Anonymous

Ruth was eventually deemed stable enough to return home, though she continued to work with a psychiatrist named Dr. Andrew Pickens to better understand herself and her actions. During one of their therapy sessions, Ruth broke down in tears as she grappled with the profound humiliation of her deception being exposed.

She referred to herself as a bad person, before suddenly composing herself and saying, I'm a bad little girl for crying. This moment sparked a crucial conversation with Dr Pickens about the deep shame Ruth felt whenever she expressed emotions. She traced this shame back to her mother's dismissive attitude toward her feelings during childhood.

She referred to herself as a bad person, before suddenly composing herself and saying, I'm a bad little girl for crying. This moment sparked a crucial conversation with Dr Pickens about the deep shame Ruth felt whenever she expressed emotions. She traced this shame back to her mother's dismissive attitude toward her feelings during childhood.

She referred to herself as a bad person, before suddenly composing herself and saying, I'm a bad little girl for crying. This moment sparked a crucial conversation with Dr Pickens about the deep shame Ruth felt whenever she expressed emotions. She traced this shame back to her mother's dismissive attitude toward her feelings during childhood.

Ruth had initially described her mother with reverence, remembering her as strong, confident and flawless, an ideal she admired and sought to emulate. But as Dr Pickens gently guided Ruth through her feelings, it became clear that she held conflicting emotions.

Ruth had initially described her mother with reverence, remembering her as strong, confident and flawless, an ideal she admired and sought to emulate. But as Dr Pickens gently guided Ruth through her feelings, it became clear that she held conflicting emotions.

Ruth had initially described her mother with reverence, remembering her as strong, confident and flawless, an ideal she admired and sought to emulate. But as Dr Pickens gently guided Ruth through her feelings, it became clear that she held conflicting emotions.

Ruth had been told she was an unplanned pregnancy, one that led to a difficult birth that traumatised her mother, who then developed a drinking problem. Her parents also expressed a disappointment that she hadn't been born a boy, and Ruth felt her mother favoured her sister.

Ruth had been told she was an unplanned pregnancy, one that led to a difficult birth that traumatised her mother, who then developed a drinking problem. Her parents also expressed a disappointment that she hadn't been born a boy, and Ruth felt her mother favoured her sister.

Ruth had been told she was an unplanned pregnancy, one that led to a difficult birth that traumatised her mother, who then developed a drinking problem. Her parents also expressed a disappointment that she hadn't been born a boy, and Ruth felt her mother favoured her sister.

Sex was a forbidden topic in the Smock household, and whenever Ruth expressed curiosity, her staunchly religious mother would snap. Why do you have to talk this filth? When speaking with Dr Pickens, Ruth often apologised for any negative comments about her mother, before recounting more positive memories.

Sex was a forbidden topic in the Smock household, and whenever Ruth expressed curiosity, her staunchly religious mother would snap. Why do you have to talk this filth? When speaking with Dr Pickens, Ruth often apologised for any negative comments about her mother, before recounting more positive memories.

Sex was a forbidden topic in the Smock household, and whenever Ruth expressed curiosity, her staunchly religious mother would snap. Why do you have to talk this filth? When speaking with Dr Pickens, Ruth often apologised for any negative comments about her mother, before recounting more positive memories.

During a therapy session, Ruth recalled an uncomfortable childhood memory of sitting naked on someone's lap. She couldn't remember who it was, but the thought made her feel terrible. She broke into tears before quickly dismissing the memory, saying, ''It's not right to cry.'' It took time for Ruth to open up about her negative feelings toward crying and expressing emotions.

During a therapy session, Ruth recalled an uncomfortable childhood memory of sitting naked on someone's lap. She couldn't remember who it was, but the thought made her feel terrible. She broke into tears before quickly dismissing the memory, saying, ''It's not right to cry.'' It took time for Ruth to open up about her negative feelings toward crying and expressing emotions.

During a therapy session, Ruth recalled an uncomfortable childhood memory of sitting naked on someone's lap. She couldn't remember who it was, but the thought made her feel terrible. She broke into tears before quickly dismissing the memory, saying, ''It's not right to cry.'' It took time for Ruth to open up about her negative feelings toward crying and expressing emotions.

She eventually admitted that as a child she was very clingy and emotional, which she believed embarrassed her mother. Dr Pickens understood that clinginess in children often stems from overprotective parenting or from feeling rejected by caregivers. In Ruth's case, he believed her mother fell into the latter category. Whenever Ruth cried, her mother scolded her, saying it made her look ugly.

She eventually admitted that as a child she was very clingy and emotional, which she believed embarrassed her mother. Dr Pickens understood that clinginess in children often stems from overprotective parenting or from feeling rejected by caregivers. In Ruth's case, he believed her mother fell into the latter category. Whenever Ruth cried, her mother scolded her, saying it made her look ugly.

She eventually admitted that as a child she was very clingy and emotional, which she believed embarrassed her mother. Dr Pickens understood that clinginess in children often stems from overprotective parenting or from feeling rejected by caregivers. In Ruth's case, he believed her mother fell into the latter category. Whenever Ruth cried, her mother scolded her, saying it made her look ugly.

Ruth recalled how her mother displayed an unflattering photo of a child screaming in a picture frame at home, claiming it was a picture of Ruth herself. What a big crybaby you are, her mother would say. Ruth later realised the photo wasn't of her at all, but a random child clipped from a magazine.