I Do Not Think Anyone Likes Me

The session began with Sue (the therapist) asking, "How is everyone doing?"

Answers around the table were:

• "Good"
• "Better"
• "OK, but I have been better"
• (from Levi, who suffers from multiple personality disorder) "I feel super" pause "I want to kill myself" 
• (and from Peter) "My Mama still calls me names. I do not think anyone likes me."

In response to Levi, the therapist asked,"Why do you want to kill yourself?"

"I don't, why would you think that? I feel better than I have in months."

Then she asked,"What did you do this weekend?

• "Worked in my garden"
• "Visited family"
• "Cleaned my house"
• (from Levi) "Went out with my girl friend" pause "I want to kill myself"
• (from Peter) "My Mama says I can't drive. I do not think anyone likes me."

Once again in response to Levi, the therapist asked,"Levi, you just said you wanted to kill yourself again?"

"No, I didn't." pause "I just feel hopeless and the world needs to end." Sue told him they would talk after the group session.

Next: "Name something you did that made you feel better."

• "Went to a movie"
• "Baked a cake"
• "Took a long walk"
• (from Levi) "Worked with my model car collection." "I want to kill myself."
• (from Peter) "I always play with my cat when I feel bad. I do not think anyone likes me."

"Levi?"

"What?"

"Why do you keep saying you want to kill yourself?"

No response.

"Remember last week when we all set goals. What was your goal and did you accomplish it?

• "I said I would do something for myself and I planted flowers in my yard"
• "I wanted to spend more time with my family and I went to my son's for dinner. It was the first time I had seen him in months"
• "My goal was to get organized. I cleaned my house"
• Levi was silent
• (from Peter) "I drove my mother to the mall. She kept telling me I was a baby. I do not think anyone likes me."

"Great, now we need to set new goals."

• "I am going to go out and buy myself some new clothes"
• "I'm going to invite my children over to my house for Sunday dinner"
• "I am going to clean out that guest room closet that I have avoided for years"
• (from Levi) "I want to invite friends over to watch the game." Then he laughed, "I am in the mood to party."
• (from Peter) "I'm going to go to the grocery store"

In response to Peter's goal, the therapist asked,"I thought you went to the store last week?"

"I did, but I didn't get out of my car. This time I am going to take my mother and go in the store. I do not think anyone likes me."