Bubblize-ing (a Definition)

[shimmerz]

If only Wikipedia had this type of stuff, I wouldn't have to make it up myself! Jeez! This is in response to a member that requested further information.

Bubblize-ing
The process that a true, blue PTSD'er may go through in order to make his or her environment more tolerable based on adverse anxiety and stress reactions. Usually disrupts normal social, recreational or work abilities and experiences. For instance, a PTSD'er who used to like going to movies may not be able to tolerate;
1. the darkness in movie theatres,
2. the random content involved in movies,
3. the inability to see the exits in the movie house,
4. being trapped in their seating arrangement,
5. people sitting beside them,
among other things that may be triggers specific to them.

As a way of avoiding such stressors, the PTSD'er most likely will stop going to movie theatres, thus creating a protective bubble that, although seems like a good solution to the stressor, may in fact limit the PTSD'ers life experiences. This process may or may not be noticable to the PTSD'er until suddenly they find that they no longer are able to do things that many other people who are not affected by PTSD may find to be meaningful and - well - fun.

As per the members request, does anyone have any ideas as to how to identify, stop or reverse the 'bubblize-ing process?

 

[SwordsPandaGirl]

What ive done is try and limit the stressor.

Using your cinema example. I am terrified of who I will sit beside and need to know where the exits are.

So when I go, I make sure to select a seat (I book it beforehand) next to aisle and my fiance sits next to me. Eliminating anyone else sitting next to me. This also means I have a clear view of the exits and allows me to leave half way through if I feel the need to due to content. Allows me to return once I feel stable enough without disturbing others around me.

Its a way to cope and experience all the 'fun' things in life. Hope ive helped.

 

[Friday]

I do everything I'm afraid of... Eventually.

If I'm not able to simply do it, I flirt around the edges of a thing, pushing my boundaries in closer and closer... Until I can. Also known as spiking, dares, or exposure therapy.

Basically, fear pisses me off. So I keep messing with something until I'm not afraid of it.

 

[shimmerz]

@FridayJones do you have any reactions that stop you from being able to spike?

 

[Friday]

That's the flirting around the edges of a thing... To define & figure out my own boundaries. Going in just close enough to my boundary to feel it, but not lose my shit. Have to define the boundaries to do that. Then keep moving them.

I use the crowds thing as an example a lot. In the beginning? I spent a lot of time on rooftops. Not only out of the crowd but above it. Even up there? Mad hypervig, hot & cold sweats, moderate shakes, anxiety in my belly, etc. I'd go up there for awhile, the come down. Go back up. Come back down. Until I could actually see the crowd. Just watching it. Studying it. Looking at the flow and the patterns with zip, zero, zilch in the way of physiological response. Clear headed, not Hypervigilent. And then I moved down. Did the same thing from different vantages. Hung out on the edges of crowds with clear avenues of egress. Learned to move along the edges of them. Then moved more and more into them. Stuck out like a sore thumb. So I learned to walk differently. To project calm, be invisible, blend, move through. Then eel though. I can dart through a crowd even at a concert, like nobody's business. Whole process took about 2 years of gradually pushing my boundaries.

Movie theatre? I'd go in the daytime, lights on, and hang out. Bring a book & maybe buy a ticket but not intend on watching anything if I want to go deeper in. Figure out how much of the stress is from the space itself, layout, dark, crowds, seating arrangement, egress, etc. It may not just be the 'obvious' stuff (aka stuff I can think of ahead of time, or that hits the hardest watching a flick) that is actually triggering alarms. Use some sensory tricks, hang out, and get bored. The boredom is key. Once I'm bored? I know I can move in further. Progress to things like the mommy-room that have lights on, and you can talk / leave any time you need / stand up and move around / etc. Then maybe the very back row or very front row for a few minutes or scenes. Whole point being just the sheen of sweat & hint of anxiety... Not full on reaction.

For other similar things...mthere are usually work arounds. Dress rehearsals, outdoor concerts, etc. Avenues and venues that touch the anxiety scale without tipping it. Until I'm able to keep pushing those boundaries inwards. And if I've accidentally run into something that knocks the scale over? Backing the hell up. Not trying to stay and force it. More like water. Gradually eroding. Hit rapids? Head to shore. Nope. Huh-uh. Back up and try again.

There's a far better explanation of things here : Link Removed

 

[JEKBreatheandBelieve]

I have been working on reframing my fearful thoughts. Example: The plane is going to crash on my house. Changed to: There is a plan flying overhead and the chances of it crashing into my house are minuscule. I have used it for other things to and it is starting to help.

Also, I have been working on visualizing. Visualizing as best I can what will happen. For example we went downtown one time to see a bunch of jack-o-lanterns. I totally forgot there would be crowds of people there and got super anxious. I did not have a fun time. When I went downtown near Christmas time, I visualized the crowds of people ahead of time and went over my plans of which stores I needed to go to, where in the store I needed to go. It helped me prepare much better and my trip was much more successful.

Sometimes if I have to do something hard, like visiting my dying mother-in-law, I plan a pleasant or relaxing activity for afterwards. There's no way to visit her without getting anxious or upset. I accept that fact, but then plan what I will do afterwards to keep myself from crawling in bed and hiding from the world.

