New to healing and feeling overwhelmed

Started by Tempest, July 24, 2024, 04:28:50 PM

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Tempest

Hello fellow survivors. So I'm new to the healing process and I feel overwhelmed by the rollercoaster of emotions I am experiencing. I'm in therapy, but I have no support system. Have any of you experience this? And if so, what helped you to cope with all of these feelings at once?

Chart

#1
Hi Tempest,
You pose a big question. First, everyone's different, so if my ideas don't help, don't panic. I do a mix of things when overwhelmed by my emotions. First, "rate" the emotional intensity. Is it a Flashback? Which brings up Pete Walker's book "CPTSD, From Surviving to Thriving". Have you heard about it? He provides a Flashback management strategy that is also available for free on his website. Easy to find doing a search for Pete Walker. (It might also be on the resources page of the Forum.)
I've recently started doing Tapping (Butterfly Technique) also known as EFT (emotional freedom technique). Lots of explanations on YouTube and here on the Forum.
The list goes on;
Brainspotting
Cardiac Coherence breathing
Mindfulness meditation (see Denvetite's thread started today. He helped with an interesting distinction to make regarding the technique.:
https://www.cptsd.org/forum/index.php?topic=16168.0)

Hope that helps!
Sorry you're struggling. Sending love and support.
:hug:

Chart

I just realized I might not have responded exactly to your question... Sorry if I went in the wrong direction.

For me this Forum helps immensely. I too have little to no support in my real life. But here in the Forum, people understand, truly understand, what I'm going through. It really helps.

Tempest

Quote from: Chart on July 24, 2024, 04:46:14 PMI just realized I might not have responded exactly to your question... Sorry if I went in the wrong direction.

For me this Forum helps immensely. I too have little to no support in my real life. But here in the Forum, people understand, truly understand, what I'm going through. It really helps.

Hey Chart, I recently learned about Pete Walker's book. It's something I'll look into and thank you for your reply. I wish I could express how much it means to me.


Kizzie

Quote from: Tempest on July 24, 2024, 04:28:50 PMwhat helped you to cope with all of these feelings at once?

It's difficult when we are overwhelmed so my suggestion is to take away as much stress as you can to let things settle.  For example, we moved just recently and it meant I was quite stressed so CPTSD related issues/feelings bubbled to the surface.  I just said to myself, "OK, do the really important things and the rest can wait.  The sky will not fall if you don't do A, B or C."  And the sky didn't fall and my CPTSD flare up subsided. I make it sound easy, it's not - nothing ever is with CPTSD but it gets easier with practice.

Hope this helps!

Tempest

Thank you. I'm at the place where I need to be, as far as my healing. It's just a little rough.