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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 10 of 10. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Partlycloudy on September 22, 2008, at 17:09:01
It's not often I get given homework, but last week, she asked me to go out and buy a punching bag. This was after I had determined that I was afraid of feeling my anger, which helped to resolve some of my back pain and ongoing headaches. (Just the realization - I didn't actually have to take any action about the fear, or about the anger, and it was better.)
So now I have a "Dark Knight" Batman punching bag I picked up at Toys R Us, and of course I was afraid to use it. Afraid that I would give it a whack and it would explode, or crash into all the breakable objects in the room, or would splinter any furniture it came into contact with. Pretty silly. I also bought some blow up mitts, that you slip over your fists, and they make a very satisfying smacking sound when you hit anything - the sofa, a pillow, a wall, even each other - they SOUND really devastating and Pow!!! Bam!!! Comic book effect.
A couple of days into playing around with these new toys, and my back is feeling better than it has in months. Probably better than since I was on Cymbalta, which did a nifty job of preventing me from feeling any back ache at all.
I haven't gotten past the problem of feeling like a right idiot using these tools - and also feeling like an animal in making that connection between feeling and acknowledging my anger, and expressing it using these tools. I feel very, very foolish. But there is no mistake, none whatever at all, that my body is appreciative of having an outlet for releasing what I guess now I've been suppressing and stuffing, since, well, I was an infant. It's never been OK to express anger in my family. I can't recall my mother ever actually being mad (even though she was the disciplinarian in the family). It was all done coldly and with utter unpredictability - which made it such a horror.
This is an interesting trip I'm on.
Posted by JayMac on September 22, 2008, at 17:31:12
In reply to What my T advised me to do, posted by Partlycloudy on September 22, 2008, at 17:09:01
That's so great! I'm happy to hear that you are feeling your anger and expressing it in a healthy way!! I belong to a local kickboxing school and I LOVE going after work. Punching and kicking a 100 lb bag is such a relief for me.
I'm glad you are discovering relief =)
Posted by Dinah on September 22, 2008, at 18:18:03
In reply to What my T advised me to do, posted by Partlycloudy on September 22, 2008, at 17:09:01
Batman sounds a lot more fun than a referee. :)
I'm glad you're finding it helpful. Different things work for different people, and thank heavens all those different ways are available.
Posted by zenhussy on September 22, 2008, at 18:22:10
In reply to What my T advised me to do, posted by Partlycloudy on September 22, 2008, at 17:09:01
Posted by DAisym on September 22, 2008, at 23:23:14
In reply to Re: What my T advised me to do » Partlycloudy, posted by Dinah on September 22, 2008, at 18:18:03
I used a hammer and nails and just pounded the sh*t out of stuff. I also felt foolish and I kept saying, "this isn't very lady-like and not very nice." My therapist pushes me by saying, "what happened to you was not very nice. And you don't have to be a lady all the time1" (I usually retort that HE didn't have MY mother!)
Even more scary now, I'm talking about violent revenge fantasies - and they are truly gruesome. But usually after I have a session where I talk about it, I sleep through the night. And I never sleep.
I'm glad you are feeling better. We simply can not deny the somatic links to unexpressed anger. At some point in the future, I want to try holding therapy. But I'm not there yet.
Keep up the good work.
Posted by Phillipa on September 22, 2008, at 23:45:22
In reply to Re: What my T advised me to do, posted by DAisym on September 22, 2008, at 23:23:14
I smash things that are mine as if I am hurting only me and sometimes even bang my hands hard on the floor. That's me. Phillipa
Posted by WaterSapphire on September 23, 2008, at 8:57:33
In reply to Re: What my T advised me to do, posted by DAisym on September 22, 2008, at 23:23:14
This is what I need to do too. Get a punching bag and very very soon. Maybe I should get the kind you hang from the ceiling. I am so glad your therapist suggested it and that it is helping you
PartlyCloudy.
Posted by antigua3 on September 23, 2008, at 9:10:02
In reply to What my T advised me to do, posted by Partlycloudy on September 22, 2008, at 17:09:01
I took a plastic baseball bat and beat the daylights out of a wire fence. It was a great relief, and I should do it again.
Now, my arm hurt afterwards, but it was worth it.
I'll be thinking of you w/Batman. We used to have one of those around the house, but it must have deflated!
keep up the good work, and thanks for the inspiration,
antigua
Posted by WaterSapphire on September 23, 2008, at 9:22:07
In reply to Re: What my T advised me to do » Partlycloudy, posted by antigua3 on September 23, 2008, at 9:10:02
Posted by antigua3 on September 23, 2008, at 13:00:51
In reply to Antigua--Why does that sound fun right now :) (nm), posted by WaterSapphire on September 23, 2008, at 9:22:07
This is the end of the thread.
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