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Topic Tuesday: Stepping off the distress seesaw closed

CherryBombSenior Contributor23 Jan 2015, 7:23 pm AEDT

Topic Tuesday: Stepping off the distress seesaw closed

Up and down, down and up, and upside down...

Have you ever felt as though you are being held to ransom by an all consuming distress seesaw?

Join us this Topic Tuesday, to discuss journeys, and share strategies to leave the seesaw.

We will be joined by @Former-Member - a health professional who specialises in trauma.

SunnyDaisy describes her thoughts on this:

"I once had someone tell me that their experience of living with the effects of a difficult experience was like being stuck at the top end of a see-saw.

The weight of the difficult experience sits on the ground at the other end of the see-saw and life is consumed by this. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8nMgY5dkTs

After receiving the support that was required to deal with the difficult experience/s, it felt like they were able to climb down from the see-saw and leave the all-consuming distress on the see-saw.

This does not mean forgetting about the difficult experience. It is a matter of gradually finding more space in life to participate in life and enjoy other things – a sense of no longer being held to ransom by the difficult experience .

How do you relate your difficult experiences to this 'see-saw' idea? Do you have an experience of climbing down from the high end of the see-saw?"

We've got a few members who might be able to contribute to this dicussion. @Loopy @Alessandra1992 @kristin @Rick @kenny66 @SCORPION @Cazzie Are you around tonight?

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In response to: Topic Tuesday: Stepping off the distress seesaw **closed**

Unknown userMember27 Jan 2015, 8:50 pm AEDT

Re: Topic Tuesday - now open: Stepping off the distress seesaw

@SCORPIONthanks for your comments.

Do you have something nice you can do for yourself in coming days? Even with sadness lingering?

In response to: Topic Tuesday: Stepping off the distress seesaw **closed**

Unknown userMember27 Jan 2015, 8:54 pm AEDT

Re: Topic Tuesday - now open: Stepping off the distress seesaw

Great points, @CherryBomb.

I particularly like the first point ... allowing the uncomfortable (some say negative) feelings to be there. As unpleasant as they seem, the more we learn to sit with them, the less impact they have on us. This may need to be done with the support of a therapist, of course. But it's finding a way to do that, which will allow us to build space around the difficult thoughts/emotions.

In response to: Topic Tuesday: Stepping off the distress seesaw **closed**

Unknown userMember27 Jan 2015, 8:56 pm AEDT

Re: Topic Tuesday - now open: Stepping off the distress seesaw

There's a fair bit of research to support Mindfulness as a tool for people who experience anxiety and/or depression.

In response to: Re: Topic Tuesday - now open: Stepping off the distress seesaw

Unknown userMember27 Jan 2015, 8:58 pm AEDT

Re: Topic Tuesday - now open: Stepping off the distress seesaw

Some of you may have heard of "Mindfulness based cognitive therapy?" http://mbct.com/

In response to: Re: Topic Tuesday - now open: Stepping off the distress seesaw

CherryBombSenior Contributor27 Jan 2015, 9:00 pm AEDT

Re: Topic Tuesday - now open: Stepping off the distress seesaw

I'm looking forward to going for a walk in the morning...

We got a few more minutes before we finish up.

Thanks @Former-Member for your input to tonight's discussion!

In response to: Re: Topic Tuesday - now open: Stepping off the distress seesaw

Unknown userMember27 Jan 2015, 9:02 pm AEDT

Re: Topic Tuesday - now open: Stepping off the distress seesaw

Pleasure, @CherryBomb.

Happy to respond to queries after the Forum ends, too.

Thanks for having on baord everyone. Cheers, Sunnydaisy

In response to: Re: Topic Tuesday - now open: Stepping off the distress seesaw

CherryBombSenior Contributor27 Jan 2015, 9:19 pm AEDT

Re: Topic Tuesday - now open: Stepping off the distress seesaw

Thanks to everyone who contributed to tonight's conversation. Moving away from the seesaw merry go round can be immensely challenging.

Remember to nurture yourself, and creating a safe space to allow you to work through the motions - even if it means slowly but surely sifting through the sand. This is be part of a process that may help you step away from the merry go round.

If you would like to continue this conversation, I encourage you to start a new thread and feel free to mention @Former-Member who will be available to answer questions throughout the week.

If you found any of tonight's conversation triggering, and require immediate support, please don't hestitate to contact 24/7 counselling services listed below:

Lifeline 13 11 14

Mensline 1300 789 978 (if relevant to you)

Salvo care line 1300 36 36 22

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