Dissociation (CPTSD) from client aggression (work)

@SpookytookimsThanks, yes that is helpful, & what you said does make sense.

Chipping away at it is probably right. I easily fall into the trap of thinking that it's all a disaster - when in fact I've been making much progress (with dissociation) over the past few years. I just don't realise or see it at the time.

Deep slow breathing, or a meditation focused on my breathing usually helps.

Interacting with people outside work, like here on the forum - helps to ground me, because it's more personal.

A massage usually helps, although I can't get one very often

That's all I can think of right now.

Adge

@Shaz51Sorry I must be tired (my brain is not working), I should've known what MI means.

Since CPTSD & Anxiety disorder are supposedly both MI's.

Yes, I used to need long (extra) sleeps like that too - I don't seem to relax well to rest, at the moment.

Adge

@Adge another good one is lighting a candle and watching it burn as you focus on your breath. Even focusing your thoughts onto something while you are breathing also helps, sometimes that can bring an "aha" moment which in turn has a relaxing effect. LIke an affirmation of some kind.

"I will not allow myself to go down this route again" "I will beat this" "I know what is going on and I'm going to stay where I want to be" anything like that, something which resonates with you that can focus your mind and bring it out of where it is trying to take you that you don't want to go.

Once you can find a trigger (a good trigger in this case) that reverses the negative one, you then can return to calmer waters.

it's triggering that reversal that is the first all important step, and from there we can work to reprogram our thoughts in whatever way we want them to go and "talk" ourselves back to rationality, so to speak. It sounds easy but it is FAR from easy and, as I said, many times over for me it seemed an exercise in futility but it did end up working.

It's a routine that needs to be practiced many many times over before it becomes an automatic process. That's the boring part, but in the long run it's worth it if it leads to managing it.

@SpookytookimsA candle as a focus (for grounding), that's a good one. I can't say that I've really used that.

I like your idea of a positive trigger, for a change in mental state.

I know what you mean, I'm just used to thinking of triggers as negative things - eg adverse events that trigger hyper-vigilance or dissociation, etc.

Thanks.

Adge

@Adge I'm a great believer in yin yang. Not just the western understanding of the opposites, but the deeper duality. That everything is entangled.

So if we, through behaviour, can unconsciously build negative triggers, we must also be able to build positive triggers. So that is what I have set about doing I guess. I've unconsciously built negative triggers, so now I need to consciously build positive triggers to nullify them.

@SpookytookimsYes that makes sense, thanks.

Tony Robbins talks about something similar with his "power moves" - which are really positive triggers for a better state of mind (& feelings).

I need to develop some new ones, as the old positive triggers don't seem to be very effective anymore.

Adge

Client aggression (behaviour) continues to put me into shock, for hours afterwards.

It seems to continue (or reinforce) my dissociation – even when having (largely) avoided being physically hurt.

The unpredictability of the daily work shifts (notification) at such short-notice is very triggering.

It’s become harder to deal with, due to my being withdrawn from working with the client who frequently ran away (although a break from him is a good thing)..

This week’s MH Support Worker appointment for tomorrow (Thursday) has now been cancelled – due to the late work notification of tomorrow’s shift. It's the Personal Helpers & Mentors Program.

Which is infuriating & very unsettling (stressful), as I rely on that assistance & need it. It's actually helping me with job searching & job applications.

I know that these are triggers – I don’t know how to deal with them. Planning (scheduling) largely seems impossible.

I feel trapped - although I am reminding myself that I will be okay, I'm not really trapped in this unsuitable work situation (I still feel trapped though).

Adge

@utopia@Faith-and-Hope@Mazarita @Owlunar @Phoenix_Rising