Practicing Mindfulness Could Cause Problems For Ptsd Sufferers

[Tinyflame]

Something just occurred to me.. if our emotions follow our thoughts (& our bodies too), wouldn't it just make sense post-traumas to direct them towards positive things? Because for ourselves we know (because we can't escape our past invading our present in the term of feelings) we're going to have plenty of negative thoughts bouncing around (bombarding us).

Perhaps mindfulness is one way of listening & potentially detaching, but some of us need other ways or versions to listen &/or detach?

 

[Lionheart]

I have used something I like to call 'mindful breathing'. That is to say that, I imagine my breath ebbing and flowing, naturally, like the ocean tide, ...in and out, rhythmically. It helps to calm me and bring my focus to the present moment. I imagine the sound of the ocean tide. It gently rocks me back and forth, until I feel calm, cool, and serene.

From there I can consciously focus on simple things such as the breeze in my hair or the sun on my face. I just relax and let it be.
I don't know what will help others, but I find this technique works well for me and so, I thought I would share .

 

[Tinyflame]

I can get lost to in the feeling of the warmth of the sun. :)

Maybe it's the tactile/ somatic aids? (Along with breathing?)

 

[Queen Boudica]

I feel more at peace when I am sitting by water, especially the ocean. One of my reasons I want to move closer so I can walk there. My psychologist did teach me the breathing technique you are describing @Lionheart777. It works sometimes but then I started getting really depressed and crying afterwards.

I talked about that with my psychologist, about how if I just sit down and relax or try to find some good memories I always jump to the bad ones. He got it. My childhood, and most of my life, very bad memories. Even the good ones, then lead to bad. They just come through. They are sad. Very sad.

 

[Mit]

The mindfulness course I attended made me realise just how much time I spent thinking, ruminating, turning things over and over in my mind. I would imagine what I would say to my tormentors, rehearse long conversations out loud, shout and scream at them. All this ever did was make me feel more depressed, more angry, more miserable.

I was doing this one day whilst walking along the coast path, and vacillated from being totally enraged as I relived and recalled past traumas, to breaking down in tears and crying my heart out. It then dawned on me that I had totally ignored the beauty of the scenery around me, the sounds of the sea and the feeling of wind on my skin - what was the point in going somewhere beautiful if I was going to stay in my head and make myself feel miserable.

Mindfulness made me aware of this. Now when I go walking I make a conscious effort not to ruminate, and be in the moment, and actually enjoy the scenery, the sounds and smells of the sea. Of course I slip back into rumination, but when I notice, I gently bring my attention back to the environment around me. It takes effort and it is hard work because my mind has a life of its own and wants to be busy - but at the end of the walk I stand a better chance of feeling lifted by the experience, rather than feeling totally miserable and wanting to jump off the cliff!

For me focussing on the environment around me is the most effective way of stopping rumination, which is why I try to go somewhere pleasant when I am going to practise being mindful. I'm sure this won't be right for everybody - but for me, it's a lot better than being in my head all the time.

I think @Anarchy is right to suggest that other activities can also be helpful in stopping rumination. I used to do a lot of extreme rock climbing. When I was climbing the focus on the here and now is absolute, it is the closest I have come to feeling totally at one with myself and the environment. I loved it. Part of my problem is that I stopped doing these things (due to age and accidents) and haven't found anything that quite matches the experience.

I don't believe any one therapy is going to work for everybody. But don't we need to find what works best for each of us, isn't that part of the process?

This really makes me feel like getting my ropes out!

mit

 

[ms spock]

I'm not going there. I have enough without bringing on more problems. Yes @Ms Spock I am still in that environment not free of it, so everything is still shackled.

They are just my opinions and my way of thinking - so they might not be relevant to another person on this board, because I have to tailor make my recovery and healing for me - no one else can do it.

I think you bring up interesting points and you create interesting discussions. I am grateful for that.

And this is one that I do know a little bit about - and I also know you a little bit as well.

I think, for the record, you are doing really well for the situation that you are currently in. Most people can't heal until they are actually safe, and as of yet, you and your children are not safe. That is something not to dwell on or ruminate on but it is something to keep in mind and it means you can give yourself a break every now and then.

 

[The Albatross]

I can be mindful fairly consistently now and have an internal filter that seems to be pretty reliable but not perfect. It's the self compassion aspect that is more problematic personally. I was talking to another mentor about it and she said that she sees me taking a pretty hard line on my sense of "personal responsibility" (that I adopted via 12 step and SMART programs for recovery) and that sort of replaced the idea of self compassion because I still tend to avoid uncomfortable emotions because they can lead to booze and a binge.

She's known me for a long while too... and says that I've made solid strides. There may be progress in the self compassion area eventually... she called it a "healthy fear" thing. Fear that trying to do it on my own would trip me over to booze. That makes sense to me. I am reading along and trying to think about it more... trying to figure out if the perceived benefits are really worth the risks.

So far, since I've bombed out of Spock's challenge a couple times and run some of my own individual goal challenges with this stuff off the forum... I'd say the percieved benefits do not outweigh the risks. Not in my particular situation though it does appear to be a good thing generally.

 

[KwanYingirl]

There is much validation for why it is so painful and worrisome for people with PTSD to avoid emotions. I've tried to paste a video of Bessel van Der Kolk explain the three organic brain changes in people with PTSD. They speak directly to perceptions that in traumatized people do not even notice, versus the mind, emotional and visceral danger signal PTSDers get. It is very real and we all need to tread lightly through this mine field. The fact that we are on this site is life affirming. Please be gentle with yourself and trust when you can. It is not helpful for you to get pushed back down the rabbit hole.
The thing that changed for me in terms of understanding groundedness was Reiki. It is very gentle, calming and cleansing. From there I started yin yoga. Next I will get polarity therapy. For years my line in the sand was scribed very far from these things. As my day to day safety improved, as I was able to articulate what happened to me as a child, I found I had less fear of feeling.

 

[Tinyflame]

Would like to 'like' @KwanYingirl 's post many times.

 

[void]

I have used something I like to call 'mindful breathing'. That is to say that, I imagine my breath e...

Excellent post!
Many thanks to you.
May you live in deep peace.:happy:

 

[void]

Would like to 'like' @KwanYingirl 's post many times.

me 2!
her posts are consistently excellent!
and you can sense the deep work she has done:happy:

 

[void]

I feel more at peace when I am sitting by water, especially the ocean. One of my reasons I want to...

I am moved by your deep pain:cry:
May you find your way to relief.
You do not deserve such sadness.:hug: