I very much agree. I did not have external influences and events in my life that I would describe as intensely, seriously traumatic and that scarred me for life - it is living with my brain that has created chronic stress, self-destructive tendencies and has amplified my anxiety over the years. I often tell people that I think most my issues are due to biological predispositions more than anything else (and it is obvious if one looks at all the things that run in my family) - this is only one reason why the type of therapy that is focused on childhood, family of origin experiences, the interpersonal realm etc has not made much difference for me. Dissecting my past and feelings endlessly does nothing or very little to my genes, chemistry and other biological processes, certainly nothing more than I can introspect myself or with friends. Because the main culprits, for me, are not coming from those things therapy most typically addresses. This is one reason I like your T, LT - he seems to focus on coping and has a sort of pragmatic style that works for me very well, I know it from experience because I do many of those things and strategical influencing myself regularly, consciously going against my internal momentary currents/feelings, and that is what helps best.

It is a form of self-medication without drugs and that sort of self care is quite unlikely to turn into obsessions because it is not rewarding on that level, has self-control and discipline leading it. It can be helpful via shifting my focus and keeping me from extremes. I know very well that it is unlikely to work well on issues primarily stemming from early life interpersonal traumas and abuse and I understand completely why many people on this forum tend to be against it or at least feel it lacks deeper relating, but I am not going to change my approach because it's proven successful long-term and quite predictably, especially as I choose not to take psych meds. It is a quite different realm from those dealing with abuse and interpersonal traumas primarily. Having biological anxiety and depression can create interpersonal difficulties and traumatic experiences though out of procrastination, self-neglect, avoidance and many other consequences. I think it is a bit like the chicken and the egg - what is the chicken and what is the egg is not the same for everyone.

I also understand why you may have bonded with ex-MC via anxiety - high level anxiety is quite peculiar and challenging, I also tend to be drawn to people who live with generalized anxiety disorder, although I don't think I am very good combo with them when it comes to something productive as we tend to drives each-other crazy, especially if someone is not highly aware that the crazy-making feelings and obsessions are the product of anxiety itself. When I read your posts, LT, I often think that perhaps this is also what your T thinks and why he is never extremely keen on encouraging the attachment and transference explorations much further - perhaps it drives you even more deeply into the anxiety without much additional insight, rather than alleviating it? Maybe there is some truth in this, maybe not, but definitely a thought. I would definitely say different things to someone who describes debilitating childhood traumas and abuse.