Repeated Phrases — How to make them stop?

[LeiaFlower]

Yesterday, an old phrase popped in my head again “Pull your panties down.” It appears sporadically, sometimes associated with anxiety other times with no known trigger at all. I realized that this phrase has been appearing for a while now and I never knew why. However, with the recent knowledge of sexual abuse it makes me wonder its significance. Even if it’s connected, I’m wondering on others thoughts on why the phrase pops up at random times. Or if others had something similar happen with them.

I guess I’m looking for the name of what could be going on. So then I can know how to make it go away :(

 

[arfie]

dunno the why or the name for ^it^ but i have this problem with a vengeance. it can be a mean psychotick when coupled with a trauma flashback. most of the time mine is merely irritating. psychic hiccoughs?

my most effective coping tool is to drown the catch phrase out with a song. any song will do. sometimes letting the song play in my head is enough. sometimes i have to hum or tap it. if i am in a place that allows for it, i just let myself sing out loud. repeat as needed. song changes encouraged.

 

[OliveJewel]

I had stuff like that. I tried to play around with it. So like if my automatic response was that it was flashbacks from abuse, I would try to give the words different meanings. For example, in your case I might respond to the phrase with something like, “Thank you, but not now, I will later when I go to the bathroom, not time yet.” Or maybe say it again, but change it to, “Pull your pants up.” Or mess around with the words, like asking what they actually mean. All this to try to break apart the automatic response, which was usually frightening or angering some part of me.

 

[Movingforward10]

Does thought stopping help? Saying "I don't need to hear this phrase, so I won't repeat it" or something like that?

 

[Sideways]

I have had a bit of an issue with intrusive thoughts in the past, and this sounds a lot like that. Tbh, for me the thing I need to do in those moments is ground myself, pronto. For me, they’re a very similar experience to flashbacks.

Separately, but similarly, there are a few key phrases I was programmed with which elicit programmed, traumatic responses. They have been much harder to knock over. I’m usually very dissociated when they hit - and if I hear certain phrases, I’ll most often dissociate instantly. And then do other things.

Again, the single most important thing I need to do when that happens is ground. And ground hard. Right back to the hear and now. Those ones I need to hit with freezing water to the face type stuff, or a freezing shower (usually clothed). And then I need to set things up so that I’ll be prompted to re-focus on grounding myself repeatedly, usually for at least a good 2 hours. They knock me round a lot.

As back up, if I’m fortunate enough to be at home when it happens? I PRN the shit out of myself and sleep it off, which is my failsafe way to ride out those really intense flashbacks and dissociative events. For a long time, I needed my dog with me in public to keep myself safe from those.

I’ve made enough progress in therapy that I no longer need that, but to be honest - it isn’t a coincidence that I switched from an office job to working with animals. Keeping myself grounded throughout the day has always been the most effective way at really limiting how often that happens, and how intense it is when it does.

 

[LeiaFlower]

dunno the why or the name for ^it^ but i have this problem with a vengeance. it can be a mean psychotick when coupled with a trauma flashback. most of the time mine is merely irritating. psychic hiccoughs?

Why when I searched “Psychotick” a villain from the television show Power Rangers came up

my most effective coping tool is to drown the catch phrase out with a song. any song will do. sometimes letting the song play in my head is enough. sometimes i have to hum or tap it. if i am in a place that allows for it, i just let myself sing out loud. repeat as needed. song changes encouraged.

I’ll have to try this, thank you :)

I had stuff like that. I tried to play around with it. So like if my automatic response was that it was flashbacks from abuse, I would try to give the words different meanings. For example, in your case I might respond to the phrase with something like, “Thank you, but not now, I will later when I go to the bathroom, not time yet.” Or maybe say it again, but change it to, “Pull your pants up.” Or mess around with the words, like asking what they actually mean. All this to try to break apart the automatic response, which was usually frightening or angering some part of me.

it feels like a vocal tick, unlike stimming where it’s voluntary, this feels more involuntary. It isn’t to self soothe but it in fact cause more anxiety. It isn’t fear driven like repetitive behaviors found in those with OCD. It strictly is random and automatic.

I never tried messing around with this phrase. I’ll have to try it out the next time it happens.

Does thought stopping help? Saying "I don't need to hear this phrase, so I won't repeat it" or something like that?

I know I keep saying this but I will have to test it out.

I have had a bit of an issue with intrusive thoughts in the past, and this sounds a lot like that. Tbh, for me the thing I need to do in those moments is ground myself, pronto. For me, they’re a very similar experience to flashbacks.

Separately, but similarly, there are a few key phrases I was programmed with which elicit programmed, traumatic responses. They have been much harder to knock over. I’m usually very dissociated when they hit - and if I hear certain phrases, I’ll most often dissociate instantly. And then do other things.

Again, the single most important thing I need to do when that happens is ground. And ground hard. Right back to the hear and now. Those ones I need to hit with freezing water to the face type stuff, or a freezing shower (usually clothed). And then I need to set things up so that I’ll be prompted to re-focus on grounding myself repeatedly, usually for at least a good 2 hours. They knock me round a lot.

As back up, if I’m fortunate enough to be at home when it happens? I PRN the shit out of myself and sleep it off, which is my failsafe way to ride out those really intense flashbacks and dissociative events. For a long time, I needed my dog with me in public to keep myself safe from those.

I’ve made enough progress in therapy that I no longer need that, but to be honest - it isn’t a coincidence that I switched from an office job to working with animals. Keeping myself grounded throughout the day has always been the most effective way at really limiting how often that happens, and how intense it is when it does.

Thank you for sharing your experience with intrusive thoughts. I genuinely didn’t even consider it being just that. I at times go down the rabbit hole with my symptoms, thinking of connecting that could simply be coincidences.

Thank you again for the new perspectives :)

 

[Friday]

Repeated Phrases — How to make them stop?

One of the core components/tools with ADHD is “You can’t control the first thought, you CAN control the second.”

So I personally have no idea how to make ANY intrusive thought stop. That’s just not how my brain functions.

So when it’s PTSD/Trauma driven thoughts popping into my head? I treat them the same way I treat the other 1,000 thoughts that come unbidden, and either ignore, explore, counter, or whatever …I want… the second thought to be.

 

[arfie]

when I searched “Psychotick” a villain from the television show Power Rangers came up

good one, leia! ! ! and here i thought it was an original coinage. . . i also got a rap song by lucidity maverick. i wasn't able to find the lyrics online and my hearing blurs unmercifully when i try to listen to music on cheap speakers, but the few words i caught seem to reflect the spirit of the coinage.

i'm a multi-lingual amateur etymologist and LOVE making up new words. my therapy journal is an especial challenge to read.

thank you for the morning giggle.