How To Help Myself Outside Of Therapy?

[Changing4Best]

I took my other meds this morning that I normally take at noon, because I was having another one of those emotional flashbacks when I woke up. It did help, so maybe I will just start taking those meds with breakfast. Other than that, I have no solutions readily available.

 

[Ocean5]

I think emotional flashbacks lead to a dissociative state in myself. Or maybe they could be dissociative states themselves.

Can relate. I wrote out what goes in my mind/body for last psychiatrist visit. I wanted to know if it was related to dissociation, or something else. She had lots of questions. Told me "extreme anxiety" that leads to dissociation symptoms.

I took my other meds this morning that I normally take at noon, because I was having another one of those emotional flashbacks when I woke up.

I'm not a doctor, but my psychiatrist told me to try to recognize symptoms of flashback or panic attack as they start. Take medicine then. (But I often try to calm my body naturally first...so I'm not a good example since I don't like medicine and have bad side effects to most.)

 

[Deleted member 12723]

Something I have been discovering is when I meet one of my needs and wants. This always makes me feel better. I think your bike riding and playing your guitar and with your cuddly hamster helps you so much.

I think with the dissociation it is a matter of making yourself feel safe. These things really help me.

I remember when I did not know what I needed or wanted and safety was a huge need of mine. Hugs.

 

[SabrinaB]

My symptoms require almost continual attention including daily walking, journaling, breathwork, spiritual nourishment and extensive mindfulness. I don't meditate regularly but rather try to remain present and grounded in everything I do.

Became committed to mindfulness after reading A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle many years before my trauma and have reread it every 18 months or so since. Can't imagine living with PTSD without this skill. Highly recommend his The Power of Now as a good starting point for anyone interested. My disassociation is more of a mind-body split, but it seems this approach would be helpful to yours as well.

 

[Ice_Fire]

@gizmo yes, you're so right. I need to continue to focus on the things that bring my happiness, I guess at least during those times I feel safe and can stay grounded. I can't find anything that matches being out on my bike for keeping my focus rooted in the here-and-now. Trouble is, I can't spend all my time doing that, as much as I'd like to!

@SabrinaB mindfulness work is something me and my therapist focus on a lot, she's trying to get me to incorporate it into my routine 24/7 so that I can stay grounded. Trouble is, the habit seems hard to form and I just, well...forget and dissociate. :banghead:

 

[holdenmonty]

Something that has helped me is going over stuff in therapy so much that it starts to become second nature when I'm not in therapy and to keep things that I learn in therapy super simple so I can remember them outside of therapy. Such as my therapist gave me a challenging beliefs worksheet to challenge my incorrect beliefs/thoughts and even though I can't remember all the different questions I just ask myself if it's a logical thought, and what the evidence for, and against are. A lot of time I have realized that the certain thought is a little bit of an over reaction to an event but I allow myself to have the thought and not judge myself for the thought but I use reason to challenge that thought. Other times I have realized that the certain thought is very acurate but that I need to stop, slowdown, think, and then act on that thought. Because thinking before acting keeps me from getting into a lot of trouble but now I am catching myself going to the other extreme of not being able to think of the right words to say without yelling and using inappropriate language so I just don't say anything and now I'm starting to stuff again.

 

[Changing4Best]

Watching my fish in my fish tank can be relaxing.