we are NOT the SAME

The Morning After Social Anxiety

Heather Gardner and Lacey Joseph Season 3 Episode 45

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0:00 | 55:26

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Your brain ever wake up and decide you’re the villain of yesterday’s perfectly normal conversation? We go straight into that morning shame spiral where you replay every word, assume everyone secretly hates you, and somehow turn a good interaction into a cringe highlight reel. We talk about how common it is, why it hits hard in the morning, and what it looks like when you’re used to masking and delaying emotions until you finally sit still.

Then we pivot from life chaos to relationship patterns. Between cancer treatment stress, nonstop schedules, and the weird way some of us feel calmer when everything is on fire, we start asking the bigger question: what does “emotionally stable” even mean? From there, we dig into attachment styles (secure, anxious, avoidant, and fearful avoidant), how “vibes” can be your nervous system scanning for danger, and why past emotional abuse, love bombing, and childhood unpredictability can wire you for the push-pull.

We take an attachment style quiz on mic and both land on fearful avoidant (disorganized). That opens up the real frustration: we’re painfully self-aware, so why does change still feel so hard? We close with a candid talk about trauma and memory, why your brain might not “press record” during survival mode, and how healing can be less about knowing the label and more about practicing safer patterns over time.

If any of this hit a nerve, listen now, share it with a friend who overthinks everything, and leave a review with your attachment style and what helps you feel secure.

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ERR

SPEAKER_02

With absolutely zero evidence. Honestly, almost every day.

SPEAKER_01

You think about it. It's awful.

SPEAKER_02

I believe I sent you a text the other day. I was like, I don't know why. I just think everybody hates me. I woke up and I'm like, I actually even ran it through my chat GPT. I'm like, why do I feel apparently it's really fucking normal.

SPEAKER_01

That was actually eye-opening for me. I'm glad that you did that because I think about that a lot. Where like I will think I have like a good social interaction, and then the next day I've completely convinced myself that I fucked it all up. And you just like question it. It's a thing in the morning specifically.

SPEAKER_02

It is. And it happens to a lot of people. Yeah. So there's that. Yeah. That's fun. I used to think it was only like when I'd wake up from a night of drinking, probably because like I had fun, but I don't know if anyone else did. If anyone else or what did I deliver all of it? Or like I checked, maybe I still check to see if my ropper's on backwards. I don't know. If you want to know what we're talking about.

SPEAKER_01

The rest of your life.

SPEAKER_02

There's uh that one weekend in Seattle episode. You can listen. Do I sound okay to you? You're a little echoey. It sounds a little weird to me. Okay. So we're gonna go like here, here. Is that better? Is that better? That's better. All right. I'm not gonna annoy myself anymore now.

SPEAKER_01

That was I could tell you were annoyed because you were fidgety. Like, what is this? Why is it sounding like it? It was definitely echoey. I don't know if they heard it, but I definitely heard it.

SPEAKER_02

I hear it not as much now. No, it's way better. Okay. I know I heard it and it was throwing me off.

SPEAKER_01

You know, I always think that people hate me after I meet them. In fact, we we kind of talked about this randomly in my book club. We were reading one of those self-help books, and I I've learned that I absolutely despise self-help books.

SPEAKER_02

It's not my jam. Which I love. So I'm like, can I be a part of book club and only I want a book club of just personal development?

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, we did two in a row, and I'm like, I'm gonna leave my own book club if we don't stop.

SPEAKER_02

It's personal development, not self-help. Maybe work lazy would like it.

SPEAKER_01

I no, I don't think so. We are two separate people, but very much so. Which is so funny because like you've always known, but you've never witnessed it. And then for those who don't know, me and Heather have actually started working together.

SPEAKER_02

Because it was funny because we like needed somebody to like take money and shit. And I'm like, and shit. Not very professional. No, but that's I am normally very good. Yes, I do. I do just fucking with you. I do. Just they're just more, way more legs. Yeah, we're just yeah. Um, and I'm like, who do I know that's good with money? Ha! I know. I know it's Lacey. Now, like, because we were so busy last weekend, yeah, I didn't really like see you that much.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, we were much more separate last weekend because there was no like time in between. It was just appointment, appointment, appointment, appointment.

SPEAKER_02

It's a little more casual this time around.

SPEAKER_01

Well, but so she was able to come out and sit next to me and watch me literally turn it on and then turn it off.

SPEAKER_02

And I love it. Well, because it's like it's different, Lacey. Like, where is this Lacey when I'm around? Like, I fucking love this shit.

SPEAKER_01

I I am a boss when I need to be a boss.

SPEAKER_02

But now I think I know why you like it when I take charge when we're around. Because I don't have to. Yeah. Yeah, you always do. Yep. Yep. 100%. Oh, we were just talking about how she has dementia, and I got really fucking excited because guess who gets to take care of her?

SPEAKER_01

Me. You guys, the level of excitement literally is frightening.

SPEAKER_02

Oh, by the way, she doesn't have dementia, actually. We should probably preface it with because I literally just told everyone you have dementia, and I got creepily excited.

SPEAKER_01

If something that bad now happens to me, you have just made yourself the prime suspect. She wants to turn her into a vegetable so she can take care of her. I don't want you to be a vegetable.

SPEAKER_02

But like if you couldn't move, that'd be fine.

SPEAKER_01

That is closely the same thing.

SPEAKER_02

I need your brain working because you're funny.

SPEAKER_01

My brain is what's going.

SPEAKER_02

So I'm gonna be funnier. The dementia, yeah. Actually, I can just keep telling you the same thing over and over. You do anyway.

SPEAKER_01

So this way it'll be like Do I maybe I'm the one that has dementia?

SPEAKER_02

Or do I do it like uh let me remind myself? I don't know.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, no, it's funny though, because yeah, I don't remember anything. I'm a different person when I'm at work, when I'm not at work. I'm just like this complicated creature that's just doing her best. And that makes me assume that people don't like me. Are you still messing with the sound?

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, because I think you were turned up really loud now.

