Sufferer Self soothing

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fleur09

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hi fellow PTSD sufferers? Ok that sounds a bit weird but English is my 2nd language wouldn't know how to word this intro differently.
There's a lot of us in here struggling with debilitating mental illness. I suppose it's good to know you're not alone.

I've been suffering from extreme anxiety since childhood. I'm 37now...the stresses that I've experienced throughout my life on a daily basis for years have felt like utter hell,and I'm sure everyone here gets stuck in their hell loop.

I dragged myself out of it so many times only to fall back in but eventually I got to a place of relative balance and then a few weeks ago got diagnosed with cancer. Never has my mind produced so vivid pictures of me dying from this dreaded illness or killing myself to get away from the grip of anxiety.

Had to stop working, home alone alone all day hiding under a blanket and rocking. I don't even know anymore what to do to calm myself down.
How do you self sooth? Does it always work because the methods I've used so far don't seem to be effective.im waking up every morning in a state of dread and complete despair.
Also what psychotherapy modality have you found most useful?

I've done EMDR and somatic experincing for a while and it's was helpful but haven't got all the nukes out of my head and now I can't afford to pay for therapy anymore.

Despite all of this I pray for what I always have since childhood ...to heal all of me..it's just seems extra difficult now.

I hope wherever you are you are feeling safe!
 
hi fellow PTSD sufferers? Ok that sounds a bit weird but English is my 2nd language wouldn't know how to word this intro differently.
There's a lot of us in here struggling with debilitating mental illness. I suppose it's good to know you're not alone.

I've been suffering from extreme anxiety since childhood. I'm 37now...the stresses that I've experienced throughout my life on a daily basis for years have felt like utter hell,and I'm sure everyone here gets stuck in their hell loop.

I dragged myself out of it so many times only to fall back in but eventually I got to a place of relative balance and then a few weeks ago got diagnosed with cancer. Never has my mind produced so vivid pictures of me dying from this dreaded illness or killing myself to get away from the grip of anxiety.

Had to stop working, home alone alone all day hiding under a blanket and rocking. I don't even know anymore what to do to calm myself down.
How do you self sooth? Does it always work because the methods I've used so far don't seem to be effective.im waking up every morning in a state of dread and complete despair.
Also what psychotherapy modality have you found most useful?

I've done EMDR and somatic experincing for a while and it's was helpful but haven't got all the nukes out of my head and now I can't afford to pay for therapy anymore.

Despite all of this I pray for what I always have since childhood ...to heal all of me..it's just seems extra difficult now.

I hope wherever you are you are feeling safe!
Hello there,

Thank you for reaching out to this community. You are definitely not alone in this struggle. It takes a lot of courage to share your experiences with others, but by doing so, you are opening yourself up to the possibility of healing and finding support.

I'm sorry to hear about your cancer diagnosis and the impact it's having on your mental health. It's understandable that you are experiencing a lot of anxiety and distress right now. It's important to remember that self-soothing techniques won't always work, and that's okay. It's helpful to have multiple tools available in your toolbox, but sometimes we need additional support from mental health professionals. Have you considered reaching out to a therapist or counselor who specializes in trauma and PTSD? There may be low-cost or sliding scale options available in your area.

Regarding psychotherapy modalities, different approaches work for different people. EMDR and somatic experiencing can be very effective, but there are other modalities such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) that may also be helpful. It's important to find a therapist who you feel comfortable with and who understands your unique needs.

Remember to be gentle with yourself during this time. You are going through a lot and it's okay to not have all the answers. It's admirable that you are still holding onto hope for healing. This community is here for you and we support you.
 
Welcome to the community! 🤠 Your English is beautiful.

How do you self sooth? Does it always work because the methods I've used so far don't seem to be effective.im waking up every morning in a state of dread and complete despair.
The vast majority of my self-soothing techniques are directly related to >>>
The PTSD Cup Explanation

“Blowing off steam” early & often to keep my stress levels managed, with targeted extras when my stress levels rise? Works amaaaaaazingly well. For me, those are mostly physical pursuits. Sport, dance, art… which becomes a MAJOR problem… whenever I’m sick or injured.

I always used to just ride out those times when I was sick/injured, until the first time I fell ill in a major way. 2 years to recover? Is not something one can just white-knuckle through like a few weeks here and there.

Switching from gross-motor with fine-motor finesse (swimming, diving, rowing, riding, snowboarding, gymnastics, dancing, fire arts, photography, martial arts, sex, etc.) to fine-motor (lock picking, drawing, calligraphy, origami, languages, gaming, etc.) HELPS, but? Nowhere near enough to keep me at all level. I needed those big bursts of energy, and finely controlled use of my body, to burn off all those extra chemicals swirling around in my blood, and keep my heart & mind clear.

So I also had to overlay a lot of distraction, sensory tricks, etc. to even begin to make up the difference.

So… do some things ALWAYS help? Yes.
Am I always able to DO them? Nope!

Also what psychotherapy modality have you found most useful?
Hands down, both because it’s 100% me in my own time doing it, and because it’s soooooo effective: Exposure Therapy. (Some links below).

Whilst EMDR is a type of exposure therapy, I haven’t done that one yet, as until recently it was contraindicated for complex trauma. The EMDR institute has worked out those kinks, and now has advanced trainings for complex trauma, but very few people are trained in it. So, one of these days I may do it on any unprocessed trauma, but until then? Shrug.

Some of my own experience with exposure therapy
- Oral sex Here
- Crowds here

Articles
 
Thanks a bunch this is really interesting! I noticed dancing is really helpful,a lot of discharging going on. I think lately I've just been too frozen to dance,mainly stuck to yoga and qi gong but it's not the same... Anyhow cheers,stay safe
 
Hello there,

Thank you for reaching out to this community. You are definitely not alone in this struggle. It takes a lot of courage to share your experiences with others, but by doing so, you are opening yourself up to the possibility of healing and finding support.

I'm sorry to hear about your cancer diagnosis and the impact it's having on your mental health. It's understandable that you are experiencing a lot of anxiety and distress right now. It's important to remember that self-soothing techniques won't always work, and that's okay. It's helpful to have multiple tools available in your toolbox, but sometimes we need additional support from mental health professionals. Have you considered reaching out to a therapist or counselor who specializes in trauma and PTSD? There may be low-cost or sliding scale options available in your area.

Regarding psychotherapy modalities, different approaches work for different people. EMDR and somatic experiencing can be very effective, but there are other modalities such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) that may also be helpful. It's important to find a therapist who you feel comfortable with and who understands your unique needs.

Remember to be gentle with yourself during this time. You are going through a lot and it's okay to not have all the answers. It's admirable that you are still holding onto hope for healing. This community is here for you and we support you.
Just seeing a Macmillan counsellor for 6sessions and been referred to a psychiatrist Right now I can barely afford to pay bills let alone pay for expensive therapy.
If I make it lol I'll get back into the good stuff,SE.
Every now and then I take a diazepam but I'm always reluctant to take pills. I suppose it's my conditioning-"you're weak if you can't handle it on your own" plus I'm worried I'll get addicted to it.
Thank you for the support!
 
I have had psychodynamic therapy. It is really good but you must be careful because it can be painful. fortunately, is very relieving at the end of the day.
 
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