Thanks for sharing—both your personal story and the link. The practical advice for coping with anxiety was good advice.
I’m really sorry about your loss (expressed this recently on Twitter) . . . Suicide is devastating and the grieving is not like other grief. I also lost someone to suicide, as I mentioned, and regardless of how it happened, suicide grief is usually complicated and traumatic, and more so to someone with PTSD and other mental health issues, I bet. Nature, like you said, is good medicine. Something that has helped me in grief over loss is to try to interrupt the trauma and loss feelings by deliberately recalling a happy memory with the person and visualizing it. It’s neuro reprogramming and for me, made a big difference—but it took discipline. It’s especially effective with trauma, but have read it works with a lot of obsessive or negative thinking.
Another thing I’d love to share with you (or anyone who might read this) are two things that might help anxiety/PTSD. Learning to induce a still point can reset your nervous system to parasympathetic mode (from sympathetic/fight-or-flight). Most massage therapists know how to do it, or cranial sacral therapists. Of course, this requires money, but it’s also possible to do it on your own. There are online videos. Basically, by arresting/interrupting the cranial pulse with light pressure, then releasing/restarting it, your nervous system resets, and this is often very evident in your breathing. You can do it by lying on tennis balls (nestled in the recesses at base of skull), but it’s nicer to have someone do it for you (think good friend or partner). I’ve been also able to induce it using acupoints on hands, although I’ve never read about this is a technique, just discovered it through my own healing practice/intuition. There are a number of emotional points on legs too.
Another thing, and you’d need to check with doctor of pharmacist for drug interactions, is the ayurvedic herb: ashwaganda. It’s an adaptogen and when taken regularly can help reduce symptoms of both depression AND anxiety. It’s really powerful and I know a number of people who use it. It doesn’t interact with most drugs but you should still ask. I wouldn’t be posting it if I didn’t use it. It also helps inflammation. You need to take at least a couple teaspoons a day for it to be effective, however. The capsules are generally not enough. Holy basil is another adaptogenic herb (also used in Ayurveda).
No magical cures, but helpful aids. And yeah, limiting social media and internet is a great idea. And spending quality time with real live humans you feel safe with.
Thanks for sharing Isobel and hang in there. I think as humans we can benefit from some self dialogue about “being safe” in the world, and in a world that, at times feels unhospitable or even dangerous. But through that conversation with ourselves, we build our own sense of safety. I tell myself every day I am okay. I have a roof over my head and food. A couple good people I can rely on. This is, again, neuro programming. I’ve always been taking care of myself—not governments, employers, or other people. I am my own home. I think we have to be—and that’s my version of mindfulness. Peace.
Thanks for sharing—both your personal story and the link. The practical advice for coping with anxiety was good advice.
I’m really sorry about your loss (expressed this recently on Twitter) . . . Suicide is devastating and the grieving is not like other grief. I also lost someone to suicide, as I mentioned, and regardless of how it happened, suicide grief is usually complicated and traumatic, and more so to someone with PTSD and other mental health issues, I bet. Nature, like you said, is good medicine. Something that has helped me in grief over loss is to try to interrupt the trauma and loss feelings by deliberately recalling a happy memory with the person and visualizing it. It’s neuro reprogramming and for me, made a big difference—but it took discipline. It’s especially effective with trauma, but have read it works with a lot of obsessive or negative thinking.
Another thing I’d love to share with you (or anyone who might read this) are two things that might help anxiety/PTSD. Learning to induce a still point can reset your nervous system to parasympathetic mode (from sympathetic/fight-or-flight). Most massage therapists know how to do it, or cranial sacral therapists. Of course, this requires money, but it’s also possible to do it on your own. There are online videos. Basically, by arresting/interrupting the cranial pulse with light pressure, then releasing/restarting it, your nervous system resets, and this is often very evident in your breathing. You can do it by lying on tennis balls (nestled in the recesses at base of skull), but it’s nicer to have someone do it for you (think good friend or partner). I’ve been also able to induce it using acupoints on hands, although I’ve never read about this is a technique, just discovered it through my own healing practice/intuition. There are a number of emotional points on legs too.
Another thing, and you’d need to check with doctor of pharmacist for drug interactions, is the ayurvedic herb: ashwaganda. It’s an adaptogen and when taken regularly can help reduce symptoms of both depression AND anxiety. It’s really powerful and I know a number of people who use it. It doesn’t interact with most drugs but you should still ask. I wouldn’t be posting it if I didn’t use it. It also helps inflammation. You need to take at least a couple teaspoons a day for it to be effective, however. The capsules are generally not enough. Holy basil is another adaptogenic herb (also used in Ayurveda).
No magical cures, but helpful aids. And yeah, limiting social media and internet is a great idea. And spending quality time with real live humans you feel safe with.
Thanks for sharing Isobel and hang in there. I think as humans we can benefit from some self dialogue about “being safe” in the world, and in a world that, at times feels unhospitable or even dangerous. But through that conversation with ourselves, we build our own sense of safety. I tell myself every day I am okay. I have a roof over my head and food. A couple good people I can rely on. This is, again, neuro programming. I’ve always been taking care of myself—not governments, employers, or other people. I am my own home. I think we have to be—and that’s my version of mindfulness. Peace.