SPEAKER_01

That's so much better, also.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, so we need to be at a five. We were at a seven before.

SPEAKER_01

You are in charge of the sound. I don't know. The buttons got pushed. Because you throw it in a box.

SPEAKER_02

No, not that. No, I take care of our podcast unit. This is the un um untainted one with all the working holes.

SPEAKER_01

All the working holes. She gets her money's worth.

SPEAKER_02

Although we only use two of the four. As of right now. But we can have two more people come over and utilize those holes.

SPEAKER_01

Oh my Christ. I hope nobody jumps in at that point of the podcast. Could you imagine sound bites? I'm gonna turn this on. We can fit two more people to use the holes.

SPEAKER_02

When we first did that and we laughed so hard about like the three holes or the what's the third hole, then Kimmy the fourth hole. The fourth hole, but okay, so Kimmy, this is where the third hole comes in, was at the gym with our new glute ham developer, and I'm like showing her how to use it or whatever. And I'm like, you just have to get it set up on like just remember what hole you're on. And I'm like, the third one. And I'm like, but what's the third hole? And then she posted that video clip, and I'm like, okay, there's a backstory. There's a backstory for the one knows. That poor girl. I just am like and by girls. And I even made it like a I did a I probably did a stim with it because I was like, what's the third hole? Yeah, the whole voice and everything.

SPEAKER_01

And isn't it like, doesn't it make you get the feel-goods and stuff? Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

It does.

SPEAKER_01

I love my stims.

SPEAKER_02

I do too.

SPEAKER_01

I don't love that I realize that they are stims, but I do enjoy the little bit of dopamine that they give me.

SPEAKER_02

Um, so on that note, do you think you're emotionally stable?

unknown

No.

SPEAKER_02

Oh my Christ. You're like crying laughing now.

SPEAKER_01

That broke you. That's that case in point right now. My reaction to the question is proof in the pudding. Like, I am stable in a lot of ways. Just not emotionally, because according to my therapist, I don't allow myself to feel emotion. I'm just like, fuck that.

SPEAKER_02

I agree. I feel like because I'm used to masking and shoving things down, it's like now, like, I'm like, wait, what is that feeling? Can I get a chart?

SPEAKER_01

I know. So my new I need a chart. I had to get a new Fitbit because my old Fitbit crapped out on me. I use my love. You need it at work. I can't afford that. Listen, I got this bitch for free using my reward points at work. That's the only way I got my first Fitbit. That's how I got my second Fitbit. That's how I got the replacement Fitbit. It's with my work points. But this is the.

SPEAKER_02

What are these work points you speak of?

SPEAKER_01

I don't know. When people think I do a good job, they give me points. And then I get a buy thing. I bought our 55-inch television with work points. I bought my sister um concert tickets to Foo Fighters for her birthday with work points. Like, it's legit shit. So that's nice. Not just my branded laptop backpack that I've gotten three Christmases in a row. I literally have three. So if you need a laptop backpack, please fucking let me know. Because I don't need another one. Um, but it this one has a new feature where like if it thinks my like heartbeat pattern is like abnormal, it checks in with me and it's like, how are you feeling? So do they do that? Are you frustrated? Are you sad? Are you depressed? Are you happy? Are you calm? Like, but it, I mean, yes, it does. But it makes me now have to like sit down and think about like how am I feeling? Because I'm just I just don't allow myself to feel until I unwind at the end of the day, and then I go through like the whole day's emotions in that 15 minutes when I first sit down. Now I have to like think about it in the moment.

SPEAKER_02

What are emotions? Something apparently I'm not stable with. Yeah, we just we don't have those. We don't have those. All I know is if I have muscles, I work out.

SPEAKER_01

Do you think that you're emotionally stable?

SPEAKER_02

I don't know. Can we talk about different periods in my life?

SPEAKER_01

Can I give you my opinion? Yes. I do not think you're emotionally stable, but I think you're getting better at it. Yeah. Because you got off your rocker a little bit. Justified reasons, things happen. I mean, yeah, when you almost died. You used to be, then you weren't, then you kind of were for a minute, then you weren't.

SPEAKER_02

And then like I said, different periods. I feel like this is the most stable.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, you're on the upswing to stable.

SPEAKER_02

I am like freakishly stable, actually. And it's weird.

SPEAKER_01

Mine's stuck at the bottom. Mine's just weighted too much.

SPEAKER_02

Why is it so freakishly stable? Is it because everything in my life is imploding? And so I'm the stable force now.

SPEAKER_01

It's just we do better when there's chaos around us. It's what we're used to.

SPEAKER_02

Thank you, parental units, for that.

SPEAKER_01

At least they gave us something.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, I'm eating a rice cake if you can't hear it.

SPEAKER_01

You're always eating a rice cake.

SPEAKER_02

A little ASMR for you.

SPEAKER_01

Is yours frosted?

SPEAKER_02

No, they're plain.

SPEAKER_01

Why? Plain? Why? No, absolutely not. That's the smelling. No! I I already know that smells like styrofoam. I'm fully aware from here.

SPEAKER_02

The fact that you said styrofoam now makes it taste like styrofoam.

SPEAKER_01

Because that's basically you're basically eating packaged peanuts. Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

One molecule away.

SPEAKER_01

Oh, it looks sad. She just gave me complete eye contact while she took a bite of her styrofoam. I did. Gross. Um I can't. So. I'm so lost now. I don't even remember what we were supposed to talk about.

SPEAKER_02

Emotionally stable. We got there. Oh, what we're talking about, we're getting there. But we're gonna do a little life update. Let's do a little life like what's been chaotic in our life lately. You wanna go first? Cancer.

SPEAKER_01

I'm sorry, that's so.

SPEAKER_02

No, it is.

SPEAKER_01

Just like sorry. In general, cancer's not funny. It's a very serious thing. But the way, yes, my delivery. With your little fucking rice cake. Just la la la.

