Do container exercises help with your flashbacks or intrusive thoughts?

[treehugger]

I'm really struggling with being very triggered by many things recently and in therapy we worked on putting the memories/feelings/etc in a safe place where they are locked away until I'm better prepared to process them (if ever). I have trouble with keeping things contained tho, and no matter what type of container I use or which part (little or older or current) puts it there, I still regularly feel like the same things come up. To the point where I don't know if I'm not doing it correctly or if there's something else that might work better.

Anybody have any tips on using a container or other tool to help with this when they are having lots of flashbacks?

[Kizzie]

I'm just about to start container exercises treehugger in preparation for doing some EMDR.  I have done them in the past and didn't find them overly helpful so don't know if it was me or the exercises or maybe both.  I sometimes wonder if these kind of exercises are more appropriate/helpful for people who have general anxiety and aren't having flashbacks like we do.  Anyway, good to at least try I guess and if they don't help let our T's know. 

Pete Walker has some suggestions for managing flashbacks I've found helpful - download here

[rainydiary]

I agree that some of these types of exercises offered seem more helpful for individuals that aren't experiencing CPTSD. 

What sometimes works for me is to write down my thoughts on paper in a journal and "get them out of my head."  Sometimes by getting the words out, I am then able to feel the feeling underneath that the words are distracting me from. 

I have also found support in the tips listed by Pete Walker.  He has so many steps that I often don't get to.  I often end up mostly speaking kindly to myself and letting myself know I am safe or whatever feels right to say. 

[Armee]

I have no ability to visualize or really even imagine so no, not for me. Luckily I don't get too many flashbacks and often acknowledging them helps or if they won't go away I can distract myself with shame by texting my therapist and then I feel stupid and focus on that, lol, which is better than what I had been experiencing. Other times they've come for weeks and the best I could manage was just to accept them being there and not fight it because fighting it and thinking "no no no I don't want this" just made it worse.


I'm sorry you are going through this. I know mine were pretty mild compared to what you might be going through and still it was just completely overwhelming and painful. I do hope the container exercise can help a little.

[treehugger]

Thank you all for the ideas and for sharing that there are other things you have found more useful when triggered! Its good to know that I'm not the only one that is unsuccessful with this exercise (not that I wish *having* flashbacks or intrusive thoughts on anyone!).

I will check out Pete Walker's steps more closely, I think I need to have some tools well practiced when I'm not feeling overwhelmed and see if that helps more.

[Kizzie]