to form a close relationship with anyone. It caused an alienation of family members who do not want to be around her. She does not trust her own spouse and believes that he would cheat on her if given the opportunity. She often accuses him of this.
She believes that others want to hide things from her. She reads her husband's e-mails and still accuses him of deceit. ("You say 'I'm on the phone' but you don't say who you're calling.")
She often feels that she has been emotionally hurt by others. She initially likes new acquaintances, only to develop a sense of distrust over time. She will misinterpret their actions or statements. ("I could just tell by the way she looked at me" she'll say.)
She fears that there are "scopers" watching her house in order to break into it. This means that she is afraid of leaving the house alone because it could be broken into while she's gone. She never answers her phone, preferring to listen to answering machine messages, since she thinks that calls could actually be from the "scopers," wanting to find out when she is at home.
She is afraid of everything. Even a simple insect entering the house will send her into a panic. Daily life has to be hard when everything has become so troublesome.
Paranoia
My mother is constantly worried about anything and everything. "I'm so worried right now" she will often say.
She believes that "everyone gangs up on" her. She is not able to trust anyone, as she believes that everyone is out to get her. She says that she can only trust in God. This means that she in unable to form a close relationship with anyone. It caused an alienation of family members who do not want to be around her. She does not trust her own spouse and believes that he would cheat on her if given the opportunity. She often accuses him of this.
She believes that others want to hide things from her. She reads her husband's e-mails and still accuses him of deceit. ("You say 'I'm on the phone' but you don't say who you're calling.")
She often feels that she has been emotionally hurt by others. She initially likes new acquaintances, only to develop a sense of distrust over time. She will misinterpret their actions or statements. ("I could just tell by the way she looked at me" she'll say.)
She fears that there are "scopers" watching her house in order to break into it. This means that she is afraid of leaving the house alone because it could be broken into while she's gone. She never answers her phone, preferring to listen to answering machine messages, since she thinks that calls could actually be from the "scopers," wanting to find out when she is at home.
She is afraid of everything. Even a simple insect entering the house will send her into a panic. Daily life has to be hard when everything has become so troublesome.
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