SPEAKER_02

Fucking cancer, yeah. Cancer's been uh since like the end of February. We've been deal well, obviously we're gonna keep dealing with it for a while, but it's been uh been chaotic since then. Yeah. Um draining. Yes, mom's not feeling great, but doing better overall. Yeah. Um, Tuesday is gonna be round three of 12 chemos um that she does go home with. We talked about that. And then we'll do radiation after. So yeah, that's just like navigating all that and then the in like the things that come along with it. Um and with that, you know, being down, basically she's like my fill-in. Um she makes solo parenting not as hard because she helps. So um with her being down, it's just been busy. I feel like I've just been busy.

SPEAKER_01

So life is super busy.

SPEAKER_02

Life is chaotic because it's from one thing to another. Like I get up at like three or four in the morning and I don't go to bed until like really late, although tomorrow I get to sleep in, so that will be nice. Um and then you have Florida coming up. Yes, uh, on Wednesday, we're going to Florida, so that's chaotic.

SPEAKER_01

Um you're gone for two weeks?

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, from the 22nd to the 5th of May.

SPEAKER_01

Damn, girl.

SPEAKER_02

13 days? 14 days. 14 days because the kids compete. Worlds is the this next weekend, and then the weekend after a summit. So Braden's competing in Worlds and they're both competing at Summit with Riot. So yeah. And the boyfriend will be joining me in Florida.

SPEAKER_01

That's nice. This will be his first time joining for the bigs.

SPEAKER_02

For the yeah, we did go to the one cheer comp in Spokane, and he's been to like a showcase, but this will be the big one.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, because this is like much larger. Yeah, this is like the biggest.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, worlds is the biggest cheer. It's the biggest um cheer event. So, like in bodybuilding world, this would be like the Olympia. In football world, this would be the Super Bowl.

SPEAKER_01

My chiropractor, because I I finally went back to the chiropractor after literally it's been over a year. Apparently, uh last time I went was February 2024, so I got a lecture and a hug. Um he was like, what the fuck? And I'm like, I know, I'm sorry, but I'm here. Um, apparently he has a friend that does bodybuilding, and they have their own show that they like host, and he wanted me to ask you if you'd remember, but I have dementia. And not really, but I don't remember what the person's name was. If I heard it again, I would know it. But okay, yeah, you'll have to. So there's me asking you about it because I don't remember the first night. Yeah, I I go back on Monday, I'll have to be like, hey, what's that name? I got to I have to text it to her right now because I relied on my own devices, and therefore it's you have dementia. It's bad. I lose like chunks of I don't remember nothing. Well, I'm pretty much self-diagnosed on everything, and then like 10 years after I've diagnosed myself, the doctors are like, Oh yeah, you do have that. So it takes that long. It takes so long. No one believes me until they have like evidence in front of them. Whatever. It's fine. I don't need to remember things.

SPEAKER_02

I got you. Don't worry. Don't worry, Lacey.

SPEAKER_01

Okay, when you say it like that, I am petrified.

SPEAKER_02

I am looking at you kind of crazy.

SPEAKER_01

The look, it's all it's the with the fucking rice cakes. The last one, I promise. You remind me so much of Dolores Clayborn. Just the concept of like, I'm gonna take care of you. And in order to do that, I'm gonna fucking beat in your legs so that you can't use them, so you can't leave me.

SPEAKER_02

That got really oh good idea.

SPEAKER_01

It's because I'm listening to the shining by C.

SPEAKER_02

I wouldn't beat you, though. I don't want to cause you pain. Just strap you down. I'll drug you, then you'll be happy.

SPEAKER_01

We won't talk about why.

SPEAKER_02

I think I know why, because you're a freaky. You just don't have anyone to like experience.

SPEAKER_01

They've never been used.

SPEAKER_02

They're just there.

SPEAKER_01

No, because I'm very picky about who I would share that type of.

SPEAKER_02

I know. This is you who goes into Victoria's Secret and spends hundreds upon hundreds upon hundreds of dollars and doesn't have a boyfriend or anyone to wear it with. And you're like, nor do you wear underwear. So I'm like, how did you spend$600 on literally nothing?

SPEAKER_01

You literally just made me choke. Don't something I think about often. I'm like, I know that you want to take care of me. We don't need to start that today. Stop trying to take me out.

SPEAKER_02

Oh.

SPEAKER_01

I like things.

SPEAKER_02

I do too.

SPEAKER_01

I haven't even stepped inside of a Victoria's Secretary.

SPEAKER_02

That's like over and done. I'm just like, I wear Calvin Klein.

SPEAKER_01

I think I have like a feeling it girdle and a shaper mint bra.

SPEAKER_02

Like it's because I don't wear like actual bras. I used to only wear Victoria's Secret bras, but like I wear like sports bras.

SPEAKER_01

I was gonna say, do you wear anything other than a sports bra?

SPEAKER_02

My boobs are just they just no, not really. I do have other ones and I will wear if I go out or something, but they're just like I even I have more so many bras and so many things I just don't wear.

SPEAKER_01

I have more sports bras than regular bras.

SPEAKER_02

Oh, I have so many.

SPEAKER_01

But I never wear them anymore because I don't work out anymore.

SPEAKER_02

You don't wear anything.

SPEAKER_01

I wear a bra every day of my life.

SPEAKER_02

Ah, that's sick.

SPEAKER_01

To protect my today's protect.

SPEAKER_02

You used to never wear them.

SPEAKER_01

Um I correct. I used to after my first implants, I stopped wearing one completely. And then after my replacement implants, I wear one all the time. Yeah, I wear one.

SPEAKER_02

I always wear like a lounge bra at night and then at least a sports bra. Just because like they're heavy. Have you seen how big my boobs are? They're like they're of substantial size. 775 CC's.

SPEAKER_01

It's crazy to me that you have like twice as many CC's as I do. And they look similar. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

It's because I got fat and then lost weight, but I did not lose the additional weight in my boobs. So after I had my first surgery, I was at a double D, and then I got fat, and then got skinny, and then I was at a triple D.

SPEAKER_02

Mine shrink a little bit when I get like really lean.

