rightkindofme
Diamond Member
I needed to see that video. Thanks.
-
We are a multilingual website again. Read the notice about this.
-
Understand AI use at MyPTSD: all AI use is explained in our AI help page. AI use is by choice here. It exists if you want it, but does nothing unless you choose to use it.
Practicing Mindfulness Could Cause Problems For Ptsd Sufferers
- Post starter Queen Boudica
- Start date
- Status
EveHarrington
VIP Member
This is my take on mindfulness. Maybe I'm off, but I see mindfulness activities to be in conflict with the ultimate goal of becoming more aware of our environment (internal/external).
I'm a quite hypervigilant person and I'm very aware of my external environment. I notice things that others fail to notice. I pick up on details that are inconsequential to many.
Mindfulness activities are oftentimes introduced to us by first telling us to close our eyes, right? (At least this has been my experience with my multiple forays into mindfulness with a number of different instructors.) "Close your eyes and notice all of the things you feel..." "Close your eyes and let thoughts float in and out of your mind..." But, what does that do? Well, for me it makes me less visually aware, less visually mindful of my environment. I am a visual person. I learn things better when I see them. If you cut off my visual link to the world, I'm actually taking in less information, not more. Cutting off my #1 stabilizing sense doesn't heighten my other senses. I don't suddenly taste, feel, hear, smell more efficiently. It doesn't allow me to become more mindful because when you cut off a big source of stabilization, warning signals go off in my body and mind.
To me, mindfulness has a sweet spot. I don't have to over-analyze every single thing I'm experiencing in order to be mindful. I don't have to identify every single sensation at any given moment in order to live a mindful life. I believe it's good to be aware on your internal and external environments, but hyper-awareness isn't necessarily a superior type of mindfulness.
I also feel that mindfulness is in opposition to CBT when it comes to thoughts. Mindfulness wants us to let thoughts pass on through, judgment free. I don't know about anyone else, but this feels like passive acceptance. (I realize that's not exactly mindfulness with non judgment.) My thoughts quite often need to be counteracted and corrected because they're so skewed.
I think that mindfulness is a great tool for many, but not so great for others. I think that mindfulness activities are a bit narrow in scope and that's why they don't work for everyone. That is, awareness is good, but the paths to mindfulness that are mostly offered up aren't the right paths for certain people for a variety of reasons. That is, there's more than one way to skin a cat but most are only being showed one way to get the job done, so to speak.
I'm a quite hypervigilant person and I'm very aware of my external environment. I notice things that others fail to notice. I pick up on details that are inconsequential to many.
Mindfulness activities are oftentimes introduced to us by first telling us to close our eyes, right? (At least this has been my experience with my multiple forays into mindfulness with a number of different instructors.) "Close your eyes and notice all of the things you feel..." "Close your eyes and let thoughts float in and out of your mind..." But, what does that do? Well, for me it makes me less visually aware, less visually mindful of my environment. I am a visual person. I learn things better when I see them. If you cut off my visual link to the world, I'm actually taking in less information, not more. Cutting off my #1 stabilizing sense doesn't heighten my other senses. I don't suddenly taste, feel, hear, smell more efficiently. It doesn't allow me to become more mindful because when you cut off a big source of stabilization, warning signals go off in my body and mind.
To me, mindfulness has a sweet spot. I don't have to over-analyze every single thing I'm experiencing in order to be mindful. I don't have to identify every single sensation at any given moment in order to live a mindful life. I believe it's good to be aware on your internal and external environments, but hyper-awareness isn't necessarily a superior type of mindfulness.
I also feel that mindfulness is in opposition to CBT when it comes to thoughts. Mindfulness wants us to let thoughts pass on through, judgment free. I don't know about anyone else, but this feels like passive acceptance. (I realize that's not exactly mindfulness with non judgment.) My thoughts quite often need to be counteracted and corrected because they're so skewed.
I think that mindfulness is a great tool for many, but not so great for others. I think that mindfulness activities are a bit narrow in scope and that's why they don't work for everyone. That is, awareness is good, but the paths to mindfulness that are mostly offered up aren't the right paths for certain people for a variety of reasons. That is, there's more than one way to skin a cat but most are only being showed one way to get the job done, so to speak.
jaccat
VIP Member
Great video.
I really struggle with it. My T took me right back to calming my mind for just a few breaths because I got overwhelmed by anything more. I've gradually begun to build it up from there, but it's a very slow and bumpy process and I still get triggered more often than not.
I really struggle with it. My T took me right back to calming my mind for just a few breaths because I got overwhelmed by anything more. I've gradually begun to build it up from there, but it's a very slow and bumpy process and I still get triggered more often than not.
Thank you for your comment..
