Does anyone else literally get triggered by grounding shit

[MyWillow]

Anything that focussed on breathing used to make me worse. Much worse. But now it only sometimes makes me worse. Sometimes it helps. We do a bit of practice in session that involves visualisation - my T ALWAYS asks if I would like to first - I find the visualisation comes naturally as I dissociate at the drop of a hat so that tends to be the main focus. I do a tiny bit of practice in my TS yoga class but only if I feel I can. Again there is always choice. The other trick I am learning is to just sit and notice without judgement. It's a difficult one but extremely valuable. Eyes closed or open is ALWAYS a choice too in session or in TSY. The easiest way for me to ground is to talk about my dogs. I can actually take a few deep breaths when I really need to now. Sometimes ;)

 

[T2L]

I have an issue with guided meditation and I'm not sure why. It sends me into flashbacks and panic attacks. In therapy I've found that having something in my hand to physically feel helps me stay grounded to an extent. My T recognizes now when I'm starting to dissociate because the fidget spinner will start going or I'll be running a pen with a rubber grip through my fingers to feel the texture. Others telling me to stop and name things I can stop momentarily and do, but then I'm right back into the dissociated state. It has taken time to learn to do self--grounding techniques, but it's more successful than listening to others.

 

[AliciaEff]

My therapist tried a tree grounding exercise. I’m not sure how common it is so I will quickly explain... you’re supposed to imagine that you’re a tree, your arms are branches and your legs are roots.

Well when she said that I immediately began feeling uncomfortable and unsafe. I did not want to feel like a stupid tree stuck in the ground when my trauma is about assualt and I have nightmares about being stuck and unable to run away from my abuser. I told her I hated it. She was confused, but we never did that one again

 

[EveHarrington]

My therapist tried a tree grounding exercise. I’m not sure how common it is so I will quickly expla...

That would trigger me too! I have mega issues with anything that feels like I’m tied down.

 

[Gs172003]

Can you ground yourself?

I mean be self motivated to ground?

It sounds like the problem is bei...

This.
I can focus on OTHER things. A strong taste. A smell. A pretty sound.

 

[ms spock]

Chris Germer has written a book on Self Compassion, it has a lot of strategies for people with trauma in terms of grounding. I am reading it at the moment it is called "The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion: Freeing Yourself from Destructive Thoughts and Emotions", 2009 by Christopher K. Germer

 

[shimmerz]

Yes, in answer to your question. All the time.

I carried cut up lemons with me back at the beginning. That and my teddy bear. I needed the softness of my teddy and I needed to be slammed into my body by the lemon because I would go 'off' so quickly and dangerously. I was sensitive to every (and I mean EVERY) noise. I would go off like a rocket.

Originally people used the 'feel you toes', 'be a tree and root to the ground'. don't think about a white elephant. breathe. shiest. It wasn't at all helpful and I was seen as a 'resistor' because of it and healers got ornery with me. I stood my ground with them.

I learned to take hot candies with me where ever I went, brought cut up lemons, would stop in and get hot chips at the local store, lemonade from McDonalds. Things that literally forced my body to pay attention to the fact that floating away in a dissociative stupor or a hellish flashback was not okay. Mainly I got into the routine while I was well because I couldn't think my way out of a paper bag when I was lost. By doing it while I was well, it made it an automatic thing if I wasn't well.

Also, I noticed that I would randomly spray perfume and so on on myself if I felt 'off' if I went to a mall or something. Now I make my own essential oil concoctions and carry them with me. Helps me a ton.

The idea is to get your senses involved as much as you can. Ideally the senses should be engaged strongly. So a VERY strong smell, or a very sour or hot thing to pop into your mouth.

 

[Gs172003]

Yes, in answer to your question. All the time.

I carried cut up lemons with me back at the beginni...

I carry lemon candies and lemonade for this very purpose.

 

[shimmerz]

Stops dissociative behavior, for me, dead in its tracks.

 

[Squizooza]

I managed to try a bit of yoga the other day (on my own at home), but otherwise any kind of stuff that is supposed to be relaxing or grounding just makes me really angry.
It sounds so boring that even the thought of it gives me a huge temper tantrum.
I don't mind New Age spiritual stuff at all, as long as it's about your mind; but all the physical stuff drives me up the wall. If I want to relax physically, I've got to tire myself out by running, swimming, walking etc. Grounding exercises have the opposite effect on me.
Glad I'm not the only one.

 

[SinkorSwim]

So I use a lot of different techniques to ground myself. The one that works the best with me is touch. I'm terrified of touch however(sexual abuse survivor). So we started off small with knee tapping to ground myself, then we went to hand squeezing, then a hug! As crazy as this may sound look at it as a challenge to conquer. Maybe tell your therapist you want to practice it at the end of the session.

 

[ms spock]

Members who relate to this thread not LR Sideways Link Removed Suzetig Zoogal littleoc Friday Dead Link Removed T2L Link Removed Link Removed Squizooza might relate to this article. Why 'Take a Deep Breath' Can Be Terrible Advice – Member Feature Stories – Medium It is very informative about why saying "Take a deep breath!" Can be destructive and dysregulating can be so hard and actually can derail someone's healing, as it is not appropriate for them at that time.