SPEAKER_01

Even when I went, yeah, that makes sense. Even when I went back because I had to get the replacement because hot sauce popped my titty. Um, because that's a story. Um, he took a photo of what I would look like if I because he told me if it pops again, he won't let me get more. I'd have to take them out. So he took a photo to show me of what I would look like without them, and I'd still be a D cup at this point because I've gained so much natural tissue from my weight fluctuating. I was like, so damn, you're telling me if I would have just been more patient, I would have been fine there on my own because I can't control my fucking weight. Cool, cool, cool, cool, cool, cool. So glad I've paid you thousands upon thousands of dollars. But when I got them, I was tiny. I was a I didn't have anything when I started.

SPEAKER_02

I don't remember because it's been a long time. Yes, yeah. Um, so chaotic in your life.

SPEAKER_01

Um, my bonus child's work is screwing him over, and that therefore stresses me out. But really, I don't have a lot of chaos. I have, you know, the the zombies that keep creeping. Because motorcycle is on his way currently driving to the area.

SPEAKER_02

Um, you have two dates lined up.

SPEAKER_01

Not dates, meals.

SPEAKER_02

Two meals.

SPEAKER_01

I have two meals lined up with two different people on the same day just because it happens to be that way. It's the only day that works for me because I have shit to do with my life. You're right.

SPEAKER_02

They aren't really dates.

SPEAKER_01

They're just No, I'm going to lunch with creepy neighbor and I'm going to dinner with motorcycle.

SPEAKER_02

Make sure you go to someplace you've been wanting to go. Where are you going for lunch? I know where are you going for mother? I don't know.

SPEAKER_01

The only thing, he's like, what do you not like? And I just said, I can't have spicy food. Other than that, I honestly don't care.

SPEAKER_02

Or tomatoes or lots of other things.

SPEAKER_01

No, I'll still eat it. I'll just bring Tums with me and probably cry a little in the bathroom. It's fine. It's fine. I do it every day.

SPEAKER_00

Worth it.

SPEAKER_01

The only emotion I feel is IBS.

SPEAKER_02

You know how many people probably relate that to that so hard.

SPEAKER_01

It's it's way more common than people think it is, first off, especially almost any person that has an autoimmune disorder also has IBS. Like they go hand in hand.

SPEAKER_02

Well, like I joke around to my mom all the time that like now she knows how you feel because of half a colon and half your small intestines, it just runs right through. Like, oh, so that's how lacey is.

SPEAKER_01

Except literally on fire.

SPEAKER_02

So yours is a fire liquid where the cancer is just the liquid. So the cancer gives you the liquid.

SPEAKER_01

I'm sorry, y'all.

SPEAKER_02

And the IBS gives you the fire.

SPEAKER_01

It is ava. Choose.

SPEAKER_02

Choose. What are the other? Also, why is diarrhea, explosive diarrhea at that, a symptom of everything? It's like, oh, it's fine.

SPEAKER_01

Why did you add the word explosive? I never once. I can contain that.

SPEAKER_02

I feel like when it comes to us fire, it's gonna be explosive.

SPEAKER_01

That's just on this like mental image.

SPEAKER_02

I'm tired of sounding like I just imagine you fighting for your life way too long.

SPEAKER_01

Okay, let's move it along. So on that note. So yeah.

SPEAKER_02

So what we're talking about today. Nothing to do with anything we've talked about. Oh my god. Attachment style.

SPEAKER_01

Girl. Oh my god, I'm crying. Me too.

SPEAKER_02

We have to go be somewhere pretty soon. So we better like pull ourselves together. Get it together. Oh my gosh, I have literal tears running down. Okay. Whoa.

SPEAKER_01

We're so dumb.

SPEAKER_02

And I have tubing mascara. It's gonna be on my face in a second.

SPEAKER_01

I do like tubing.

SPEAKER_02

But the second it hits water, it's like over.

SPEAKER_01

Which is I like about it too. Hop in the shower, move. I don't cry, so it's fine.

SPEAKER_02

You're crying right now. But of laughter. Of laughter. Okay. Attachment styles.

SPEAKER_01

Okay. Not related to poop.

SPEAKER_02

Okay. No. No. Everyone, we kind of touched on this before. We went over like the basic attachment styles type thing in one of our previous episodes, I feel like. We kind of, or we didn't like, I don't know if we it was the main topic, but we hit on like the what they are. Like briefly, I think we touched on them. Um, but what do you think your attachment style is? Because we're gonna take um do you have what? Do you know what they are?

SPEAKER_01

Tell me my options and I'll tell you what I think I am. Okay.

unknown

Hold on.

SPEAKER_01

You think I would just have this like in the chamber because of all of the therapy and mental illness.

SPEAKER_02

I don't. So they're secure, anxious, avoidant. Wait. Apparently there's several different depending on what we can do. Okay, well, I mean I've secure the four main attachments secure attachment, anxious, preoccupied attachment, dismissive, avoidant attachment. So do you want me to tell you what they mean, though? Should we do that? Okay, secure attachment, obviously. You're comfortable secure, you're comfortable with intimacy, independence, an individual. Yeah, possess high self-esteem and then manage conflict effectively.

SPEAKER_01

I do not fall into that category.

SPEAKER_02

You know. Okay, next one. Anxious, preoccupied attachment craves high levels of intimacy, often fearing abandonment and needing constant reassurance. They may act cleany, clingy, or insecure in relationships. Are you trying to say that they may be me? I feel like this is very, it can be very relationship dependent as well.

SPEAKER_01

Sure. I don't think that your attachment style is necessarily consistent with the stuff.

SPEAKER_02

Some of those are some of those, yes. No, some of those hit. Not gonna lie. Um, dismissive, avoidant attachment values independence and freedom, often uncomfortable with emotional closeness, tend to withdraw, suppress emotions. I just feel like this is lacy.

SPEAKER_01

Guys, straight eye contact right there. Like you're reading it and you look at me, and you read it and you look at me, and you're reading it and you look at me.

