Coping Strategies - Learn Mindfulness + Do Something Pleasurable!!

[timetorecover]

I didn't realise until now how I learnt to use my fantastic skill of zoning out as a coping strategy, when triggered.

I have spent so much time zoned out, I actually feel that I have missed a huge chunk of my life from not being present. I have been away with the fairies!!

I have learnt to use the fabulous tool of Mindfulness Meditation to teach me to come back and ground myself. Its not as easy when I have felt so low, but being a little more well at the minute, I have just recognised what the hell I do. My therapist is the best, she has suffered trauma apparently. Her wonderful, holistic and compassionate healing strategy is working. I am blessed to have her in my life and feel so lucky to have her teach and coach me through this.

Keeping present is the key. We need to remember that we are here NOW. Trauma sucks us in to it, we relive it, we trigger and thats it BOOM, we are back in that movie of hell.

We need to learn to love that injured soul, keep telling ourselves that ITS NOT OUR FAULT!!!

WE ARE VICTIMS!! BE kind and compassionate and heal in little bits, to not push it, expose slowly, be kind and stay sane!!!

I am talking a big load so I am going to stop:x3: I hope that it makes sense though :rolleyes:

 

[Ted Moen]

We are people who have some additional challenges in our pursuit of life, liberty and happiness due to some prior experiences that were beyond our control. Mindfulness can help us work through those challenges, as well as help us through other life challenges as well. For about three years I carried a copy of "Full Castrophe Living" with me, referring to it frequently. These days I have pretty much integrated mindfulness into my life. It keeps me focused and grounded.

It helped me learn to be kind to myself by relaxing some of the rigid personal rules I had learned to adhere to in order to survive my assortment of hostile environments. It helped me become aware of my symptoms and related behavior, to learn that the related behavior did not have to follow the intrusive thoughts and feelings, that I could control my actual behavior in any situation as long as I remained fully aware of my symptoms and my current situation.

Recovery is good, but not easy. Mindfulness can help.

Ted

 

[timetorecover]

Hey Ted, Well Done for practising Mindfulness, it really does help.

Healing hurts though and so can Mindfulness when feeling low, but it has been the key to keeping me on my recovery journey.

Great to compare notes! Stay in touch :)

 

[doglover]

Mindfulness is great! It helps you be more present with your body and it helps lower heart rate (unless greater presence means greater awareness of what got triggered but even then... pushing through makes it a safe space to bring yourself to).

It can be uncomfortable for some folks. Tried mindfulness meditation with a group of clients and one of them got very anxious. When you are used to checking out, you aren't as aware of how anxious you are. At least, that is my basic sense of what causes the anxiety at this point.

Another tool I love for my own healing is mindful activity. Like eating a piece of fruit but doing it slowly, paying all my attention to all the textures and tastes and sounds. When I really get all my attention into it, I stop listening to the inner shame voices.

 

[Meadowsweet]

I like that you mention the need to be some way toward healing to get something out of mindfulness. It is so often accompanied with a minimising attitude.

For me, trying to be mindful causes severe anxiety. But reading this it is maybe something I will benenfit from one day.

Well done for achieving this, and thankyou for not minimising it:)

 

[timetorecover]

Mindfulness can be incredibly painful, as we are in the moment and facing what is there and if there is bad feling there, its gonna feel awful. Practice it when u feel well and not just porly and stick with it, really its a saving grace xxx

 

[Hopeful+Healing]

I've gotten into swimming at the gym. One reason I love it is I try to swim with mindfulness. It's the one activity where I can just focus on what I am doing. My stroke, breathing, and the feel of the warm water on my body.

-Susan