Talking of mentals, a chap I used to work with got in touch the other day wanting to

[Burney]

meet up for a drink. We always got on, so I agreed. However, after only a couple of texts he started telling me about how he'd been in therapy since we last met and had had to resolve a load of issues about his violent dad otherwise he'd have killed himself.

Now, I'm not an unsympathetic man (well, actually, I am), but I hadn't seen the guy in more than four years and he starts blabbing on about his therapy and childhood traumas? :-( What the fück is wrong with people these days? Why do they imagine everyone wants to hear about their shít? What's wrong with just keeping this crap to yourself?

I'm dreading meeting up with him now as I fear he's going to spend all night talking about his daddy issues. :puke:

[redgunamo]

meet up for a drink. We always got on, so I agreed. However, after only a couple of texts he started telling me about how he'd been in therapy since we last met and had had to resolve a load of issues about his violent dad otherwise he'd have killed himself.

Now, I'm not an unsympathetic man (well, actually, I am), but I hadn't seen the guy in more than four years and he starts blabbing on about his therapy and childhood traumas? :-( What the fück is wrong with people these days? Why do they imagine everyone wants to hear about their shít? What's wrong with just keeping this crap to yourself?

I'm dreading meeting up with him now as I fear he's going to spend all night talking about his daddy issues. :puke:

Sucker! Shrinks are like hairdressers; naturally, part of the therapy would be to talk as freely as possible about it.

[Herbert Augustus Chapman]

Or may decide that it was you at the root of his troubles and set about your heed with a claw hammer.

[Burney]

Sucker! Shrinks are like hairdressers; naturally, part of the therapy would be to talk as freely as possible about it.

It makes me cringe, I have to say. To me, it's as socially acceptable as someone rocking up and telling you about their most recent bowel movement or sexual experience in intimate detail. Quite revolting.

[Burney]

Or may decide that it was you at the root of his troubles and set about your heed with a claw hammer.

Well quite. Once people admit they are basically mental, all possibilities are on the table as far as I'm concerned. :-(

[IUFG]

Well quite. Once people admit they are basically mental, all possibilities are on the table as far as I'm concerned. :-(

whatever you do, don't go back to his house imo

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/5iFrVmCZzWM/maxresdefault.jpg

[Herbert Augustus Chapman]

It makes me cringe, I have to say. To me, it's as socially acceptable as someone rocking up and telling you about their most recent bowel movement or sexual experience in intimate detail. Quite revolting.

I must admit that after marrying into the middle classes, my social circle became a motley crew of very well spoken alcoholics, junkies and abuse victims. I have spent hours in deep earnest discussions of mental health.

In one case the 'parental abuse' transpired, under scrutiny, to consist of being allowed to do whatever he wanted all the time; spoiled in fact. They should have been tougher apparently.

[redgunamo]

I must admit that after marrying into the middle classes, my social circle became a motley crew of very well spoken alcoholics, junkies and abuse victims. I have spent hours in deep earnest discussions of mental health.

In one case the 'parental abuse' transpired, under scrutiny, to consist of being allowed to do whatever he wanted all the time; spoiled in fact. They should have been tougher apparently.

Trouble is, a few generations now have been raised to be dismissive and unenthusiastic, even contemptuous, of children, the family and so on. Even those that somehow end up having them have no interest in doing the thing properly, largely based on the fact that they actually have no idea how to do the thing properly, having never seen it done.

[Burney]

I must admit that after marrying into the middle classes, my social circle became a motley crew of very well spoken alcoholics, junkies and abuse victims. I have spent hours in deep earnest discussions of mental health.

In one case the 'parental abuse' transpired, under scrutiny, to consist of being allowed to do whatever he wanted all the time; spoiled in fact. They should have been tougher apparently.

Yes, there's never been a more solipsistic time in human history. People have been encouraged to believe their trauma is unique and special and deserving of scrutiny. In fact, for the most part it's fücking boring, far from unique and they should mostly just shut up and bore off.

[Peter]

Yes, there's never been a more solipsistic time in human history. People have been encouraged to believe their trauma is unique and special and deserving of scrutiny. In fact, for the most part it's fücking boring, far from unique and they should mostly just shut up and bore off.

Not that are in any way unsympathetic, of course

[Burney]

Not that are in any way unsympathetic, of course

There are limits to just how sympathetic one can be, I'm afraid. You achieve adulthood the day you stop blaming your parents for your life imo. I've no time for middle-aged crybabies still whining about how it's all mummy and daddy's fault.

[Tony C]

Burney...be careful.

I read this as - he wants to bum you.

[Herbert Augustus Chapman]

Burney...be careful.

I read this as - he wants to bum you.

to him revisit his childhood emotional traumas. Get the bumming over and done with quickly, clean up the mess and have a few beers.

[Peter]

There are limits to just how sympathetic one can be, I'm afraid. You achieve adulthood the day you stop blaming your parents for your life imo. I've no time for middle-aged crybabies still whining about how it's all mummy and daddy's fault.

I almost wish I was going to be there for this drink. It sounds like it might be quite funny. :D

[Burney]

I almost wish I was going to be there for this drink. It sounds like it might be quite funny. :D

Oh, I'm going to take the pïss. Be in no doubt on that score. I simply don't have it in me to listen to that sort of thing without taking the pïss.

[redgunamo]

There are limits to just how sympathetic one can be, I'm afraid. You achieve adulthood the day you stop blaming your parents for your life imo. I've no time for middle-aged crybabies still whining about how it's all mummy and daddy's fault.

Right. Only natural though, if you didn't have the notion of responsibility to, and for, others built in as a cornerstone of your own existence.

The child is the father to the man, as the chap said.