#the body keeps the score

[crohniewitch]

#memes #depression memes #mental health memes #mental illness memes #trauma memes #the body keeps the score

[inkskinned]

your phone is still saved in my car's bluetooth memory and my phone still has nick's speakers system saved and every time i switch my pillowcases i do it the way regina taught dominic who taught me how to do it too.

i still flinch because of how [ ] hurt me yeah but a few weeks ago alex and i sat on their floor and talked about how i am able to touch the people i love now, when four years ago i couldn't stand any human contact at all, horrified by the way it made my skin crawl

i didn't remember about the trip we took once up into the rivers and mountains, how you'd been there too, wading deep in the water, how i gave you a rock after. i was scrolling in my instagram history trying to find something else completely and then all the sun of the day came back, how you and me and crisco and maddie all howled songs in the car the whole ride home, my foot to the floorboards, absolutely speeding. i take a lot of pictures because my brain barely holds my own name (it's like the scene in spongebob all the time up there, i tell ziara, because i talk on the phone now, a lot, the way you taught me to enjoy) and the pictures are really good because they're filled with my friends and my activities and the light in my life and the pictures are also really bad because sometimes i am reminded that i used to be horribly in love with you, the kind of love that blots out the sun and moon, no matter how many times other people said she's not good for you

so i go through my memories carefully like stepping through a blackberry bush because i don't know if im embarrassed or hurt but it doesn't feel good and my spotify still has the playlist saved from your birthday party like four years ago and google maps still remembers alison's old address on melrose street even though she moved like forever ago and in my notes app i have like 106 non sequiturs i can no longer parse but they must have been important enough to write down so i don't delete them just-in-case their meanings reveal themselves like fog parting over the bluegreen hills

the birds are singing and i know how to identify a robin because of edie and i know how to make a souffle set properly because molly showed me, her hair untangling from her high bun, gentle and pretty; and i know how to bake because my mama taught me and i had forgotten i wrote you a love poem but then onedrive says today in your memories

#poetry #been a while since i wrote a proper poem #writeblr #something something something #the body keeps the score #and so too now does everything digital #it remembers what ur heart wants to forget #the good news is - it also remembers what you DONT want to forget #hard kind of weight to hold

[traumatizeddfox]

“Scared animals return home, regardless of whether home is safe or frightening”

Bessel Van Der Kolk from The Body Keeps Score

#bessel van der kolk #the body keeps the score #actuallytraumatized #traumacore #ventcore

[hypnowave]

i haven't even finished this book

#jun.log #like yes it's a good book re: understanding how to come to terms with your trauma #and is an extremely useful tool for clinicians and anyone working in the field of psychology #but also it makes me so ANGRY #the body keeps the score #psychology #psychiatry #bessel van der kolk

[healingchildhoodtrauma]

“Feelings buried alive never die.”

Karol Truman

#inner child healing #reparenting #narcissistic abuse #healing from abuse #self expression #authenticity #the body keeps the score #scapegoat child #emotional suppression #emotional repression #fear programming #control tactics #control programming

[clamperls]

gonna lose sleep over this one lads

(excerpt from The Body Keeps The Score, Bessel A. Van Der Kolk)

#op #the body keeps the score #this one. this one right here officer #ok to rb #words #ptsd #osddid

[seven-oomen]

A few of the potential physical effects of PTSD on the body:

Chronic pain (like fibromyalgia, crps, myofascial pain syndrome)

Chronic fatigue

Autoimmune diseases

Diabetes

Arthritis

Neurological disorders like FND (Paralysation is a possibility with FND, so yes, PTSD could potentially mean you would need a wheelchair).

Non epileptic seizures in the form of dissociations.

Gastrointestinal disorders like IBS

Dysautonomic disorders like POTS

That's not to say that PTSD always cause these problems, or these issues can only be caused by PTSD. It is however a potential.

(Still a good doctor should rule out other physical causes first before jumping on the PTSD/ "psychosomatic" bandwagon).

Also note, that just because PTSD might be causing your problems, that doesn't mean that they're not real. They are. But instead of a hardware problem, it's a software problem. Still very real, still not something that you're making up. The cause of it, is a sick brain in that case.

#actually ptsd #chronic illness #chronic pain #chronic fatigue #actually disabled #ptsd #pots #fibromyalgia #myofascial pain syndrome #ibs #dissociative disorder #fnd #autoimmine disease #ben learns stuff about his own body #the body keeps the score

[cor-ardens-archive]

#the body keeps the score #m. lit. #the usayable

[lavideenrose]

When children feel pervasively angry or guilty or are chronically frightened about being abandoned, they have come by such feelings honestly; that is because of experience. When children are filled with rage, it is due to rejection or harsh treatment. When children experience intense inner conflict regarding their angry feelings, this is likely because expressing them may be forbidden or even dangerous. When children must disown powerful experiences they have, this creates serious problems including ‘chronic distrust of other people, inhibition of curiosity, distrust of their own senses and the tendency to find everything unreal.’ The long term effects of brutalization and neglect in caregiving relationships are the body and brain experiencing PTSD.

