Holy #*+!, I Feel Mildly Electrocuted

[Chava]

I've had some extra nutty energy lately...mostly not good for me. I've cut back on one of my pain meds, slowly, and that's a good thing. But I think in combination with therapy I'm un-numbing or un-"freezing" and perhaps a little too fast. My therapist helped me today with releasing some of the energy in safe bits and also curling back in and feeling contained that way (Somatic Experiencing and other body-psych methods). I went from all-over jittery and sick to feeling better, with just some jitters left in my torso.

Now I'm home and it feels like an electric shock is going through my system. I've felt this before...it's not the same as panic attack but it's uncomfortable and can tip into dizzy or panic. Helps if I push against stuff, use up some muscle. But it's not ending. "Calming" things do NOT help. But neither does fidgeting. I just have to constantly push with my hands and feet and make sure I'm breathing through that. Just walking helps me feel less jittery and out of control but my knee is injured....so trying that in little bits too.

Does anyone else relate to this sort of electrical energy (deep jittery, buzzing...really fast "zzzzzzzzz" all over my body)...and what helps??? I assume I'll tired out eventually and tomorrow will be better (NOT going to get drunk tonight).

 

[Ronin]

I drop. Lay on the ground a while. Just breathe. Minimum sensory input, because by that point I'm flooded like f*ck.

Or I move it out. As in moving a lot, finding out what direction does that energy want to go, & moving my body in that direction.

And I make sure to stay hydrated and to not pull muscles in all that moving. Hence prefering the drop down part.

 

[Chava]

Going to try a little walk. Stepping and wiggling as I type. Screw my knee because I gotta move in some direction..

 

[Ronin]

Be careful @Chava. Do moves you're sure your body can handle, don't do this 'screw all of it' stuff. Don't go against your body, go with it.

 

[Justmehere]

Yes! I get this from time to time. It's is like this deep jittery buzzing. For me, it can physically hurt.

Medicating it (with anxiety meds or alcohol) doesn't work too well for me (I have tried both) and it tends to lead to the jitteriness coming back stronger.

Slow calming activities can totally backfire for me and actually make it worse. My old and new trauma therapists who both work from cognitive and somatic models, say it's common, and it's a sign my body is trying to physically process something. There is a technique of sitting really still and letting the feeling of all the anxiety come and go, and it will come and go, without doing anything at all... except to sit still and endure it getting worse. Sometimes I can do this, and sometimes I can't. Sometimes this helps, and sometimes it doesn't.

The therapists told me that when I can't be still and ride the somatic wave through, then doing something active in a mindful way is the next best option. I like running, and even more, doing a physical activity that requires me to be really in the moment - like shooting hoops or playing with my dog or something really engaging all of my senses and yet very active. This can work to help my brain and body shift out of the anxiety and back into the relatively safe present moment where it doesn't need to be in such strong flight mode.

I hope you find something that works for you!

 

[Deleted member 29961]

For me, it feels like I'm vibrating from the inside out. Sometimes I can use a form of deep meditation to help, other times I need to get up and burn the energy. Yet other times I need to combine the two. Over the years I have studied a number of mail arts and I discovered that if I slow the katas down ad smooth out their movements, its a lot like doing tai chi. It has the breathing and calming of the mind and the focusing your thoughts on the movements and muscles which keeps you in the here ad now. All the while burning up that nervous energy.

 

[Flossy]

It could be adrenaline. If so, it has to be burned up. Easiest fastest way to do that is to use isometric contractions.

Sit, stand or lay. Doesn't matter. Squeeze as many of your muscles as tight as you can for as long as you can and make a bit of noise while you do it. Or open your gob at the same time at least. Do it over and over. You'll know when the adrenaline has been burned off.

See, the alcohol just suppressed the adrenaline or even increased it because you were pissed at yourself for getting drunk and thay may have increased the adrenaline.

Unburned adrenaline thickens the walls of arteries and is what can cause heart disease and/or stroke. So burn it.

If you dont want to tense up go for a drive and scream or swear in the car loud as you can. Swear at who you want to. REally loud.

All using the same principle I guess, but I dont work well with philosophies. I am too impatient. I want the simplest fastest most convenient method to use. This works for me andI can do it anywhere.

 

[Chava]

Thanks @Cashew I went for a short, careful walk. But I had to get out and move in some organized direction. That did help a bit.

Slow calming activities can totally backfire for me and actually make it worse. My old and new trauma therapists who both work from cognitive and somatic models, say it's common, and it's a sign my body is trying to physically process something.

Makes sense. The sitting still thing is interesting (and actually opposite what my therapist would recommend, though she doesn't recommend mindless fidgeting, but moving and releasing energy slowly and mindfully, like pushing against something but not aggressively, and remaining aware that I am pushing...if that makes sense). I think the still thing would be extremely uncomfortable.

The therapists told me that when I can't be still and ride the somatic wave through, then doing something active in a mindful way is the next best option.

Yes, like that. More approached as releasing fight/flight energy vs letting it pool up in my body and make me sick. But again, being mindful not to just fidget, pace frantically, or amp myself up further with cigarettes or some other stimulant. Shooting hoops sounds great!! Being absorbed and directed/organized in movement seems to help with this too. I think yesterday was hard to figure out because of my knee (and a little scared because lately I've been getting drunk over some of this energy). Thanks @Justmehere

For me, it feels like I'm vibrating from the inside out.

Yes, it feels like that!

It has the breathing and calming of the mind and the focusing your thoughts on the movements and muscles which keeps you in the here ad now. All the while burning up that nervous energy.

Good stuff! I wish I knew karate, or one of the mindful martial arts that felt a little stronger than t'ai chi. But the basic idea makes sense...finding movement that is directive, focused, releases energy without stirring it up further (like the fidget-pacing stuff or just getting really tense).

Squeeze as many of your muscles as tight as you can

Sometimes this sort of thing helps too...like squeezing my fists, then releasing. Then again. That is sort of what I was doing with pressing against the floor with my feet (primarily using big upper leg muscles). Focusing, strong, then releasing a bit. Just seemed to take a lot!!! Adrenaline for sure...

Today feels better, at least for now. I'll see my therapist twice next week.

 

[Flossy]

Maybe start off with a little less strength of pressure and build it. This way it won't seem to take a lot. It will sort of come to a climax and you will know when you can stop. I remembered I also do upper body stuff while holding the steering wheel and gripping like a mad woman but only enough to contract and relax, not enough to drive over the car in front of me.

I gave up regular exercise ten years ago, but my favourite exercise is getting down on the ground in a sand pit and wrestling with my husband. I llove nothing more than squeezing his head between my knees. We would sneak into the local football team training sandpit and do it.

Apparently there is something called Mixed Martial Arts that work on the same kind of workout.

 

[KwanYingirl]

I describe my electrical pulses as acid flowing through my veins. I think it's a chemical exposure, my psyche says its anxiety. Not going to split hairs with him about it. He gives me no advice so I usually end up cutting to get it to stop.

 

[Chava]

He gives me no advice so I usually end up cutting to get it to stop.

:(

I've been wrapping some body parts with compression tape or athletic tape lately. I don't feel like cutting or burning lately, but there is the same underlying intensity and unease. I don't know how it relates to certain limbs. But the compression gives me some sense of containment and safety. I have no idea if this would help you or not @KwanYingirl . Lately this helps with some of that energy (and extra gabapentin...and a few extra appointments).

 

[KwanYingirl]

Thanks @Chava for the advice.that feeling of shock waves has lessened but it blindsides me. I agree it's horrid.