SPEAKER_02

Um, we know where you fall and where I fall. I feel like I'm a mix of both of these. That's fair. Um, and then the next one, fearful, avoidant attachment, a combination of anxious. Oh, anxious and avoidant. So that's me. Um wow, these individuals desire, intimacy, but fear being hurt, leading to unpredictability, conflicting behaviors. They often alternate between clinging and pushing partners away.

SPEAKER_01

That is you to a fucking T. Oh, wow. It's like they've met you. I deserve that. It's I love you with all my heart, but it is a roller coaster being your friend sometimes.

SPEAKER_02

I know. I tell you too. I'm like, just so you know, I know this is batshit crazy, but I'm gonna tell you what I'm thinking because it makes me feel better.

SPEAKER_01

I appreciate when you preface. You're very self-aware. You're like, I'm about to go off the rails, and I need you to just come along with me, and we both know eventually I'll get there.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, it's because like I know it's irrational, but for some fucking reason, talking to you, just I'm like, oh yeah, we I looped it back around. It's just like verbalizing it to you, but then sometimes I am on the money. You just need to go on your journey to figure out and they're really quick, they're not even journeys, they're just like little like cul-de-sacks. Not even a cul-de-sac, it's like a block.

SPEAKER_01

Most of the time, it's the same conversation, like it doesn't take you a long time to get there. You're like, I'm thinking it's this way, but wait, maybe I'm not considering this. Oh, and I guess there's this too. Wait, am I the one? And then I'm like, hi.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah. Um, I feel like we all know about the awful relationship that I was in. I don't yeah, I feel like that led you there. There's a lot of like trauma in that, and there was a lot of emotional abuse. A little bit, yeah. And so I now and I had been gaslit and like all these horrible things that Johnny Bravo like just did that I now see as manipulation tactics to steal from me, rob, do all the fucking awful shit that he did. But it still plays a part in your head because you've been through that. So like so it makes you question things. Yeah, and then I'm like, but this is a normal. Also, he love bombed and lied verbally. Like, so I was like, there was just so much outwardly showing like false attention, love things like that. So now, like, I don't know. Sometimes I'm like, I'm used to that, and that makes sense.

SPEAKER_01

Well, and part of it is like you don't want to get hurt like that again because you got hurt over and over and over again. So that's I think that's why you go back and forth between you get clingy because like you want to have this happy, healthy relationship. So the clingy part, right? And then you panic the second you think something is wrong or something feels different or whatever because you're so used to being on old Heather from that.

SPEAKER_02

Old Heather would be like burning the fucking bridge down now, who cares? Um, Heather now is like, Lacey, this is what Heather wants to do, but I feel like this is what I should do, and then this is what we're gonna do. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01

But I used to be so much more mature than we used to be.

SPEAKER_02

Oh my gosh, so much. Even in like my marriage with Luke, I definitely was like, Yeah, I feel like a lot of it stems from childhood, things like that. Having an alcoholic father, very unpredictability. There's like, what is that book? Children of alcoholic like children of alcoholics or whatever, just like the unpredictability or drug addicts, anything. Like, I don't know. My situation, my dad was like really high functioning, so I feel like that masks a lot of things and makes it work.

SPEAKER_01

I feel because that's my mom was the same way. She had a decent paying job, and nobody there would have known that she was like a crazy alcoholic drug addict.

SPEAKER_02

Like they would have never known. And it just like perpetuates the sickness and the abuse that goes on in the home.

SPEAKER_01

And if you question things, that's fair. It's a hundred percent fair.

SPEAKER_02

Or just like, because you never know. Like, I kind of realized like I never knew. Well, another thing with trauma, like, we scan situations and read people, like, we don't necessarily take people for like what they say.

SPEAKER_01

We like read between the lines with their Listen, I loved it when vibes became a thing. Because you can tell. I fucking explained the way that I evaluate people in a way that I never really could before. Like, I would try to explain to people like people would like this person, and I'd be like, I don't like this person. And they're like, Why do you not like this person? And I'm like, I don't know. It's just like this feeling that I get. Like, I don't feel like this is a good person. And for the longest time, people are like, that's weird. And now people would be like, Why don't you like this person? And I say, vibes, and they're like, Oh, I get it.

SPEAKER_02

I think that now I love the word vibes. Like in the 90s, it was very, you know, 2000 growing up. It was very like, I don't know, show, kind of like a show. Like you can just hide things nowadays without it's you can't hide shit because of the authenticity is like valued, and talking about your feelings is more like it you're supposed to, right? Like it's more talked about, more like personal development is something you do. It's not just like grin and bear and get fucking through. It's like find yourself, be like, listen to your intuition, but also you can us being ADHD, you being autistic.

SPEAKER_01

I don't know, I must be on the spectrum somehow because we're I think we all are on the spectrum to an extent. Um I just have a more extreme autism and a more extreme ADHD than you. That's all.

SPEAKER_02

That's all. That's all. Just uh same type, different font, right?

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, yes. I just love that so much. That's exactly what it is. Mine is more cursive and harder to read. It is. But I can read it.

SPEAKER_02

But I can read it, don't you worry.

SPEAKER_01

No, stop with the oh my god. I am concerned about my well-being.

SPEAKER_02

Don't worry. You'll still be on the podcast every week.

SPEAKER_01

I can't even like I'm freaking me the fuck out. It's like you turn into a robot. It's so scary.

SPEAKER_02

Oh, that's the other Heather. Button spread. Oh. Um, yeah, so attachment styles. Cold as that coming back around. So I so after reading those, we did a fearful avoidant, disorganized. Okay, hello. I try to be organized, which is weird because organization is.

SPEAKER_01

It's like it is not my strong suit. That is for damn sure. If it's not on my phone calendar, it is not ever happening.

SPEAKER_02

And you're dismissive avoidant.

SPEAKER_01

I'm dismissive, yeah.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

So yeah, that seems correct.

SPEAKER_02

We do have a quiz that we can take. Take. Yes.

unknown

Fast.

SPEAKER_02

We should do that.

SPEAKER_01

Five minutes.

SPEAKER_02

Alright. Should we do it together?

SPEAKER_01

Yeah. There's a lot of buttons to get to it. Start the quiz. Click, click. Okay.

