Dude! You’re already beating yourself up for things that don’t exist at Christmas, and it’s mid-October! If you’re going to pick on yourself, at least choose something you can prove being a failure at RIGHT NOW.

Like the others said, you’ve come a LONG way in a relatively short period of being in IOP and working with a new doc. Things are so much better for you than they were even two months ago. Give yourself a fukking break. You’re a nice guy. You would do it for anyone else. Now is your chance to do it for you.

The first reason I’m worked up about this thread is that I know you well and I would be this pissed off if anyone else treated you the way you’re treating yourself. Don’t just listen to others and do an Eyore, “I know you’re right, and I suck because I’m not taking your advice.” Fukking listen and take the time to internalize it. They’re telling the truth. The only one who can’t see it is you. You’ve done this before and you’re doing it again. Earlier this year you were going to have the perfect beach bod and we’re going to be kickin’ it in the Caribbean with a drink and a (or a few) beautiful women on your arm. Now summer is over and you’re repeating the same cycle. DONT DO THIS TO YOURSELF. You have come a long way in 8 weeks or whatever. Don’t discount the success you’ve had by setting yourself up for failure.

The second reason I’m pissed is that I see myself doing the EXACT SAME BEHAVIORS as you, and I’m pissed at myself. I don’t phrase it the same way or set myself up exactly the same, but I still set myself up for failure and then beat myself up when I don’t reach an unrealistic goal. Damn, I’m an idiot. And maybe, just maybe, I’ll listen to my own advice for once and start to get better.

Thanks for being open and honest with yourself. It’s having the effect of opening some deep, unhealed wounds in me, and maybe they can begin to heal by following the example I’m setting up for you.

Love ya, bro.