[TrailRunner14]

I’m curious.

If I’ve realizing that I’ve been shifted into the passenger seat and another part of me has taken over the driver’s seat, do grounding techniques work to put me back in control?

This just dawned on me.

Sometimes I can tell that it’s happened and try to do the grounding that has worked for me before. Most of the time I can’t really remember to do that unless I’m in session with my counselor.

When my counselor walks me through it, it does calm me, but I’m still not all me.

I don’t know if that makes any sense or not.

I guess what I’m asking is whether grounding techniques (breathing, focal exercises and touch sensations) really bring ME back to the front or does it just calm the situation that is happening at the moment.

Co-consciousness is what I experience and this thought just came to me.

[amandalouise]

Originally Posted by TrailRunner14

I’m curious.

If I’ve realizing that I’ve been shifted into the passenger seat and another part of me has taken over the driver’s seat, do grounding techniques work to put me back in control?

This just dawned on me.

Sometimes I can tell that it’s happened and try to do the grounding that has worked for me before. Most of the time I can’t really remember to do that unless I’m in session with my counselor.

When my counselor walks me through it, it does calm me, but I’m still not all me.

I don’t know if that makes any sense or not.

I guess what I’m asking is whether grounding techniques (breathing, focal exercises and touch sensations) really bring ME back to the front or does it just calm the situation that is happening at the moment.

Co-consciousness is what I experience and this thought just came to me.

Im sorry but only you and your treatment providers can answer whether grounding works for you, how, when and all that.

what I can tell you is that rowing my canoe around on the lake did ground me.

my suggestion is talk with your treatment provider they will help you to discover if grounding works for you and how.

[Amyjay]

It makes sense to me, I experience that sometimes.

When we are triggered and shifting seats to use your analogy (so still present to a degree) grounding techniques can help to get more grounded and in control. Our therapist is good at helping with this. Out of therapy sometimes we can be aware enough and have sufficient presence of mind to do it and other times we can't.

When another alter is fully triggered out for me I am not in control at all or even aware to do grounding exercise. Sometimes a young part of us is good at jumping in and doing grounding things when another part is triggered, that must be her job I suppose.

To answer your question from a trauma perspective rather than a "you" perspective (because I don't have perspective on that) I guess grounding techniques help to calm the hyper-aroused nervous system which could result in either a full reset back to 0 (fully you) or merely a calmer hyperaroused state (still triggered and co-presence of alters). I don't know if that makes sense.

[MoxieDoxie]

T has tried to teach me to recruit other parts to help out. Like right now I have a very dark, suicidal part in the drivers seat that I can feel myself trying very hard to keep it from totally taking over. So far it is not working. I am trying now CBD oil and I will mix that with some xanax and hope when I wake up I feel like living life again. It has been and still is a rough week.

[TrailRunner14]

Originally Posted by Amyjay

It makes sense to me, I experience that sometimes.


When we are triggered and shifting seats to use your analogy (so still present to a degree) grounding techniques can help to get more grounded and in control. Our therapist is good at helping with this. Out of therapy sometimes we can be aware enough and have sufficient presence of mind to do it and other times we can't.


When another alter is fully triggered out for me I am not in control at all or even aware to do grounding exercise. Sometimes a young part of us is good at jumping in and doing grounding things when another part is triggered, that must be her job I suppose.



To answer your question from a trauma perspective rather than a "you" perspective (because I don't have perspective on that) I guess grounding techniques help to calm the hyper-aroused nervous system which could result in either a full reset back to 0 (fully you) or merely a calmer hyperaroused state (still triggered and co-presence of alters). I don't know if that makes sense.

That does make sense. Thank you!

It’s been years unfolding this and it feels like I’m just not going to get it.

I believe what you said about calming down to a less hyperaroused state applies here.

I’ve shared with my counselor about not being able to tell who is really “me” and it’s hard because of the co-consciousness.

It’s very covert and not known sometimes until after the fact. It feels like the more I try to understand the more I can’t wrap my mind around it.

There is an analytical part of me that is bent on figuring this out and getting an answer and solution. We talked about asking that part to help me learn how to ground myself when I’m by myself.

It feels like that part is trying to sort this out now.

Overachiever.