SPEAKER_02

This will be fun. Okay. Current situation. I'm in a relationship. Very happily. He's great.

SPEAKER_01

I am single.

unknown

Very much so.

SPEAKER_02

Um. How old are you? Oh my god.

SPEAKER_01

You're so lucky. I thought for sure you'd have to click a different bubble than me, and I was gonna rub it in your face. No. I only get a couple months where I get to do this. Where are you from? I don't like that you automatically put in the state I'm in. I know that's weird. Because I'm not even from that state.

SPEAKER_02

Okay, so I'll read the questions out loud when you get there. Oh, it says please answer the following questions with respect to your mother or mother-like figure. If this person has passed away, we would like for you to answer these questions with respect to how you felt when they were alive. Okay. Okay. Um, whoops. I worked one. That this person won't care about me. No, what are you in the wrong one? No. I'm on one of nine. Yeah. It says I don't feel comfortable opening up to this person.

SPEAKER_01

Oh no, we have different questions.

SPEAKER_02

Oh, wait, no. Wait. Did I go to the wrong one? I might have pushed. Minus steps two of nine. Are you on two of nine?

SPEAKER_01

I'm on relationship stroke structure, mother, caregiver number one.

SPEAKER_02

Yes, okay. So number one for me is I don't feel comfortable opening up to this person.

SPEAKER_01

We have different questions.

SPEAKER_02

Alright, okay. We can't do it. No. Okay. Are we just gonna go fast? Yeah, but I'm wondering if I messed up and pushed a button.

SPEAKER_01

Oh no, it's just in a different order because that's my three of nine. Okay, so we'll just You read, I'll find.

SPEAKER_02

Okay. I don't feel comfortable opening up to this person. This is in regard to your mother.

unknown

Okay.

SPEAKER_01

Strongly agree.

SPEAKER_02

I worry this person won't care about me as much as I care about him or her.

SPEAKER_01

If it's your mother, why is it a him or her option?

SPEAKER_02

I know, because you can you can be anything now. Stop. I'm afraid that this person may abandon me.

SPEAKER_01

I talk things over. So you have to slow a little. I have to find the questions on mine, because mine are in a different. But I do have the same questions.

SPEAKER_02

Are you worried she's gonna abandon you? Okay, found it. You're good. I talk things over with this person. Okay. I prefer not to show this person how I feel deep down. I find it easy to depend on this person. I usually discuss my problems and concerns with this person. I often worry that this person doesn't really care for me. And then it helps to turn to this person in times of need. Next is father caregiver. Which is funny because I have a better relationship with my mom. You have a better relationship with your dad. Correct. So my dad was like your mom. Right. Yes. Okay.

SPEAKER_01

Well, my dad is not equivalent to your relationship with your mom.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, me and my mom are really close.

SPEAKER_01

I didn't even have like a conversation with my dad until I hit that elk.

SPEAKER_02

Oh, yes, but you talked about this on the podcast. So you usually discuss your problems and concerns with this person. No. Um I don't feel comfortable opening up to this person. I worry that this person won't care about me as much as I care about him or her.

SPEAKER_01

I'm a good sorry, I didn't know.

SPEAKER_02

I'm afraid that this person may abandon me. I find it easy to depend on this person. I often worry that this person doesn't really care for me. I prefer not to show this person how I feel deep down. It helps to turn to this person in times of need. I talk things over with this person. Next one is relationship structure, romantic partner.

SPEAKER_01

Okay, I'm with you.

SPEAKER_02

Alright, yay. I'm afraid that this person may abandon me. Same questions.

SPEAKER_01

So, okay, but I don't have that. So that's just you only you don't have to. Why it's giving me those questions? Because I marked that I'm single. I don't have a person, so that doesn't work.

SPEAKER_02

Well, it's saying it's no, it's asking you in your romantic, in your romantic partnership. So it's telling you if you are currently not in a romantic relationship, please answer these questions with respect to how you felt in your most recent meaningful relationship. Ew, okay, do whichever one that you can do.

SPEAKER_01

No, well, the most recent one was scar uh cowardly line.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, yeah. I usually discuss my problems and concerns with this person. It helps to turn to this person in times of need.

SPEAKER_01

Is it just the same questions over and over?

SPEAKER_02

I don't think you need to keep I often worry, but the person doesn't really care for me. That's so weird. Some of these are just like, it's just weird. Um feel comfortable opening up to the person. You don't feel comfortable. I prefer not to show this person how I feel deep down. Find it easy to depend on them, and then you talk things over.

unknown

Okay.

SPEAKER_02

Our next one, our general attachment style. Boom, boom. All right. I find it easy to depend on others.

SPEAKER_01

The fact that we both fucking chuckled. No, I can't just- That's gonna be a strongly disagreeable.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, you're like the only person that I count on, besides like you're the you're you. You you and you know, I would, but we also don't ask each other for anything. Like, and we do, but we don't. Like, we will if it's like, but we don't like, you know how some people like automatically go to others to ask for help and things like that. Like, I wish I had that bone in my body, but I do not. I'm like, the only time I'm asking for help was the first time the universe was like, I'm gonna make you stranded in the middle of fucking Lake T Lake Tahoe when you have no way to get anywhere. So you I had to ask for help. You had to. Um, and that really was like the universe is trying to tell me something we laughed about it after.

SPEAKER_01

By the time I if if you get a phone call from me because I need help, by that time, like you know that I've literally exhausted every possible option that I had available to me to do it without having to call.

SPEAKER_02

So you don't talk things over with people either. I worry that others won't care about me as much as I care about them. I often worry that other people do not really care for me. It helps to turn to people in times of need. No. I usually discuss my problems and concerns with others. No.

SPEAKER_01

Um there's a lot of no's on this list.

SPEAKER_02

Don't feel comfortable opening up to others. Well, but we agree with that one. I prefer not to show others how I feel deep down. Um, I'm afraid that other people may abandon me. Abandon in? Did I just say that? Abandon me. Okay. I've been up since 3, 4 a.m. Gross. It's got my cardio done though. I'm afraid that oh, abandon me. No. Okay. I don't care. Or what if you don't care?