From The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk

#quote #the body keeps the score #trauma #depression #anxiety #anger #guilt #fear #abandonment #they have come by such feelings honestly #disowning powerful experiences creates serious problems #repression #emotional repression #neglect #emotional neglect #ptsd #caregiving

[samwisethewitch]

Aromatherapy for Processing Trauma

Aromatherapy uses scent, usually in the form of essential oils, for physical and emotional well-being. Our sense of smell is very closely connected to memory, and certain smells can have an effect on our emotions and mood.

Essential Oil Safety and Ethics

Because this is the Internet and because certain multi-level marketing corporations have intentionally spread misinformation about essential oil safety, let's talk about a couple of things real quick.

You should never, ever eat or drink essential oils. These are very concentrated extracts of the active compounds from plants, and just like you would never sit down and eat 200 pounds of lavender, you shouldn't eat lavender oil. Ingesting essential oils can have very serious side effects, up to and including organ failure and death. Just don't.

If you want to work with a liquid plant extract that you can take internally, I recommend trying a tincture or a tea.

Use caution when applying essential oils topically. Again, essential oils are very concentrated, so they can cause skin reactions even if you are not normally allergic to the plant they come from. Always do a patch test to check for an allergic reaction before applying an essential oil to your skin or putting it in a bath. Some, like cinnamon oil, should never be used topically.

Always dilute your oils. Whenever you put essential oils on your skin, mix them with a carrier oil (like olive oil or coconut oil). Typically for adults you want to only use two drops of essential oil for every teaspoon of carrier oil, but you might use a stronger or weaker concentration depending on your body and your needs. If you're adding essential oils to your bath, make sure you mix them into a bath salt (either Epsom salt or plain table salt) before adding them to the water.

When you diffuse essential oils, make sure you don't use too much. For a typical aromatherapy diffuser, you really only need 1-5 drops of oil.

Be careful using essential oils around children and pets. Contrary to what some MLMs say, essential oils may not be safe for your baby or your dog. If you have kids, make sure your oils are stored out of their reach. Don't diffuse essential oils around babies under 6 months old, and don't apply oils to the skin on children under 3 years old. If you use essential oils on your older child's skin, they should be TWICE as diluted as for an adult (so you would use HALF as much essential oil for the same amount of carrier oil). If you diffuse oils around your kids, don't run the diffuser for more than 60 minutes. Follow other essential oil safety rules.

If you have a pet in the house, only diffuse essential oils in open, well-ventilated rooms, never let the diffuser run for more than 60 minutes, and make sure your pet is able to leave the room if they want to. Never apply essential oils to a pet's skin. Research your oils to make sure they aren't toxic to your pets.

Moving from safety concerns to ethics concerns, don't use essential oils in public spaces. Many people don't tolerate these scents well because of health conditions, allergies, or chemical sensitivities. For this reason, you should only practice aromatherapy in your own private space.

Try to be an eco-conscious consumer. It takes a whole lot of plant material to make essential oils -- one pound of lavender oil requires 250 pounds of lavender buds! That's a lot of natural resources. Even "wildcrafted" or "wild harvested" products may still be contributing to overharvesting. Try to limit your environmental impact by using oils sparingly, avoiding oils made from endangered plants, buying from companies that use sustainable harvesting practices, and reusing or recycling the bottles.

Making Aromatherapy Trauma-Sensitive

Because scent is so strongly connected to memory, scents that remind us of a traumatic event can trigger anxiety or panic, or even make us physically ill. Before using aromatherapy, think carefully about the scents you feel drawn to and whether they may be triggering for you.

For example, if your abuser wore a floral perfume with rose and geranium notes, the scents of rose and geranium might activate your fight or flight response, even though those are usually considered calming scents. If your abuser wore a cologne or deodorant with a lot of woodsy notes, you might want to avoid woodsy essential oils like cedarwood.

If at any point you start to feel triggered or activated when using aromatherapy, stop using that scent until you can speak to a therapist or counselor about your experience.

Helpful Essential Oils for Trauma Survivors

Note: Much of the information in this section comes from Elizabeth Guthrie's book, The Trauma-Informed Herbalist.

Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia): The ultimate relaxing scent. Guthrie says that lavender "allows a person to completely relax. It is a wonderful tonic for a person who has been overthinking situations." Lavender is really helpful for anxiety and paranoia, especially if your anxiety takes the form of doom spiraling or thinking about worst case-scenarios.

Cedarwood (Cedrus virginiana): An excellent grounding scent. Guthrie says that cedarwood "is loved for its ability to help people reconnect to themselves." Be aware that Atlas Cedarwood (Cedrus atlantica) is endangered due to overharvesting -- try to use more sustainable varieties.

