Bone Chilling Cold

[scout86]

I don't get the biofeedback thing

I've never asked why M started talking about that topic. I THINK his idea was to come up with something that would attract my attention, hold my interest, and get me to pay attention to stuff like how I 'felt'.

The thing is, with biofeedback you can learn to do things like control/change your body temperature.

What @Friday & I were both saying is that this business of 'cold' that isn't due to the environment is one of the things your body does automatically in response to stress. It's actually "normal" although it happens to some of us a little differently than it does members of the general public. I'm thinking that doesn't exclude the possibility of a 'body memory'/

 

[Friday]

So Friday, what did I miss.

2 pieces.

(Not saying you missed either piece. :) Just putting them here both / as clarity.)

- Anxiety Piece >>> Blood Gets Yanked to Core
- Flashback Piece >>> Reliving past events. Both cold events AND the whole fight/flight aspect, also pulls your blood to the core.

These can be vicious cycle, sometimes. Because I can trigger off of certain kinds of anxiety. Which kicks me into flashbacks. Which raises my anxitey. Which kicks me into flashbacks. Rinse lather repeat, with each bit hitting harder and lasting longer.

The BIG trick, IME, is interrupting that cycle. At any point. In any way.

The smaller tricks are using that cycle against itself / to your benefit. Like when you're partway into it, using it to teach yourself different methods for when you're 10/10 & the aspect of yourself that hides in dangerous places takes over... Because you're not that gone, yet, can use the lower levels of it to train new reactions...and at any point using it to ground against itself. AKA you have a bag of 32 grounding tricks. Because you're cold? You know that #4 will work best. So you don't waste time with 1-3 & 5-32, but can shift directly into the one that is like a key in a lock. Oh. We're doing this. Okay. Anxiety up, flashbacks running, so let's hit it with #4. Or, let it run for a bit while we practice hiding in safe places, then hit it with #4.

 

[joeylittle]

Something kind of basic, but worth a try - wearing layers on your body is fine, but layering thick wool socks, wearing gloves or good fingerless mitts (warm) and a hat (all pretty much all the time). It's not going to change what your body does in an anxiety response - but, it will eliminate the risk of physically experiencing the cold and having that trigger something anxiety or flashback related.

The whole thing about losing heat through the extremities is very real.

 

[sun seeker]

AKA you have a bag of 32 grounding tricks. Because you're cold? You know that #4 will work best. So you don't waste time with 1-3 & 5-32

Mind if I paraphrase even more?

What I get that Friday is saying is: find something that works to warm you up fast, and then practice it a whole bunch when you are only slightly affected.

(Only I'm not sure - are you ever only slightly affected, or is this a 0-60 in no time flat kind of thing?)

@Friday, is this about right? I'm just imagining how simply I might need this laid out, if I were having trouble taking in information.

 

[shimmerz]

find something that works to warm you up fast, and then practice it a whole bunch when you are only slightly affected.

Got it. Thanks so much for seeing that I needed like - grade 2 language.

(Only I'm not sure - are you ever only slightly affected, or is this a 0-60 in no time flat kind of thing?)

I am not certain yet. I don't think this is hitting me as quickly as the catatonia used to - I think I am just not aware until I am bone cold because, as I believe you may know Sun, I am not typically one to feel the cold. So I think if I could train myself somehow to be more aware....

wearing gloves or good fingerless mitts (warm) and a hat (all pretty much all the time)

This is a very good strategy for outside. Thank you. I have never in my life dressed like that in the cold but seems this is a good time to start.
I need a different strategy for inside the office. Clients come in and so on. And I seem to be reacting like this to the cold in the office.

 

[shimmerz]

AKA you have a bag of 32 grounding tricks. Because you're cold? You know that #4 will work best.

Yes, I will definitely need to explore this. See what works. Thank you for the clarification Friday.

 

[joeylittle]

I need a different strategy for inside the office. Clients come in and so on. And I seem to be reacting like this to the cold in the office

Eh, I'd say a nice stylish toque and some pretty mitts, and (trade secret) shoes a size too big so they accommodate double winter socks (might be overboard, just sharing my methods :p)

It's winter in Canada. I think most Canadians would get it...I certainly know people who wear mitts at work in the winter, because of the constant typing and offices are usually not over-heated.

 

[Gs172003]

I work outside. Layers are my friend. And hot- hands :)

 

[Deleted member 28740]

Riding motos on long 6K-10K trips (month or two - good bit of South America), micro climates and layers, tried many high tech non natural, and for me the best and favorite is Smartwool (merino). Regulated temps, no sweat to chill or swamp in, no stink (moto camping often so days between a wash for the layers, sponge bath for me.) Expensive up front, but last with reasonable care for a long long time Made a mesh bag that I could throw stuff in bungee corded to the pillion seat and have dry while riding. Open, move around, repeat. I still have some 10 years later. I found bulky layers cut off adjustment. Tried one time in freezing rain two pair of sock. Rode for 60 mile or so before coming to an intersection with a light and could not feel when my feet touched the pavement to hold the bike up. Circulation is important to regulation.

Trying to winterize here, and deal with back pain which is worse with damp cold. There are heated seats pads. Looking into that.

 

[scout86]

And I seem to be reacting like this to the cold in the office.

Around here, we have something called a 'milk house heater' that's pretty popular. It an electric heater that a lot of people who have problems with the cold put under their desks to help them stay warm.

http://www.kmart.com/kenmore-milkhouse-heater/p-006W005747037001P

 

[Poofycat]

I second the personal space heater. Everyone in my office has one. I also don't see a problem with wearing fingerless gloves and a stylish hat in the office. Scarfs worn inside are very popular where I live and I wear one pretty much every time there's a slight chill in the air.

Really interesting topic btw. I've noticed that I get very cold when I dissociate, and have actually noticed that I'm dissociated because I feel so cold when everyone else seems fine with the temperature. So this thread explains a lot!

 

[aut555]

I use to use those hot paks on my shoulders to dissipate the stress. They have for shoes. How about an electric blanket at work, it could cover your legs only and be hidden by your desk? I used a heater under my desk, it really helped. Drinking hot liquids may help also, even hot water with some lemon added, hot tea ,etc. Heating pads plug in, you could keep one of those at work and sit on it or Velcro it to your chair. They have heated blankets you can plug into a cig. lighter. Much compassion to you, maybe hit the sauna to feel the opposite of bone cold to help you.