SPEAKER_01

I don't care.

unknown

I love it.

SPEAKER_02

Okay, now self-esteem. I certainly feel useless at times. I take a positive attitude towards myself. You better put strongly disagree. At times I think I am no good at all.

SPEAKER_01

That sounds like a sad conversation.

SPEAKER_02

I feel that I have a number of good qualities. I feel that I'm a person of worth, at least on an equal plane with others. I feel I do not have much to be proud of. Okay. I wish I could have more respect for myself. Interesting. On the whole, I am satisfied with myself. I am able to do things as well as most other people. All in all, I am inclined to feel that I am a failure.

SPEAKER_01

Um my god, I just I'm so proud of myself. I had to stem so hard and I kept it in. I had to breathe through it.

SPEAKER_02

Emotional regulation. We're almost done. I have difficulty making sense out of my feelings. We just talked about this. When I'm upset, I have difficulty getting work done. When I'm upset, I start to feel very bad about myself. When I'm upset, I feel ashamed of myself for feeling that way. When I'm upset, I have difficulty thinking about anything else. When I'm upset, I become out of control. When I'm upset, I believe that I'll end up feeling very depressed. When I'm upset, I have difficulty focusing on other things. Oh my gosh, this is so long. There's 16 questions. When I'm upset, I feel like I am weak. When I'm upset, I become irritated with myself for feeling that way.

SPEAKER_01

That's fair.

SPEAKER_02

When I'm upset, my emotions feel overwhelming.

SPEAKER_01

There are a lot of questions.

SPEAKER_02

What the f We're almost there though. I am confused about how I feel. When I'm upset, I believe that there is nothing I can do to make myself feel better. When I'm upset, I feel out of control. Did they not just ask us that?

SPEAKER_01

I have no idea this. I'm so like low. I am. I had to. I had to give up listening to you.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, I figured you could just run through them because it would be fine. Uh when I'm upset, I have difficulty controlling my behaviors. Is that it? Gosh. Attachment at work.

SPEAKER_01

Oh my goodness. I'm not even there yet. Hold on.

SPEAKER_02

Okay. Well, you can just go through. I'm just gonna read. Okay. I usually discuss the problems and concerns I have with my work with my coworkers. I'm afraid that all my co co-workers will quit. That would suck for you.

SPEAKER_01

I would be gone in a heartbeat. Well, no, actually. Co-workers are employees. Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_02

Employees, yes.

SPEAKER_01

Employees, I would be out. Co-workers.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah. Um. I find it easy to pen on my coworkers. It helps to turn to my co-workers when in need. I often worry about my coworkers do not really care for me. I don't feel comfortable opening up. I talk things over with them. I am concerned that my coworkers won't care about me as much as I care about them. I prefer not to show my co-workers how I feel deep down. Okay, that's it. Uh the attachment project is continuing. Okay. What is this? You can skip a section. Okay, so mine is in I have like things. Oh, I don't want to do that. I don't want to do that. You have to say what's happening. It's asking me to like talk about like dates that I like and stuff, because it's like doing a I don't even know.

SPEAKER_01

Date that you like?

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, because it's doing a um it it's doing like a Survey based on my attachment type, like something else, and I would click on it.

SPEAKER_01

They're trying to get data off of you.

SPEAKER_02

Okay, well, mine's not surprising.

SPEAKER_01

It's exactly what we thought it was. Yes.

SPEAKER_02

Fearful, avoidant, disorganized. I don't like it. I don't like that.

SPEAKER_00

I got the same thing!

SPEAKER_01

We are the same, Heather!

SPEAKER_02

We are.

SPEAKER_01

We are.

SPEAKER_02

Okay, so on that note.

SPEAKER_01

I don't know if that's like a win or a loss for me compared to what we thought. Does that mean I'm worse than I thought?

SPEAKER_02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

Damn.

SPEAKER_02

I'm just as bad as we thought.

SPEAKER_01

So that was the one thing that I thought I had up on you because I'm normally worse on every other thing that we've taken. And so I was like, oh yeah.

SPEAKER_02

I don't know if it's worse. I just feel like we I I don't have one or the other explosive. Yeah, it's like we have both of the bit of the bad ones.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, but I was really open to only have one this time.

SPEAKER_02

The push and the pull. Go away. No, come back.

SPEAKER_01

It explains me recycling and the zombie and all the things.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, because you let but I don't do that. When I cut someone off and I fucking cut them off, like I who?

SPEAKER_01

I wish I was as good as that.

SPEAKER_02

I forgot the Flash's name.

SPEAKER_01

I got it. I'm so proud of myself. I remembered something.

SPEAKER_02

It took me like it was weird on the podcast.

SPEAKER_01

I had to say it off mic.

SPEAKER_02

I yeah, and I was like, wait, what the fuck was his name?

SPEAKER_01

I do that a lot. Like sometimes the nicknames fucking take over, and I have to like sit and really fucking think about it. Or sometimes I ask my children and I'm like, hey, who is this? And they'll sometimes they know. So they'll tell me. Yeah, because some I'll use the nickname so much that then I will forget the person's actual name.

SPEAKER_02

Like Hawaii. I don't know anyone's real name.

SPEAKER_01

So if you're the horse teeth, horse teeth, I forget his real name a lot, which is weird because I literally have a shirt that has that name on it, not because of him, but for something else. And I still forget that person's name from time to time.

SPEAKER_02

The horse teeth.

SPEAKER_01

It's such a horrible nickname. I'm a horrible person.

SPEAKER_02

No, it's not. It's very accurate.

SPEAKER_01

It makes me laugh.

SPEAKER_02

All the nicknames make me laugh.

SPEAKER_01

I just feel like they're for it. And I feel they are relatively accurate. So okay. Fearful, avoidant, disorganized. That sounds awful, actually, when you put all that together.

