Brian skipped DBT group yesterday because he felt too busy and did not make the appointment a priority in his life. Group starts at 10:05 a.m. Tuesday mornings. Yesterday, after Brian dropped off his kids at school around 9:10 a.m., he drove straight to Target to return an iPad case that did not fit his wife’s iPad. He purchased wild rice, deodorant, one of his prescribed medications meant to help with his mood and sleep, two backpacks for his kids, one birthday present for his daughter, and another iPad case. Instead of buying all of that, his plan was to just return the iPad case and purchase his meds, and then leave the store and get back home in time for his DBT group meeting. He got distracted.
As Brian was standing in line at the pharmacy inside Target, he realized how difficult he finds it to make time to do an errand such as this. He couldn’t help but think he should try to buy those additional shopping items even if it meant being late for DBT group. He left the store at 10:01 a.m., four minutes before group would start. He was going to be more than just a little late. He decided to skip the whole group, so he emailed the group facilitators notifying them of his plan. He also announced that he would not be able to keep his Thursday (now tomorrow as this is typed) DBT individual therapy appointment at 9:00 a.m. because he would be busy with driving his kids to school, a recent change in his routine. Blame COVID.
Brian is afraid of his kids riding the bus as the Omicron COVID variant is spreading quickly. The bus is packed with kids. The windows are closed. The bus driver wears his mask low with his nose exposed. Brian plans on driving his kids to school and picking them up after school the rest of this week and next week, and perhaps longer than that.
Read or listen to Brian Jost’s memoir: “Grounded by Bipolar Disorder; One Pilot’s Landing” (available in print, e-book/kindle, and audiobook). Click HERE to find the book on Amazon and Audible.