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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Alii on December 17, 2002, at 0:07:18
Helpful or hurtful? Rhetorical question there folks.
Just flitting in and out of not really being in my body and using my usual bag of tricks to ground isn't cutting the job. I've got tons of print outs and lots of bookmarked URLs of sites that deal with how to ground. Lots of books here too. What works one time for me doesn't always work the next.
ptsd is taking a toll on me. I used to think my depression was bad. Silly me. I got the brain drugged up and enough therapy to wake up the terror memories and now I live in this constant state of bizarro ptsd hell.
--Alii
Posted by justyourlaugh on December 17, 2002, at 11:14:24
In reply to Dissociation as a coping mechanism, posted by Alii on December 17, 2002, at 0:07:18
is that kind of like drinking yourself out of reality-
only to find it always comes swirling back to you when you are laying on the cold bathroom floor.
so many ways to escape..
so little time
jyl
Posted by Dinah on December 17, 2002, at 18:57:15
In reply to Dissociation as a coping mechanism, posted by Alii on December 17, 2002, at 0:07:18
Well, obviously I'm in favor of it since I use it all the time. Such a nice misty blanket to hide behind. If it's causing you troubles though, it's probably time to learn a few other coping mechanisms so that you can diversify a bit. Trouble is that the most effective coping mechanisms are the least adaptive. I'm still trying to come up with some new ones myself. If you find any, let me know.
(I hear sublimation is a highly regarded defense mechanism. I've never got the hang of it myself.)
Posted by judy1 on December 17, 2002, at 19:51:31
In reply to Dissociation as a coping mechanism, posted by Alii on December 17, 2002, at 0:07:18
Unfortunately it's my favorite too (and I also have all the grounding materials). I notice when my anxiety gets bad then the dissociation increases and since this is a stressful time (holidays) it tends to worsen. Are you going through a particularly bad time right now? Take care, judy
Posted by Alii on December 17, 2002, at 21:04:25
In reply to Re: Dissociation as a coping mechanism » Alii, posted by judy1 on December 17, 2002, at 19:51:31
> ....Are you going through a particularly bad time right now? Take care, judy
Yes. Therapies are bringing up so much that processing it all is a full time job. I'm writing and printing out and drawing and creating and doing all I can to get out what is coming out from such intense work. The dissociation is unlike I've experienced before though. It isn't the same as when I was in the moments of trauma and floating above or to the side........but instead more like memory fogs and not really realizing how I've gotten from one week to the next.
That and having my therapist or another woman from the group give me feedback at the end of a group session and to have that feedback seem so at odds to how I feel....such as them saying I seemed so much calmer after the group then when I came in, much more 'here' and attached.......when in reality I felt far more detached after group that night.
Drifting off....
--Alii
Posted by judy1 on December 18, 2002, at 20:01:32
In reply to Re: Dissociation as a coping mechanism » judy1, posted by Alii on December 17, 2002, at 21:04:25
well I guess you figured it out then. I, too, was losing hours after sessions so I gave myself a break- it's over a month now and those long periods of dissociation have gone down considerably. I'm not advocating taking a break for everyone, but how about an honest discussion with your therapist where she/he backs off and you don't plunge so deeply into your issues right now. at least through the holidays... best of luck- judy
Posted by Alii on December 19, 2002, at 0:16:26
In reply to Re: Dissociation as a coping mechanism » Alii, posted by judy1 on December 18, 2002, at 20:01:32
>> well I guess you figured it out then. I, too, was losing hours after sessions so I gave myself a break- it's over a month now and those long periods of dissociation have gone down considerably.
Yeah but I took a break from all therapy from May until about September of this year. It was very, very difficult just functioning.
>> I'm not advocating taking a break for everyone, but how about an honest discussion with your therapist where she/he backs off and you don't plunge so deeply into your issues right now. at least through the holidays... best of luck- judy
Holidays schmolidays! I thank you for your consideration and have talked with my therp. about how and when to push or back off and currently we need to forge ahead. Even with the dissociation.....my life is somewhat structured such that I can handle this spacey existence I float through most of the time.
Hope you return to therapy well rested and ready to go again when the time is right for you.
--Alii
Posted by syringachalet on December 19, 2002, at 2:46:02
In reply to Re: Dissociation as a coping mechanism » judy1, posted by Alii on December 19, 2002, at 0:16:26
Most of my life I have been able to compartmentalize my life; keeping my personal life and my professional life very separate identies.
Dissociation has been that protective
mechanicism that Mother nature used to help me survive through the Hell i endured and come out the other end alive.Even when the actual abuse was taking place, I used dissociation to 'mentally checkout' to protect what little childhood innocence I had from the things that were taking place beyond my control.
Still now, as i am trying to work through some of these things that have plagued me for years, dissocation has been that 'veil of safety'.
It has been mostly only lifted by me and only in very small episodes.
I have had times in recent years where I saw someone from my past whose face I shall never forget that i was slapped back into the terrified child scene.
It is those times I have to stop whatever Im doing and gently bring myself back to here and now.. and continue to try to make myself well.syringachalet
This is the end of the thread.
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