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Old Nov 04, 2014, 10:20 AM
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innocentjoy innocentjoy is offline
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Member Since: Jul 2013
Location: Canada
Posts: 285
Glad it was a tiny bit helpful, at least! You might be starting to practice grounding at too high of a stress level. It's hard to learn a skill when stress levels are already really high. For a lot of people it helps to start at those (sometimes rare) moments when you already feel calm and safe. Or have someone go through it with you. Then after you can manage it well in no stress, that's when the slow increases start. If you have no times when you feel really calm, it might be more important to focus on finding a sense of safety somewhere, with someone trustworthy, etc.

The other thing is that there are so many different ways of grounding, you might also be using a way that just doesn't work. Grounding can be breathing and thinking in your head, which doesn't work for me bit works for some people. Again, it's what works. Think if your five senses, and anything that tastes, smells, feels, sounds or looks safe and reassuring. I will use a cough candy bc it is strong taste and keeps me present, or a wet cloth in my face. I also have stones, cinnamon to smell, etc. Not everything works all the time, but I keep different things with me to keep me here. Sometimes I get so numb I need to kind of 'shock' my senses in a way that uses things that I find soothing and have no negative memories, like a cup of tea that smells reassuring. I can feel the warmth, hold it for comfort, smell the flavoured and taste it as well. Plus I have to do it slowly bc it's so hot. Not saying any of these things will work for you, but to give you an idea of the different ways.

Maybe you could brainstorm a list of each of the senses and see where that leads you. It might give you an option that you haven't thought of before. Experiment a bit to find what works and doesn't work for you.
Hope that gives you an idea of something to try!!
IJ
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“Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says I'll try again tomorrow.”
― Mary Anne Radmacher