Yes I can’t get enough of cold things when I am dysregulated. An ice pack on the chest and drinking ice water through a metal straw help me within minutes!
I love all of these ideas and maybe will try them someday. For me, OCD recovery (and relief!) has hinged on accepting discomfort/anxiety and not doing anything to get rid of it or regulate it. I do love an ice roller and dancing as self-care in general--I’ve just found I can’t do these activities in response to my anxiety or when I’m caught up in the obsessive compulsive cycle.
Yes! It feels very badass and empowering in my body to accept and allow the anxiety instead of resisting. (But also shitty and scary and overwhelming while I’m in it. It’s a scared now, badass later kinda deal)
ok I love this concept so much!! and honestly I don't have a great nervous system regulation practice, so it will be awesome to begin exploring these things. One thing I do (that's honestly not super accessible) is if I'm at school and feeling anxious, I've learned I can go to the river that abuts campus and take off my shoes and step in, ankle deep. The cold water feels amazing and is very regulating, plus, it's easy to imagine the water washing the anxiety away. I also like throwing rocks into the water and pretending I am "throwing away" my stressors as I do so.
Yes I can’t get enough of cold things when I am dysregulated. An ice pack on the chest and drinking ice water through a metal straw help me within minutes!
I will definitely have to try both of those!
I love all of these ideas and maybe will try them someday. For me, OCD recovery (and relief!) has hinged on accepting discomfort/anxiety and not doing anything to get rid of it or regulate it. I do love an ice roller and dancing as self-care in general--I’ve just found I can’t do these activities in response to my anxiety or when I’m caught up in the obsessive compulsive cycle.
Definitely appreciate that nuance! Accepting discomfort/anxiety can be a great way to connect with our bodies.
Yes! It feels very badass and empowering in my body to accept and allow the anxiety instead of resisting. (But also shitty and scary and overwhelming while I’m in it. It’s a scared now, badass later kinda deal)
It is totally badass! It's great that you are acknowledging the shitty parts of the badass reality too. Cheers to the journey!
ok I love this concept so much!! and honestly I don't have a great nervous system regulation practice, so it will be awesome to begin exploring these things. One thing I do (that's honestly not super accessible) is if I'm at school and feeling anxious, I've learned I can go to the river that abuts campus and take off my shoes and step in, ankle deep. The cold water feels amazing and is very regulating, plus, it's easy to imagine the water washing the anxiety away. I also like throwing rocks into the water and pretending I am "throwing away" my stressors as I do so.
Thank you, Laurel! Those sound like wonderful regulation practices. Cheers to the continued journey!
I love these ideas! Especially the "tools of wonder."
Thank you, Jessica!
"Emergency wonder"! I will now forever think of my soothing treasures this way.
Welp just fell into a YouTube rabbit hole 😂 my kid loved squishies so I will be sharing this with them for sure.
These are all great ideas!! Thank you 💜💜
Yay! I love this. Thank YOU for reading!