Hi @Alex-Taylor
It sounds like you are battling with your mental health at the moment and these symptoms are worsening the state of your well-being. As someone who has personally experienced severe anxiety, I hear and see you. I frequently would experience dissociation which worsened my symptoms as I did not understand what this scary sensation was. I want to encourage you to raise this feeling with your therapist - they should provide you with information on both understanding and managing dissociation.
Dissociation is a response of the brain to cope with high levels of stress. As scary as this feeling is, your brain is trying to protect you (and it doesn't feel good).
I'd like to offer some advice of how I managed my own dissociation.
- Firstly, I would notice and take into account my triggers (when does my dissociation usually occur, where does it usually occur?).
- If and when you begin to feel as though you are dissociating I want you to acknowledge that you are currently experiencing dissociation, remind yourself that you are safe and that there is nothing physiologically wrong with you.
- I would prefer to isolate myself in the bathroom or an empty room to minimise sensory overload as I manage these intense feelings.
- I would then begin to practice deep breathing (in for 5 seconds out for 5 seconds) - breathing can help you regain control in a situation where you feel as though you have lost it.
- It also helps to hold something cold (which stimulates your vagus nerve and tells the brain that you are safe and to begin relaxing the body). I truly hope that this advice can be of some help to you through your mental health journey.
I can assure you that you will be ok. Healing takes time and patience. I commend you so much for reaching out and sharing your story, for seeking professional help to transform your life.
I'm wondering how you've been managing these difficult feelings in the past few days? How did your appoinment go? Looking forward to hearing from you 🤗
