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Old Jan 09, 2011, 07:19 AM
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ECHOES ECHOES is offline
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Member Since: Aug 2007
Location: West of Tampa Bay, East of the Gulf of Mexico
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Your interpretation of "Have you ever had any friends?" contains a lot of aggression and projection. It's a straightforward question asking if this is something new for you or if you have a history of wanting friends but not being able to make friends. Defining the issue helps define what is needed to help.

Is it logical to make a statement about not having friends and then have such a strong reaction to your therapist's response? It can be. If the thought of trying to make friends feels intimidating, then talking about it can too. Talking about it might feel make a person feel vulnerable and might make a person feel like a therapist is going to have expectations of them that are too much. One way to get away from a discussion that feels threatening or too exposing, is to focus on some part of it with criticism so it can be demeaned and dismissed. Relief then comes from avoiding the uncomfortable.

Yes, their education and training mean they may ask the same questions because those questions matter. They may ask them in the same way because they are trained to ask certain questions in certain ways. Your family doctor is no different.