I hope those are the kinds of things you meant and are helpful.

 

[ShadowSolace]

This actually makes a lot of sense, due to the fact that School is a major trigger for me.
I don't feel very safe there due to my fear of people and the knowledge that anyone could do something to me at anytime.
It's not very rational because there are teachers, staff, and friends that could protect me. Its just something I've had trouble with for a long time.

I usually tell myself that I have friends who will help if something goes wrong or if I just need someone. Also, if I don't speak unless I'm spoken to and watch my surroundings, I'll be fine.

 

[haltija]

I have been working on reframing my fearful thoughts. Example: The plane is going to crash on my house. Changed to: There is a plan flying overhead and the chances of it crashing into my house are minuscule. I have used it for other things to and it is starting to help.

Am I really not the only one who is constantly terrified over planes flying overhead? I have no reason for it, aside from having lived on a military base and hearing planes and test explosions constantly.

Anyway, I agree with all of this. I find myself avoiding certain movies because there could be sex or nudity, or something else that I'm not comfortable with. Most people don't understand this, but fortunately, my boyfriend has been very accepting of it. Other people have told me that I was being immature or needed to "grow up." My response to that now is the uplifting motion of my middle finger raised to their face and sometimes I feel quite good about that.

Interestingly enough, because my guy has been so accepting and compassionate about these feelings, I feel myself becoming more tolerant and feeling safer. I've learned to have something on hand for films, like a phone or something to mess with when it's going on and try to block it out if I can't handle it.

Socially, I've avoided social situations as much as possible and I think that's fine for now. Has it hurt other people? Probably. Yes. Oh well. They don't know what I'm dealing with. Eventually, when I feel like I have more control over my environment and what I can handle personally, then I'll be ready. Now just isn't the time for me to pretend to be social and I'm okay with that. My PTSD started about four or five years ago, but with the mention or distant return of the abuser, I'm found myself sucked back into the healing process. I'm giving myself a few months, timed, so that I can prepare myself mentally before I feel confident enough to deal with people when I don't want to.

In situations that I do find fun, or where others find it fun, I've noticed I get angry and feel annoyed for no apparent reason. I am realizing this now and working on letting go. For some reason my brain has me believing that these things are "bad" or "stupid," causing me to feel randomly pissed off and piss every one else off around me without any real cause. Enjoying things again can really be something to practice, at least for myself.

 

[JEKBreatheandBelieve]

Am I really not the only one who is constantly terrified over planes flying overhead? I have no reason for it, aside from having lived on a military base and hearing planes and test explosions constantly.

You are not the only one terrified of planes flying overhead. I have had this fear for many years and I have absolutely no reason for it that I can remember.

 

[Hope4Now]

Thanks for the thread, Shimmerz. I love the riff on wikipedia. Very clever.

If I'm not able to simply do it, I flirt around the edges of a thing, pushing my boundaries in closer and closer... Until I can. Also known as spiking, dares, or exposure therapy.

I'm rather like this. I flirt on the edges of things that scare me. And a lot scares me. Some things are actually scary (like sailing small boats on open seas, or presenting to a group of 600 people), other things seem silly (like going to cocktail parties with people I know perfectly well, or even to work, or out to dinner alone when I'm traveling). I think I'm taking calculated risks. Except that more often than not, I tip over and am in way over my head with all sorts of different reactions. Not good at calculating. Same situation could be fine one day or hour or minute, then totally NOT fine. I just never know. Too many parts inside me I guess. Makes it hard to plan.

 

[Chava]

Avoiding eye contact (but wondering why you feel so disconnected or lonely....while you aren't even connecting on basic beginner levels sometimes).

I relate so much to feeling like I'm in a bubble, but it seems more in relation to the human world. It helps to keep my group of contacts small but work at sustaining those relationships, trying to show up if there is a birthday party or meeting, calling someone (twice a year?), people I know and can make eye contact with. Sometimes that much is pretty challenging. But when I'm feeling especially brave I can venture out of my bubble and make eye contact or smile at a new person.

Sitting in the middle of a row of seats or not seeing exists = dreadful!!

 

[Deleted member 1860]

How do you reverse the bubbl-izing? You heal.

Actually, I'm being serious. My personal bubble keeps me at arms length from females (two of my abusers were female). It was SO bad that I couldn't be alone in the company of other women. In a group setting, I would go into panic if it was a bunch of women and there were no men. I had to quit one group because of this. It was like exposure therapy on crack with no support (re the exposure part), so not a good situation. I remember freaking out in a movie theater once when I realized I was surrounded by women. I quickly scanned the crowd and saw one lone guy sitting in the corner and I was able to calm down. I could go on.... Last fall I took a class. It wasn't until more than halfway into the semester that I realized that there were no guys in my class, and that I was able to spend SIX hours a week (straight) in the company of only females. Whoa, breakthrough that I didn't even realize until well after the fact!

The same sort of thing has happened with other symptoms as well. I don't necessarily tackle that particular symptom, but then some random Tuesday, completely out of the blue I realize that the issue has either resolved or been greatly reduced.

So maybe this is something you tackle head on, maybe this is something that will get better as you heal in general. Sometimes it can be difficult to determine which symptoms take active work and which ones will get better naturally as we heal.