This is really interesting (followed this link @shimmerz )....too many new concepts for me to follow easily. But it's very interesting stuff. I do know about this younger, immobilized part....that's also the part that was willing to be anorexic-to-the-death. Very "gone". But my outward personality, who I am to most of the world, is probably a strong part of myself I developed to placate my abuser and make them smile or laugh or feel good about me.
So, I don't totally know who the real me is because this all happened so early. I don't have a very consistent "self" in relation to others. Alone, it's a highly nerdy and curious self, even playful and other good things. Once in a while I do find a good friend who seems to let me feel like I can be this version of myself. But I still always have some detachment and bits of this detached-but-placating sort of personality. With people I feel less comfortable around I can be bizarrely different. I even realize I might be confusing. Over-confident and humorous or extremely quiet...withdrawn and awkward. I've avoided lots of social stuff I used to do partly because I creep myself out. I want to figure out who I am aside from whatever I was doing before.
If we never developed a core self in relationship to anyone else, how the hell do we do that as adults? (okay, I don't really expect an answer, but I think that's the big puzzle for me).
So, I don't totally know who the real me is because this all happened so early. I don't have a very consistent "self" in relation to others. Alone, it's a highly nerdy and curious self, even playful and other good things. Once in a while I do find a good friend who seems to let me feel like I can be this version of myself. But I still always have some detachment and bits of this detached-but-placating sort of personality. With people I feel less comfortable around I can be bizarrely different. I even realize I might be confusing. Over-confident and humorous or extremely quiet...withdrawn and awkward. I've avoided lots of social stuff I used to do partly because I creep myself out. I want to figure out who I am aside from whatever I was doing before.
If we never developed a core self in relationship to anyone else, how the hell do we do that as adults? (okay, I don't really expect an answer, but I think that's the big puzzle for me).