What Do You Do When You 'hit' On Something And Miles Away From Help?

[Cool Cat]

I was journalling something and randomly started writing/reflecting on how my childhood and traumatic experiences have left me very sexually confused and unable to form relationships. I've never written or talked and barely thought about this before. I am shaking like hell and having flashbacks.

This is all completely unprocessed memories and feelings that has never been talked about before.

I'm not seeing my T for over a week and I'm at home with family at the minute, where I am not really 'safe'.

I don't want to repress this but...how do I ground myself so I can handle this when it is safe to do so (ie. therapy)

 

[arfie]

My first thought would be to keep on journaling it, punctuated with exercise breaks. Quiet, meditative exercise, like stretching or tai chi, if I can keep myself calm enough. A more vigorous exercise if the flashbacks are triggering adrenaline rushes -as is often the case for me...

And, of course, there are the on-line support groups where I can share at least the words of it...

Gentle support while you weather the storm, Cool Cat.

 

[Anarchy]

get the stuff noted down so that you can go back and find them again if the memories turn out to be slippery little buggers.

I'm having good luck with counting five things of the same colour, five things of the same shape, five things of shapes in a certain orientation, five shapes of different colours, all in my environment. With practice, I just have to think about it and I can ground (I'm finding grounding from watching a weepy movie is good practice) I just have to be careful to ground to the present, not to a new compartment in my head.

holding ice, smelling nice smells, tasting something sharp like lemon are all good to ground you too.

 

[Friday]

Write it down so I don't forget.

 

[Recovery4Me]

Grounding for me depends on the severity. When a mental log jam unrolls and tumbles with thunder- I use to have a flight response. I took my dog and we went barreling through miles of nature. Or I would pump iron at the gym or practice the arts. Using up the adrenaline was critical when I was younger - also I needed to protected everyone else from me until I calmed down.

Now...I am older and my running is not as it use to be.:clown: So I talk myself down, take time out somewhere private and shake it off by long walks my dogs. My one dog "Moose" is over 100 lbs (or 7-8 stones+ I think for your country) so I do not worry about people stopping me to chat. So when I am able to balance physically, I walk it off.

Also just because I am visiting family, does not mean I can always stuff it in...I walk everywhere if it hits or take down time in isolation until I chill. So consider the library, taking in a long shower, if you need to for peace to ground a bit but be gentle on yourself as it shakes loose.

Meditation and breathing works for me on smaller jolts of processing (after flashbacks pass). However, PTSD and I are old friends, so I know I will come back to the planet eventually. I just work on damage control, you know? I hate apologizing more than I have to.;)

Just a thought, setting up an "in case of emergency contact" with your T for these times might not be such a bad move for you down the road. Sounds like you are making progress and T's like that. :tup:

:hug:'s if you accept (or you can kick at me) which ever you are in the mood for!