I have for so many years been told I wasn't trying hard enough.. By therapists across the board. Relaxation is a key part of most therapies if only is my response..
I really do feel if I could relax it would help. I would love to be able to switch off. I have tried all sorts including herbal and prescribed .. The only thing that helps is diazepam but can't take large quantities of that each day just to get by..
I have really found this sight a god send as I don't have anyone to relate to about what I am going through or how I feel..
I look forward to reading more posts and feeling not so crazy...
G
Yes that man is good.
Yes.
Does that to me too. I just asked not long ago if mindfulness was really so necessary? (No.)
Same here, exactly.
Yes I'm not closing mine unless internally I feel safe enough, or that someone else is watching out. (Then I feel exhausted. Hard to keep my eyes open.)
Yes subconsciously I think it can do a lot of damage. Well that is, one just has to be aware that one's subconscious may act out & next thing you know what are you doing/ what have you done to yourself? :( (Just for me, anyway. But to be prepared/ watchful then it's ok. :) :tup: Still worth it. Just have to be aware of the possibility or likelihood/ cautious.)
I think being mindful, with a good mindset, & being able to relax some, is good.
Yes.
Does that to me too. I just asked not long ago if mindfulness was really so necessary? (No.)
Same here, exactly.
Yes I'm not closing mine unless internally I feel safe enough, or that someone else is watching out. (Then I feel exhausted. Hard to keep my eyes open.)
Yes subconsciously I think it can do a lot of damage. Well that is, one just has to be aware that one's subconscious may act out & next thing you know what are you doing/ what have you done to yourself? :( (Just for me, anyway. But to be prepared/ watchful then it's ok. :) :tup: Still worth it. Just have to be aware of the possibility or likelihood/ cautious.)
I think being mindful, with a good mindset, & being able to relax some, is good.
Last edited:
I was told repeatedly I was not trying hard enough.. It made me feel like I wasn't trying hard enough.
I sleep with the tv on it grounds me in the morning.. I always have the tv, radio or music on.. The silence hurts my ears.. Like you I just get flashes of things I'd rather forget.. Or I start to think of bad things that could happen.. Mindfulness made me feel sick, have headaches and my body hurt for days.. I also found my nightmares became worse..
I would love to relax.. I have friends for whom mild fullness is a godsend. Unfortunately and thankfully due to reading lots of people's responses to mindfulness I did try hard.. But it's just relaxing for me..
G
D
Deleted member 28740
Have you tried mindfulness as therapy? Guided or by self? Negative reactions like those in this article?
http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/jan/23/is-mindfulness-making-us-ill
http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/jan/23/is-mindfulness-making-us-ill
OrganicRobot
Bronze Member
Mindfulness in the proper context, is not suppose to be relaxing. The fact the core notion is misconstrued by the West is becoming an issue, and now corporations wants to capitalize on it.
The goal of mindfulness is to learn how to be centered in one's self, and to stay neutral/objective during any experiences, and that includes very painful ones. This takes many years of practice and dedication and cannot be done over night. Mindfulness is about being able to detach (thoughts/emotional/sensory) while simultaneously being able to experience the state.
To be at peace with one's self while simultaneously being surrounded by chaos is no easy feat. Mediation should never be viewed as a quick fix or band-aid. And yes, I do practice meditative techniques and the darkness does bubble up, and working through it can be very hard at times.
Please use caution when trying to self medicate with any form of therapeutic release. The healing process is always just as painful as the painful experience. It is like a bone being healed or needing surgery, and that process is painful. Mental healing is no different then physical healing in that regard.
The goal of mindfulness is to learn how to be centered in one's self, and to stay neutral/objective during any experiences, and that includes very painful ones. This takes many years of practice and dedication and cannot be done over night. Mindfulness is about being able to detach (thoughts/emotional/sensory) while simultaneously being able to experience the state.
To be at peace with one's self while simultaneously being surrounded by chaos is no easy feat. Mediation should never be viewed as a quick fix or band-aid. And yes, I do practice meditative techniques and the darkness does bubble up, and working through it can be very hard at times.
Please use caution when trying to self medicate with any form of therapeutic release. The healing process is always just as painful as the painful experience. It is like a bone being healed or needing surgery, and that process is painful. Mental healing is no different then physical healing in that regard.
Terrible article.:poop:
Yet another political pundit/social commentator talking about that which she does not understand.
Shameless embedded advert for yet another smartphone app.
Meaningless, appeal to authority fallacies.
Unsubstantiated groundless disparagement like "Farias says. “It’s difficult to tell how common [negative] experiences are, because mindfulness researchers have failed to measure them, and may even have discouraged participants from reporting them by attributing the blame to them.”:wideeyed:
Are you effing kidding me?!?!:wideeyed:
A serious blanket allegation of ethical misconduct leveled against "mindfulness researchers" and his best shot is that they " ....may even have discouraged....."
and I'm being ask to believe what? that he was in the room during every single research session world-wide and heard these private interactions?!
these are baseless accusations at best.