SPEAKER_02

So now that we're learning this, is it gonna change how we act? I mean, I feel like we know. I feel like we've been on our healing journey for a while and read I don't think this has anything to do, like our attachment style, like doesn't mean it comes out in whatever. It's just like we got fucked up in childhood.

SPEAKER_01

Well, we're better than we used to be. So we are working on it.

SPEAKER_02

But I also like I feel like I think for me, because I'm actively in a very healthy, loving relationship, so it's like healing and part of like, you know what I mean? Like, I think you don't. I think when you find that it will because it is, it's very like it's good to go through the normal again.

SPEAKER_01

Like this is very much my whole thing is like I think this is why therapy doesn't work so well on me, is because like part the main part of therapy is to make you become aware of this type of information about yourself, so then you can make an adjustment and like move on. But it's like I already know all of this about myself, and yet I still for some reason can't make myself do better. Fix that, and then they're like, I don't know how to fucking fix that. I just know how to make you become aware of it so you can fix that.

SPEAKER_02

You're like this, I'm self-aware. That's not the problem. That's not where I need the we are also both so so self-aware. So self-aware.

SPEAKER_01

It's like it's not helpful. I almost sometimes I'm like, I would way rather like be ignorant to it. Dementia.

SPEAKER_02

This is where you're you're asking dementia to come in. Asking for it.

SPEAKER_01

I'm asking the universe for help, and it's like best I can give you. It's dementia.

SPEAKER_02

You'll forget about it from time to time. That's all I can do. Oh my god. You should have like reframed that. You should have been more specific because you're fucking luck. That's exactly how you're probably.

SPEAKER_01

The best I can do is defend. Oh. I'm gonna make a meme and post that on Facebook. No, Facebook.

SPEAKER_02

You think you're stable in any in any area, you're some dementia. Jesus Christ.

SPEAKER_01

Oh. Honestly, though, because like at this point, I don't remember like almost anything before I was 14 years old. Like, that's all gone.

SPEAKER_02

Oh, that's trauma.

SPEAKER_01

That just doesn't exist.

SPEAKER_02

So on our next episode, we're gonna talk about how when your childhood is spent in survival mode, your brain is like, oh, we don't need that shit. We're gonna forget that.

SPEAKER_01

No. But like it didn't get real bad until I can remember. So my brain, like, instead of being like, we're kinda cut off the most traumatic part, it's like that's where your story begins.

SPEAKER_02

That's how But I think like your memory is skewed when you have a lot of trauma, though, because you're not storing. Okay, so this is my theory.

SPEAKER_01

I am not storing anything.

SPEAKER_02

No, this is my theory. So, you know, like when you get blackout drunk, your brain's like, we're shutting off because there's too much shit going on.

SPEAKER_01

We just don't press record.

SPEAKER_02

Yes, because it's like we need to worry about all this alcohol. So to keep you alive, we're just gonna shut off the non-functioning parts, like your memory.

unknown

Correct.

SPEAKER_01

So that is a really great way of wording that, but scientifically, that is correct. Yes, yes.

SPEAKER_02

It's like you're not doing well.

SPEAKER_01

You didn't use science words, but you explained that really well.

SPEAKER_02

So, see, I'd be a good scientist.

SPEAKER_01

People would love you. Oh my goodness, you'd be so famous in the science community.

SPEAKER_02

Like, oh her. Oh, they would not like me. They would not.

SPEAKER_01

Yes, they would because you look like that and you would be talking science. Like they would fucking love you. Are you kidding me? Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_02

Well, my next venue. Yeah. Uh, next venture. Okay, so then, so yeah, your brain, you know, your dream, whatever. So then my theory is like you just have all the trauma and your brain's like, what the fuck are we doing? And so it just like chops off all that memory. It's like, we have to process now. Get rid of anything that we don't think. There's no room for this. No, so it's like childhood, fuck it. You don't need any of that.

SPEAKER_01

As much as crap as I give my own brain, because it is its own thing. We are two separate individuals trying to control the same body, and it's not going well. But I will give it credit where it picks and chooses because it's like, does she need to remember this traumatic traumatic thing that happened to her? Or does she need to know the song lyrics from every song that was made in 1963? And it picks the music every time. So good job, Brain. Good job. Good job. There's only so much space. And it decides to fill it with joy. No, it's just buried fucking deep, and that's coming out of your body. That's why you fucking hurt. It's literally pushed into the basement, which is my body. And now it's overflowing from the bottom.

SPEAKER_02

It doesn't know what to do. It's like oozing out everywhere.

SPEAKER_01

We're running out of room.

SPEAKER_02

That's why your body hurts. It's like no more music. We can't take it anymore. No more song lyrics, please.

SPEAKER_01

Push it down. So basically, my song lyrics is like the trash compactor for all my traumatic memories.

SPEAKER_02

I love that. And on that note, we'll talk to you next time. Oh my god. Lacey will be here. We'll we'll cue you in on the dementia how that's progressing.

SPEAKER_01

Not even just like this one, but like the journey of this show is a fucking ride, man. It is. It is. I love that you guys go on it with us. Oh, more of you every week. We never know. Okay. We never know when we're gonna be able to do that.

SPEAKER_02

We're gonna restarted this podcast from ground fucking zero. I don't know why we did that. That was not a smart move. But, anyways, we're like, let's just fucking rebrand and start over again. Um, we are like over 5,000 downloads.

SPEAKER_01

We have 75 episodes.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, we're like cruising time for season four. That's gonna come out. Maybe that should be next week. Season four. I don't know.

SPEAKER_01

Why do you gotta say everything like it's a threat?

SPEAKER_02

What is wrong with Mega Aries? Mega Aries. I am Mega Aries, by the way. And it's Aries season. It was my birthday. It was my birthday not very long ago. Oh, we talked about that in the last episode. Never mind.

SPEAKER_01

We have to stop. I'm not gonna make it. We have to go. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

Oh, we gotta go rub some people down. That sounds really weird.

SPEAKER_01

We gotta go to work, guys.

SPEAKER_02

Go ahead, let your imagin run wild. Imagination run wild. Bye guys.

SPEAKER_01

Bye.