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It takes some adjusting Life Goes On -- Blah!By Rick Horowitz "We are ready now to start the session, yes?" "Sure, Doc -- and thanks for seeing me on such short notice. I really appreciate it." "This is what we do in the helping professions. We help. Now, your problem is...?" "I don't know how to describe it exactly, Doc. I've just been feeling kind of lost lately, like I don't have any spark in my life anymore." "You would say `listless'?" "I guess. I know my energy is shot, and I just sit around doing nothing all the time. I used to feel I had a purpose, but now it's gone, you know what I mean?" "This is not uncommon. Tell me, please, for how long have you had these feelings?" "It was kind of sudden, really. I just remember turning off the TV one day last week, and suddenly, there was this wave of...of total nothingness sweeping over me. I haven't been able to shake it." "Last week, you said? And the television was involved?" "Well, I had just turned the TV off when it happened. It was right after those final impeachment votes in the Senate, and they escorted the Chief Justice out of the chamber, and then the lawyers for both sides left, too. I watched all the press conferences afterward, of course, and what the president said at the White House, but then..." "But then?" "That's when it hit me. I turned off the set and I just sat there saying, `Now what?'" "And this was unsettling to you?" "Totally. Tell me, Doc, am I going crazy or something?" "In the helping professions, there is no `crazy.'" "Great! I was starting to -- " "There are, however, `conditions' -- I am thinking you are experiencing one of these. You have heard perhaps of Scandal Deprivation Disorder?" "Scandal what?" "Scandal Deprivation Disorder. I have read of this in the professional journals: A person with an ordinary life gets caught up in the, how do you say it, the `sordid details' of other lives. There is a certain excitement factor at work, plus also a chance to feel superior to those who are actually experiencing these things personally." "And?" "And gradually, this ordinary person finds these other lives and structures preferable to his own. Should these lives be somehow taken from him, as by some resolution of the underlying events, there is naturally a disruption. So tell me, please, you were watching this particular scandal with great interest?" "I'd say about average -- six, seven hours a day since last January. A couple more hours at night if something big happened, plus downloading all the transcripts and legal documents and such off the Internet. No big deal." "I see. But this is still a considerable commitment, is it not? And your wife shared your interest in these matters?" "Who?" "Your wife. Your records indicate that you have been married 17 years." "So that's who that was -- I knew she looked familiar." "And she shared your interest in this impeachment?" "I think she moved out a few weeks ago -- something about my doing roll calls during dinner." "Roll calls." "I just wanted to make sure we had a quorum present. She didn't think it was necessary. So that was my wife?" "Apparently. Her departure, too, you might have found upsetting?" "Of course it was upsetting -- she took the portable TV with her! How was I supposed to go to the bathroom without missing anything?" "We will remain calm, yes? It is important to remain calm. These feelings you are describing, I believe we can treat them quite simply. At most one more visit, and also some news magazines to wean you from the -- but what is that?" "This? I don't know, you said to stay calm. I guess it's kind of a security blanket." "A dress? You have a dress in your pocket?" "It's not just a dress. It's a special dress -- from the Gap." "I am thinking perhaps this will take somewhat longer..." Posted
2/16/99. Fresh stuff right here twice
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