A decision to make

It makes complete sense @Chris

I'm sorry to hear about the inner struggle going on at the moment.

@Former-Member had great points!

I'm not sure if this is useful, but when something seems very overwhelming and causing emotional distress, it can be helpful to break things down into tiny steps and focus on one at a time. Rather than focusing on going to the psychologist late next week and the implications of that, break it into tiny tasks. Lets assume the appointment is at 11am - you might break down the day into 8am get up and shower, 9am have breakfast and get dressed, leave house at 10:15am, 10:45am sit in waiting room and practice breathing techniques, 11am enter office.

I find focusing on the current step, helps take the emotion out of the 'event' as such.

In the lead up to that, break down day by day, to distract from the up coming appointments, could be useful.

I know @hiddenite has given advice before about breaking down the day to make it manageable. Any advice @hiddenite ?

It sounds like a lot of emotionally pressured appointments are all going on at the same time and stacking them up on top of each other is weighing on your mind - it is understandably overwhelming.

It's important to break each appointment down and look at what you want to get out of each of them (as opposed to just doing something because you feel you have to) .

You seem to recognise your habits from past experiences - which shows a huge amount of insight. It is hard making those steps - but we're here if you want to vent and ask for support along the way.

PS: we are completely okay with two year old tantrums... I think the beauty of 2 year olds is they have tantrums to get it all out and then get on with things shortly after, rather than bottling them up. I think It's completely acceptable! 🙂

Some decisions take a long time and we shouldnt feel pushed. Hi @Chris I am new.

I was told not to live in the past, but I too kept having the past hit me in the face.

Sometimes "Living in the Now" means unravelling and working through the past.

It took decades and a Royal Commission for me to realise how "normal" the responses within my family were to "abnormal" situations.

@Chris,

wondering if we are twins.... I get stuck in my lounge as well... (bed not an option or my two lovely children turn into monsters... I have not been able to gel the emotions with events either. like you said my brain runs a mile... I've run out of sessions with my psych so its all on hold anyway for me. I dont answer the phone, it scares the crap out of me answering the phone, people wanting something unknown from me! so largely my supports have dropped off. Which is hard at the moment.

I think you are a lot stronger than you give yourself credit for. I know i am tougher on myself than anyone else is and not as aware of the progresses that i make as other people are. If this course was suggested for you, perhaps they see you as being ready for it. And at the end of the day.. what could you gain from it? could it make things better? If it was too difficult you could always stop, but you wont have lost anything from trying. But you might get some of that cohesion and benefits that people keep telling us is necessary for us to 'recover' and be well. i hope some of that made sense.. i have a pounding headache lol!!

LJ

Hi @Chris

You have obviously done a lot of work on yourself. Maybe you dont realise how far you have come. Be kind to yourself that it will pay off.

What does 4 rounds of DBT mean .. sometimes it is a year course.

I am long in tooth or grumpy old lady trying to be decent .. not up with new therapies. I had to research DBT this week as I only just heard about it!

I did primal therapy and EST type workshops where there was holding and physically hugging grown adults to help calm them down. I dont know if this is allowed any more.

I also did some psychodrama and group theory. Not sure what psychodynamic is.

If trigered in a group can you use breathing and rocking to keep yourself together?

Sometimes it still is take it one day at a time. How long is the commitment to new course?

Good luck. I think the principles of DBT are sound and the heavily structured approach ensures people work through things and are supported .. I assume.

Emotional regulation doesnt mean you dont have emotions, I presume, but that you dont project them onto others in counterproductive ways.

Trust that you will be ok and it is not too hard for you, even if it is tough.

I use a lot of buddhism and music to help me detach from physical and psychic pain.

I used to use Heroin when I was 20, there are much less side effects with good therapy.

dear @Chris

I think the trauma may come out in little bits and pieces.

You will be cared for here. You can write anything.

Please know that you are safe here. Do you mind me to re read your messages because you have been walking a journey that has taken you years to get to.