Containment Strategies

[sun seeker]

I'm interested in how you deal with feelings that are too intense to cope with and need to be saved for later when you have more resources. I know it's not possible to stuff down feelings forever, but I'm feeling like I've just had too much to deal with in too short a time and it's overwhelmed me. For my own safety, I need to learn how to put some things aside, not forever, but until I am better equipped. This isn't something I've consciously done before. I'm finding visualizing helps some. What else have you tried?

 

[lostforgottensoul]

I compartmentalize, automatically. I think that's what you are asking. I put things into mental boxes and numb off part of it to, say, work, for instance.

I do it automatically and always have to be able to function as well as I do. It baffled my therapist that im as fuctional as i am given my trauma and its all due to the art of being so damn good at compartmentalizing and numbing off the parts i need to to function.

Problem is, i cant unnumb on cue. Once numbed, i have to work around it a bit to bring it back out. So i wouldnt advise people to learn how to do this. Id advise more of DBT distress tolerance and distraction techniques and stuff. DBT would be an overall distress tolerance so they dont overwhelm you to begin with. Thats what id go with for this.

Maybe im way off though so i appolpgize if i am.

ETA: Oh, also, seeing your title also reminded me of some metaphors in the DBT workbook. Mentally putting the issue in a container and leaving it at your therapist's office or mentally putting it in a container and away for later. I believe that was in the DBT workbook.

I googled the phrase and found this: Can't Control Your Emotions? Try the Container Technique - Therapy Beyond The Couch

Hopefully useful!

 

[sun seeker]

Id advise more of DBT distress tolerance and distraction techniques and stuff.

I did get the book, and some of it looked beyond me (assumed a level of functioning or of life experience that I don't have) but the distress tolerance and distraction parts did look relevant. I did a little and then got distracted with other things. Thank you for the reminder.

 

[lostforgottensoul]

Thank you for the reminder.

You're welcome but take a look at the site I added above. I only skimmed it but it looked a lot like what i read in there.

 

[Sweet_E]

You don't have to go into a lot of detail, but what sort of feelings? sadness, shame, anger, helplessness? You don't have to answer at all if you don't want. Usually the type of feeling, dictates how I respond.

• If I feel unsafe while at home, I like to crawl into bed and wrap myself up like a burrito, and diffuse lavender essential oil. I tell myself that it will be okay.
• If I'm feeling rage, I like to use that energy to feverishly clean the house or go for a power walk
• Have a mantra that counteracts the feeling.
• Walk in nature.
• Try to create a different sensory experience that will distract from the emotion: Hold ice in your hand, take a hot shower, smell something pungent, listen to loud music. Try to do something for each of your senses.
• When you are in a place where you are feeling better, create a "happy place" in your mind, using as much vivid detail as possible. Decide how you will travel to this happy place - do you paddle down a stream, find a secret trail, float up into the sky in a hot air balloon? When you feel those feelings, picture yourself traveling to your happy place. Maybe you take a pit stop on your way there and drop off what is burdening you. You could visualize yourself enclosing these feelings into a bubble and blowing it off into the sky until it bursts and disintegrates. Then continue on with your journey to your happy place. What comforting friends would you find there? The once you are feeling something in intense, you will be able to travel there.
• Practice the 4 corner breath technique: Take a deep breath for a specified duration that is comfortable for you. I like 4 seconds. After you breath in for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 4 seconds. Then exhale for 4 seconds. Then hold your exhale for 4 seconds before you inhale. During the 4 seconds that you are holding your breath, you won't be able to think about anything else other than your breath. It's amazing. If you are into yoga, I like to coordinate this breathing doing cat/cow poses. I let the inhale guide me into cat, and the exhale guide me into cow. Alternate nostril breathing is another breathing technique that you can google.
• If you are feeling brave, and it feels right, sit and observe the intense feelings as if you were a detached, 3rd party observer. The first time I did this, the feelings actually left instantly, I think as a coping strategy. Eventually, I was able to observe the feelings without fear and my flashbacks dramatically decreased in severity and frequency.
• Sing, chant, or make some sort of noise. I'm amazed how well this moves the energy out. Sometimes I do this weird form of jazz singing that I make up as I'm driving, saying stuff like bee bop do bop to release nervous energy. It really works. Sometimes I make up simple songs and sing that "I am strong, I am safe, I am in a very good place."
• Dance out or express your feeling or what you want to feel through free movement.

 

[sun seeker]

@lostforgottensoul, that's quite a lot like the visualization I've been doing, actually. Only I don't know when the "taking them out again" part is going to happen. I'm still working at getting them in there...

 

[Sweet_E]

I compartmentalize, automatically. I think that's what you are asking. I put things into me...

Yes, DBT is definitely great! I put some DBT stuff in my post too.

 

[EveHarrington]

Visualization helps.

A secure container. Safe, chest, etc.

A remote location. Bottom of the ocean, top of a mountain, the moon, etc.

Spell out the steps. I wrote it all down on waterproof paper. I folded up into a small square and put it in my pocket. I put on my scuba gear. I jumped into the ocean and swam deep. I opened the treasure chest. I put the paper inside. I wrapped the chains around the chest and closed the lock. I swam back to the surface. Etc.

Whatever scenarios you prefer. A safe container, a location you prefer that only you can access are musts (at least for me-----doesn't work if you put it in a place accessible by others.)

To retrieve you reverse the process.

If you can't keep things in the box, keep practicing. Even just saying "it's in the box until I choose to handle it later" can help.

 

[Sweet_E]

@lostforgottensoul, that's quite a lot like the visualization I've been doing, ac...

It might be best to tuck the intense stuff away until you learn some grounding techniques. Then you can experiment with taking a peek inside the container, shutting it, and grounding yourself, until what you see doesn't bother you as much.

 

[sun seeker]

@Sweet_E , it's not so much about what the feelings are as the intensity that is the problem. It's interesting as I read your list of suggestions, some of them are about healthy ways of expressing emotions while a few are about calming them. At the moment, I think I need to focus on the calming strategies. They feel too big to let myself express them safely.

 

[sun seeker]

you can experiment with taking a peek inside the container, shutting it, and grounding yourself, until what you see doesn't bother you as much

That's an excellent idea, thank you.

a location you prefer that only you can access are musts (at least for me-----doesn't work if you put it in a place accessible by others

Good point. I've been doing that, though I hadn't thought of why I was doing it!

 

[Sweet_E]

@Sweet_E , it's not so much about what the feelings are as the intensity that is...

That's true, I did write out a mixture of both. You were so gracious in your response. :) Hope you find what you are looking for.