I'll end my rant now.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I've been studying the Eastern Philosophies upon which Mindfulness is based for decades.
There is a reason why ALL of these traditions emphasize the importance of regular interactions with a Guru(teacher/guide).
The people who have 'negative' experiences using Mindfulness show us that the need for a Guru is very real.
Novices need guidance, support, instruction from those who have walked the path before them.
Indians have been using these methods for at least 5000 years, let us all learn from their accumulated wisdom on these matters.
Some in the West act as if WE(westerners) have discovered this wonderful practice and some go off half-cocked with all these courses/apps/retreats, commercializing these practices.
Let's please remember the men and women over the Millennia that have devoted their entire lives to these practices and humbly honor the prudence of having a truly qualified Guru.
:)
Last edited:
I attended a 12 week mindfulness course. I found it hard work, attempting to keep my mind clear, instead of constantly ruminating, especially about upsetting past events. But in the moments I was able to achieve a clear mind, it definitely calmed me.
During the sessions we were not told we had to close our eyes, it was our choice, what ever we felt most comfortable.
I don't think anybody should suggest a particular type of therapy suits everybody, that simply isn't true. A therapist tried emdr with me once, it was awful. I didn't try it again. But for me mindfulness has been helpful.
During the sessions we were not told we had to close our eyes, it was our choice, what ever we felt most comfortable.
I don't think anybody should suggest a particular type of therapy suits everybody, that simply isn't true. A therapist tried emdr with me once, it was awful. I didn't try it again. But for me mindfulness has been helpful.
- Post starter
- #23
Queen Boudica
VIP Member
"void just because there are guru's (which I find a really intimidating word) does not mean that some people have major problems with this approach. I found it a really helpful article, one of the points is mindfulness is not being taught by gurus and is being used for cost cutting purposes instead of other therapies. There is no miracle thing that works for everyone, and some can do real harm, even if it is taught by a guru.
I think the term guru is very triggering for me. It implies there are these all-knowing beings who know your body better than you do and if you are trained and do it properly their way it will work and if you have problems you are not doing it properly and are at fault. Too much like my mother and particularly my ex. Listen to your body is what I am learning don't ignore the signals, even if some guru is telling you otherwise.
I think the term guru is very triggering for me. It implies there are these all-knowing beings who know your body better than you do and if you are trained and do it properly their way it will work and if you have problems you are not doing it properly and are at fault. Too much like my mother and particularly my ex. Listen to your body is what I am learning don't ignore the signals, even if some guru is telling you otherwise.
Last edited:
Thank you @Anarchy for the video. Mindfulness with John Kabbatt Zin has helped me a lot I practice it daily however self compassion and noticing and being with emotions and staying with them i.e. emotional regulation is extremely difficult for me at this moment of my recovery.
I think it depends where you are in your healing as to whether meditation helps. I find being in the moment helpful because the past is frightening for me . I live in the moment, not the past or the future. My thoughts still go through my head but I bring myself back to the breath. It also has sometimes being hard as emotions have surfaced. When you can ride the waves of your breath it is amazingly freeing. The body scans trigger me but I do not do those ones. Conscious awareness and loving kindness have been very helpful. I think mindfulness is helpful but you have to persevere with it well it has worked with me anyway. I find it useful as dissociation has stopped and I
have lots of disturbed sleep so meditating really relaxes and gives me like a power nap almost I feel refreshed after it. I have always practised privately at home rather than a class and I use apps.
I do understand that some people find it is not right for them though.
The above is just my own experience.
I think it depends where you are in your healing as to whether meditation helps. I find being in the moment helpful because the past is frightening for me . I live in the moment, not the past or the future. My thoughts still go through my head but I bring myself back to the breath. It also has sometimes being hard as emotions have surfaced. When you can ride the waves of your breath it is amazingly freeing. The body scans trigger me but I do not do those ones. Conscious awareness and loving kindness have been very helpful. I think mindfulness is helpful but you have to persevere with it well it has worked with me anyway. I find it useful as dissociation has stopped and I
have lots of disturbed sleep so meditating really relaxes and gives me like a power nap almost I feel refreshed after it. I have always practised privately at home rather than a class and I use apps.
I do understand that some people find it is not right for them though.
The above is just my own experience.
- Status
Similar posts
- Locked
Donation drives
Trending content
-
-
What Are You Feeling Today? Not Thinking, Rather Feeling! Can You Identify Yours?
- goingonhope
Comments: 34K -
-
-
-
