panic attacks, flashbacks and nightmares

[GodDoesListen55]

what's the best way to handle them? i use mediation and try to focus on my breathing however i would like to know what else i can do in order to get back to a calm state. these are very scary to me and they seems to be occurring more often than usual, so, please your opinions would be quite helpful to me. thank you so much and may God bless you all. oh and remember to always stay strong because we are survivors.

 

[bubblefish]

Different things will work for different people. I am going to quote here part of a post I wrote the other day that explains what helps for me:

* Try to work out what triggers the flashbacks - is it a smell, person, activity etc. From there, at least to begin with you can possibly try to find ways to limit your exposure to them. I found to begin with when I didn't know what affected me that keeping a kind of journal helped. As weird as it sounds, if you write down what you were doing, where you were, what was happening around you etc. you can start to see the patterns. A warning to be careful with this though depending on the trigger because sometimes reading about it can panic some people as well.
* If you can, seek professional help - a therapist will be able to help you move through the triggers and issues slowly so that they don't affect you as much
* Grounding techniques work for a lot of people - there is information on them and a pretty good list here. You might also want to have a look at this list. While it was originally written for people who are struggling with self-injury some of the activities can also be helpful for calming yourself down when you are flashbacking.
* For nightmares, having a kind of comfort object can help - something you can hug or that makes you feel safe (whether that be a teddy or blanket) that can help to remind you of where you are.

Different things work for different people, as I said. All I can really suggest is take it slowly and try to look after yourself as much as possible.

 

[GodDoesListen55]

thanks so very much for the advice and tips, God bless you!

 

[Johnnz]

Flashbacks initiate from your past pain. Usually, as that is processed, they lessen in frequency and intensity. If they are happening more, then something is bubbling to the surface a bit more.

I usually encourage hurt people to try and get some positive experiences into their lives, things that they enjoy and more importantly, something that actually reframes the negative experiences. For example, real fun and laughter can help against sadness. A good friend can help rebuild trust in people. Doing something that gives pleasure to your body (a massage, walking in the wind etc, etc) can act as a new reservoir of life.

There is more to restoration than that of course. But when we have been robbed, making up for what we lost can really add new dimensions to life.

Bless you
John
NZ

 

[GodDoesListen55]

thank you for your assistance, may God bless!