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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by B2chica on January 4, 2011, at 13:58:21
it seems that most of november i was either drunk or dissociative...
yes, i can hardly remember ANYTHING from that month.
i had to search archives to try to reattach some memory of it.i remember that i think i asked to stop seeing my T, and i remembered twice going to appt with some level of alcohol in my system. but i got EOB from insurance a week ago and apparantly i saw her 7 TIMES that month and normally it would have been twice.
i had to bring EOB and embarringly ask her if i Really saw her that many times???Been in partial hospital for almost a month. am out now. and after about two weeks there i started to burn my cover and dissociate into different states infront of people.
i've never felt so vulnerable AND safe at the same time. as within our group of about 12 people four others were dissociative (all at various depths). They were Tremendous.
****************
ANYWAY.
one of the basic things i learned was that grabbing a baggy of ice helped me to NOT dissociate. this was a tremendous help (obviously didnt always work, but did Many times).it at least stopped me from progression into the states. so somewhere in the middle. This was so helpful, but i would like to know other tips.They wanted me to go to some trauma center in new orleans called river oaks? i think. but just not an option right now.
but does anyone here know of some good websites that have other helpful tips?
thanks
b2c.
Posted by Solstice on January 4, 2011, at 14:59:32
In reply to any helpful websites for dissociation?, posted by B2chica on January 4, 2011, at 13:58:21
B2 -
It's so good to read your report of feeling so much better. It was difficult to 'watch' the agony you were in; I was worried about you :-)
> one of the basic things i learned was that grabbing a baggy of ice helped me to NOT dissociate. this was a tremendous help (obviously didnt always work, but did Many times).it at least stopped me from progression into the states. so somewhere in the middle. This was so helpful, but i would like to know other tips.I am so intrigued! What is it about grabbing a baggie of ice that interrupts dissociation? I want to understand how that works.
Solstice
Posted by emmanuel98 on January 4, 2011, at 19:56:00
In reply to any helpful websites for dissociation?, posted by B2chica on January 4, 2011, at 13:58:21
Search for DBT (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy) websites. There are a lot of good tips on distress tolerance and dealing with dissociation.
Posted by B2chica on January 5, 2011, at 7:48:20
In reply to Re: any helpful websites for dissociation?, posted by Solstice on January 4, 2011, at 14:59:32
not sure solstice.
i think they said something about grabbing the very cold kinda jerks your conscious into the here and now. maybe not quite the "pain" of the cold but something along those lines.
Posted by Solstice on January 5, 2011, at 15:35:19
In reply to Re: any helpful websites for dissociation? » Solstice, posted by B2chica on January 5, 2011, at 7:48:20
> not sure solstice.
> i think they said something about grabbing the very cold kinda jerks your conscious into the here and now. maybe not quite the "pain" of the cold but something along those lines.That is fascinating, and really does make sense - especially if it's caught early in the process. Now that you say that - I'm remembering something that happened to me. I've not had dissociation as far as losing time and what's thought of as a switch from one part to another where the dominant part is unaware of the others. I didn't realize that what how I experienced myself really was dissociation until I was told so by a therapist. Dis-integrated might be a good way to describe it. Anyway, early in my recovery I was in a therapy session and began re-experiencing trauma within that relationship. My whole sense of myself shifted into another 'state.' It was like inside myself, part of myself disappeared, and I ended up (inside myself) sitting in a different chair. It's a weird sensation, and Very difficult to describe. My whole 'reality' shifted. And I was terrorized. I was absolutely frozen & incoherent with fear. My therapist kept trying to work with it - but for me it was like he was talking to someone else, and it felt horrible to me. I was sitting, leaning forward with my head down and my forearms on my knees, with my hands clasped together. Because of my leaning forward, my wrists sort of faced up. Anyway, I was so internally dis-integrated that I was stuck in a state that nothing he said could reach or reason with. I remember him getting real quiet, and my being aware of him leaned back in his chair, his forefinger & thumb on his chin, studying me. Then, very suddenly he pushed back, rolling his chair up so close to me that we were nearly knee to knee. He quickly (but lightly) slapped my wrist and with deliberate gentleness, said my name. That was it. I was SO startled. But it's like it ripped me out of that state, brought back my more competent part, and I felt I was suddenly sitting back in the other chair that I'd earlier left (without ever moving a muscle - it was all internal). Neither of us said anything for a while, as I re-oriented. Before the session was over I was back to a more normal functioning capacity. We didn't discuss it, but I will never forget how powerful it was. It was the sudden slap on my wrist, and hearing my name. So maybe it's the 'startle' that pulls someone back if they start dissociating?
Solstice
Posted by B2Chica on January 13, 2011, at 15:31:17
In reply to Re: any helpful websites for dissociation? » B2chica, posted by Solstice on January 5, 2011, at 15:35:19
nicely said Solstice. i think thats exactly it. i do know that certain voiced things can snap me back if i'm not too deep in. i think your right about the shock and how that brings the more competent part of you out.
cool. thanks for your input.
Posted by floatingbridge on January 22, 2011, at 17:23:15
In reply to any helpful websites for dissociation?, posted by B2chica on January 4, 2011, at 13:58:21
I found it the other day. Articles, links, recommended reading, plus more.
Hang in there.
fb
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