Analysis Breeds Paralysis

Sometimes, Bechdel is so caught up in studying herself and her relation to the world that she forgets to live her life. This is evident from the first chapter. Her obsession with therapists and the entire process of uncovering and treating issues is obsessive in and of itself.

Bechdel has panic attacks. Friends know she suffers from anxiety. There are a lot of things, like a fear of throwing up, that cause further anxiety. So, there is a fear of fear, or she is anxious about feeling anxious.

A lot of this stems from studying her life so closely under a microscope. She can see everything very clearly - a little too clearly. Others tell her to just do things spontaneously to see how it feels. But she is unable to do this, as she has a need to control everything that she can around her...