Therapy

What follows is an actual transcript with Eliza, the classic online therapist:

CHRIS: I've been really troubled lately

ELIZA: I'm not sure I understand you fully.

CHRIS: I'm having trouble sleeping.

ELIZA: Do you enjoy having trouble sleeping?

CHRIS: Of course not. I wake up tired and sore. I'm stressed out.

ELIZA: Did you come to me because you are stressed out?

CHRIS: Yes!

ELIZA: Come, come, elucidate your thoughts.

CHRIS: Well, I've been having terrible dreams...

ELIZA: Can you elaborate on that?

CHRIS: Sure. The other night, I had a dream I accidentally cut off my hand. I packed the severed hand on ice, and then I lost it.

ELIZA: Are you disturbed by your dreams?

CHRIS: You better believe it! Later the same week, I had another dream where the same arm had been severed roughly at the elbow. I got confused: I remembered cutting off my hand in the first dream, but I'd thought it was just a dream, with no consequence. Now, here I was with no hand—all because I'd lost it in a dream. I remember thinking, "Well, that was an irresponsible thing to do..."

ELIZA: What does that dream suggest to you?

CHRIS: I think it's odd that in both cases, I was maimed pretty horribly, but barely even noticed. Later in that second dream, I looked in the mirror and saw I was missing an eye. It was in there, but it was all white: the part with the color was gone. So in all three cases, I was damaged but didn't realize it.

ELIZA: (Long pause.) What is it that you really want to know?

CHRIS: What I really want to know is, What's the matter with me? Why am I stressed out? Why am I insomniac?

ELIZA: Don't you really know? Why are you stressed out? Why are you insomniac?

CHRIS: I'm dissatisfied with what I've become. Is that what you mean?

ELIZA: Do you believe it is normal to be dissatisfied with what you've become?

CHRIS: I suppose it is normal, isn't it?

ELIZA: Say, do you have any psychological problems?...

Try Eliza for yourself.

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