[TrailRunner14]

Originally Posted by MoxieDoxie

T has tried to teach me to recruit other parts to help out. Like right now I have a very dark, suicidal part in the drivers seat that I can feel myself trying very hard to keep it from totally taking over. So far it is not working. I am trying now CBD oil and I will mix that with some xanax and hope when I wake up I feel like living life again. It has been and still is a rough week.

I’m so sorry that it’s been such a hard week for you! I pray that things settle for you.

When things get really tough for me I find a place that I feel safe with things that I give me comfort.

I have a place in my home where I can curl up in a chair with a blanket and listen to calming music. Sometimes I journal and sometimes I just sit and not think about anything.

It’s hard when too much is there.

I truly hope that tomorrow is a better day for you!

[Amyjay]

Trailrunner I was watching some IFS videos earlier that made me think of your post. I didn't know much about internal family systems therapy before and I only know a little bit more about it now but I found it really relevant to thinking about the different parts of self in DID (although in DID they barriers between different self parts are more extreme). Do you know much about IFS?

[MoxieDoxie]

I did IFS with a therapist in conjunction with EMDR. My therapist now said that most likely the form of therapy integrated some of my parts with out actually doing integration work. IFS was really helpful but what was the most beneficial was the connection with the therapist that was more healing than the therapy. Well at least for my young parts.

Sometimes I have to claw and fight my way back....like I’m drowning and fighting for the surface air. Dissociation often feels like a warm blanket...too hard to resist. Intense emotions like anger has helped...but sometimes too it would trigger another part. I try shaking my head or throwing cold water on my face....a lot of the time it is a losing battle...sometimes a win.

[Amyjay]

I will talk with my T about IFS next time I see her. She sent me the links to find out more about it and now I can see that some of the things we have been doing in session are based in IFS. I found them really, really helpful in sorting out parts and helping parts of self, in particular we managed to communicate with and help one who was vehemently opposed to any kind of internal meeting taking place. (A "manager" I suppose who was protecting an "exile").

IFS model doesn't necessarily contradict the DID model, it seems most DID parts/alters can be described in terms of role by IFS also. The major difference seems to be the level of dissociation and amnesia in DID.

Anway my point of my point being Trailrunner that the IFS lens could be a helpful way of viewing those parts of self to get a clearer picture of what how when why.

[Amyjay]

Originally Posted by MoxieDoxie

I did IFS with a therapist in conjunction with EMDR. My therapist now said that most likely the form of therapy integrated some of my parts with out actually doing integration work. IFS was really helpful but what was the most beneficial was the connection with the therapist that was more healing than the therapy. Well at least for my young parts.

That doesn't surprise me given the IFS work my t has been doing with me (without me realizing it). We made some real progress in a short space of time.

[TrailRunner14]

Originally Posted by Amyjay

Trailrunner I was watching some IFS videos earlier that made me think of your post. I didn't know much about internal family systems therapy before and I only know a little bit more about it now but I found it really relevant to thinking about the different parts of self in DID (although in DID they barriers between different self parts are more extreme). Do you know much about IFS?

Yes! I can really connect with the IFS theories and working in that way.

I think that’s where I get the driver and passenger perspective, which is really easy for me to understand and feel.

I think that’s what maybe brought this question up for me, as far as asking about grounding and switching back to the drivers seat.

DID seems on the far end of the spectrum of what I feel that I experience. I agree with you, that it would be different trying to work with the IFS modality if that was the case.

IFS feels so comfortable to me and it allows me to see my parts in different functional ways.

Thank you for thinking of me!

[TrailRunner14]

Originally Posted by Amyjay

I will talk with my T about IFS next time I see her. She sent me the links to find out more about it and now I can see that some of the things we have been doing in session are based in IFS. I found them really, really helpful in sorting out parts and helping parts of self, in particular we managed to communicate with and help one who was vehemently opposed to any kind of internal meeting taking place. (A "manager" I suppose who was protecting an "exile").


IFS model doesn't necessarily contradict the DID model, it seems most DID parts/alters can be described in terms of role by IFS also. The major difference seems to be the level of dissociation and amnesia in DID.


Anway my point of my point being Trailrunner that the IFS lens could be a helpful way of viewing those parts of self to get a clearer picture of what how when why.

I agree!