I can’t cope

[Captain24]

It’s hard. I feel like an elephant is sitting on my chest and it’s hurting. It hurts to breathe. @tyme 

I feel like if I can let everything out it’ll be a breakthrough. I’m hoping so anyway. It’s hard though because if I blurt it all out I won’t see her again for 2 weeks. 

Im very all or nothing or black or white. 

Im so glad you feel so much better these days. Maybe I’ll make it there eventually. 

I have cooked dinner and done the dishes. That is a massive achievement especially with how I’m feeling. 

Im just sitting on the lounge watching neighbours. Pix is hassling me for a treat. She’s driving me insane. I’m already there though. 

[Captain24]

@tyme Can you please email me? It’s not serious

[tyme]

I never got to ask, did you get your email notifications issue sorted with your internet org @Captain24 ?

[Captain24]

Nah.. no one could help so I just gave up. I get some notifications overnight. It’s not all of them just some but some are from threads that I know nothing of that thread. @tyme 

[Captain24]

I didn’t @tyme 

[tyme]

Oh... that's annoying @Captain24 

I'm thinking, with these thoughts, what helps 'break' the cycle?

Lately, I've been practicing these different smiling mind acitivities and I find it helps me be more in control of my thoughts. 

I also completed a training related to workplace trauma, and they provided some breathing activities that were great.

There was one where you pick one thing in front of you and you consider 5 thing you see, 4 things you hear, 3 things you feel, 2 things you smell and 1 thing you smell. I found it was really grounding and made my thoughts slow down to concentrate.

Does your psych work on any of this work with you?

[Captain24]

I’ve had them buried and only had the top layer exposed. @tyme. In hindsight I’ve only been working in the surface. I guess ima but to get into the nitty gritty. 

Do you do the 5 things on that object or just focus on that object while doing the exercise? 

We’re working out what works for me, like sunshine, cold stuff in my hand, being out in the cold..  Plus we go through some of what I did in hospital last time, she was one of the facilitators so it masked it easier. 

[tyme]

You first look at the object to describe 5 things you see, then you close your eyes for the rest @Captain24 It can be about the object, but I just do on where I am.

The other one is to look at an object and describe it using 5 words, then 4 words, then 3 words, 2 words and 1 word. It's pretty hard to do this. 

The other activity on the training was to breathe in for 4, hold for 2, then breathe out for 6-8. A few rounds of this regulates me quite quickly if I'm anxious but I find I need the activities above if it is about my thoughts racing.

It just seems that if you develop tools and put them in your toolkit, you can practice them to held break these cycle of thoughts.

[Captain24]

I do the 5 things when I’m driving to work. It does get a bit hard, there is only so many things you can use @tyme  But I have noticed a few different things with sight.

The word one would be hard. 

Another one we did in hospital is A-Z, I never think of it though. 

We are working in a specialty toolbox. 

Ine breathing exercise that can slow down my heart rate. Is take a full deep breath, hold it for a second then suck more air in (like when you get startled and take a short sharp breath) then slowly release it. 

Um in bed so if I don’t respond I could be asleep. 

[tyme]

The short breath one sounds pretty cool. I'll try that one.

As I prob mentioned before, I never used to think this sorta stuff 'worked', but the more I do it, the more I see it changes things @Captain24 

I'm heading off soon too. Goodnight.