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis): Great for mental clarity. Rosemary strengthens memory, and it can be useful for people who struggle with short-term memory or who are dealing with brain fog or gaps in memory as a product of trauma. Rosemary promotes alertness.

Clary Sage (Salvia sclarea): Promotes a sense of well-being and helps decrease feelings of stress.

Sweet Marjoram (Origanum majorana): Brings balance to the body and mind. Marjoram has a relaxing effect and can help release tension.

Geranium (Pelargonium graveolens): Another relaxing scent. Guthrie says that geranium "can also help a person who is feeling jumpy, as if they're living in a horror movie and a jump scare is just around the corner."

Chamomile (Anthemis nobilis): Reduces anxiety and relieves feelings of depression. Chamomile also famously helps with sleep issues such as insomnia.

Patchouli (Pogostemon cablin): Very strong grounding. Guthrie recommends patchouli to help reset the sleep-wake cycle for people struggling with insomnia and/or fatigue.

Bergamot (Citrus bergamia): Balances emotional energy and uplifts the mood. Guthrie recommends it for brain fog from exhaustion and for aid in letting go of anger.

Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus): A superstar for healing, whether physical, mental, emotional, or even spiritual. Guthrie recommends eucalyptus "to jumpstart the emotional healing process" and "to release the feeling that their trauma is part of their identity."

Sweet Orange (Citrus sinensis): An uplifting and energizing scent. Great for bringing up the mood, promoting happiness, and helping with burnout.

Aromatherapy on a Budget

Listen, y'all. Essential oils are expensive. Ethically sourced essential oils are even more expensive. I save some money by 1.) using essential oils sparingly, and 2.) buying pre-mixed blends. I'll typically look for a blend that contains several oils that I want to work with instead of buying each oil individually. Right now I'm working with the "Harmony" synergy blend from Eden's Garden, which contains lavender, cedarwood, rosemary, clary sage, sweet marjoram, geranium, and chamomile.

If you can't find a blend that has all the qualities you want, you can still save money by buying a blend with most of the qualities you're looking for, then adding one or two low-cost oils. For example, I wanted a slightly more grounding effect than the blend I'm using has, so I add a little bit of patchouli oil to bring in that earthy, grounding quality.

Sources:

The Trauma-Informed Herbalist by Elizabeth Guthrie

"5 Benefits of Clary Sage Oil" by Corey Whelan

"Marjoram Essential Oil" on AromaWeb

"The 8 Proven Benefits of Chamomile Oil and How to Use It" by Jill Seladi-Schulman, Ph.D.

"Essential Oils & Pets" on Saje

"Are Essential Oils Safe for Kids?" by Teresa Carr

#smell goods do a lot and should not be underestimated #aromatherapy #essential oils #trauma #trauma survivor #trauma processing #trauma informed #the body keeps the score #herbalism #herbs #lavender #cedar #cedarwood #witchblr #witch #witchcraft #green witch #green witchcraft #cottage witch #kitchen witch #kitchen witchcraft #ptsd #complex trauma #complex ptsd #cptsd recovery #abuse tw #my writing #long post #recovery #plant magic

[whats-in-a-sentence]

It is one thing to process memories of trauma, but it is an entirely different matter to confront the inner void – the holes in the soul that result from not having been wanted, not having been seen, and not having been allowed to speak the truth.

"The Body Keeps the Score: Mind, brain and body in the transformation of trauma" - Bessel van der Kolk

#book quotes #the body keeps the score #bessel van der kolk #nonfiction #trauma #trauma processing #inner void #void #soul #unwanted #unseen #truth #speak your truth

[chillwithnea]

#manifestation #law of attraction #law of assumption #loa #self love #mental health #neville goddard #spirituality #personal #trauma #the body keeps the score #emotional release #emotional mastery #ed recovery #ed warriors #mental health blog #spiritualität #selbstliebestärken #자기애 #마음 #mindfulness #prana

[funeral]

Understanding what is 'wrong' with people currently is more a question of the mind-set of the practitioner (and of what insurance companies will pay for) than of verifiable, objective facts...The preamble to the DSM-III warned explicitly that its categories were insufficiently precise to be used in forensic settings or for insurance purposes. Nonetheless it gradually became an instrument of enormous power: Insurance companies require a DSM diagnosis for reimbursement, until recently all research funding was based on DSM diagnoses, and academic programs are organized around DSM categories [...] The manual has become a virtual industry that has earned the American Psychiatric Association well over $100 million. The question is: Has it provided comparable benefits for the patients it is meant to serve?

Bessel van der Kolk, The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma

#bessel van der kolk #the body keeps the score #psychology #psychiatry #excerpts #quotes #p

[haveyoureadthisbook-poll]

#the body keeps the score #bessel van der kolk #nonfiction #book poll #have you read this book poll #polls

[reniadeb]

🐦 @reniadeb 🐦

#meme #funny #memes #relatable #relatable memes #relatable meme #twitter #elon musk #mental health memes #mental health #the body keeps the score