Emotional flashback - immobilising

[Boatsetsailrose]

Hi, this week I've had 2 emotional flashbacks. It's a real shame as the week before this I was feeling the best I've felt in a long time- free from fear, feeling 'together' and having no inner critic ..
The first one was triggered by dealing with work related stuff re my sickness - that I was going to get reprimanded, bad consequences and the second was my inner critic attacking me for not being intelligent enough when I was around friends ( this has been a regular theme for about a yr - the not intelligent enough..
I've just been reading pete w literature about emotional flashbacks and he talks about the inner critic starting them and going into freeze behaviour, which is what I do.. I slept for 12 hours on and off last night and woke up in anxiety and feeling not in control ...
I lay there with my teddy bears asking myself 'what am I getting from being in bed' the answer 'I get to connect with the little girl who is frightened and shaken and I get to be there for her, reassure her and speak to her gently and with compassion , this always feels good...
Whilst I've not working I can take extra hours in bed and I'm trying not to beat myself up for this ...
I did some grounding and containment techniques this morning I learnt from a body trauma therapist and also some eft tapping and other things to get into my left brain and reassure myself I am safe

Any one else the freeze type ? Have you learnt ways to get out of and moving or do you allow yourself to freeze ?

I am awaiting trauma therapy at the moment

[sigiriuk]

Hi There
Yes I get the freeze response too.

As it is an automatic feeling like a reflex, you don't get to stop it. It just lands on you.

I haven't found a way to make it happen less often.

Neither have I found a way to get rid of it when it arrives.

Best

S

[Eyessoblue]

Hi, I can totally relate, I've just done a course on EFT and re matrix imprinting and oh my god it was amazing.
The re matrix imprinting works really well for freeze types like myself as when the process is carried out you can literally see and feel the trauma leaving your body it is immense! If you can find yourself a therapist that does this I highly recommend you give it a go, it's a pretty new thing from what I know but the results are outstanding and I would a hundred percent recommend it to you!

[Boatsetsailrose]

Thank you eyes so blue I will look into that x

[Boatsetsailrose]

I've just sourced 2 therapists in my area that do it
I don't have a great deal of money and so could only afford 3 sessions ...
Was the course expensive ? I don't know if just doing 3 sessions would be advisable / enough ... I have e mailed the therapists

[Mpress Lisa]

Hello, yes I have the exact same issues. I can relate to going from " wow I finally have my life together" to experiencing another relapse and the emotions that come with it. I just found this site with some great ideas on staying grounded..
https://www.getselfhelp.co.uk/flashbacks.htm
😊

[Boatsetsailrose]

Thank you mpress Lisa
My old therapist said about that site - v good tools ..
grounding really helps me and getting into the rational brain by some of the means described on this site
Telling myself I am safe and it is not happening now are really comforting and take the top off that horrible fear

[Lingurine]

I'm the freeze type too. When that happens I go lie down on my bed and accept my body and brains are just tired and I need to load my batteries. I don't hit myself on the head for it. It's just my soul telling me it's enough. I tend to listen or my symptoms get worse. So IMO it's not a bad thing to take some rest and freeze on the bed. It's what we do. 

Lingurine

[Eyessoblue]

Hi, yes the course was expensive unfortunately, as of yet not available on the NHS either, I only had a few sessions tho so it might be worth phoning them and explaining your situation and see what they can offer you.  I had my first session of EMDR today and it went really well, I came out feeling that something had been lifted from me, haven't got the next one until 3 weeks as therapist is on holiday but I'm feeling good today.

[Boatsetsailrose]

Thank you lingurine
Helps me to
Not feel so weird

[alchemist]

When the inner critic arises I find It most helpful to connect back to a time when someone said to Me whatever the worrisome thought is.  I pinpoint my abuser easily and then I am able to  reassure myself confidently that she was jealous and I am wonderful; and it isn't true.
The Inner critic is an introject of an abuser. Knowledge is power.  The more you can excavate your mind for memories, the better you will be able to identify the source, consider the source and provide a truthful statement about yourself.
Hope this helps.