As I mentioned when I started researching and putting my own experiences together with this subject, it got a lot larger than I thought it was going to be. Part 3 ...not so great, I don't feel I explained things as well as I should have for one. The other is I actually forgot couple of key methods to self soothing when you feel an anxiety, panic or PTSD attack coming on.
There is pranic or rhythmic breathing. You breathe in to the count of 6 through your diaphragm to your abdomen (you want to visualize the breath coming in and going into your lungs down to your diaphragm and to your abdomen. Hold the breath for a count of 3 then release the breath to the count of 6 again visualizing your breath going out. One way you know you're doing it correctly is to place one or both hands on your abdomen and as your breath in your abdomen should expand some and those muscles should slightly tighten(contract) as you push the breath out. Believe it or not there are free apps you can download to help you with this. Some use a 7-3 method that's fine. This is something you can go to the restroom at work and take a couple of minutes to do. You usually need only 2-3 minutes.
Another key method is self-talk down. I have a copy of what my therapist gave to me, which I'll share in a moment. On a larger note though, I this clip from Jessica Jones on Netflix kind of gives you insight as to what a PTSD attack is like. First off you notice when she's stressed she starts naming off streets. For her that is her self-talk down. Each street she names (in case you haven't watched the series) is the streets she would take to walk home from school. A special memory for her and a reminder of what she's lost. Also in this clip you'll see she's in a restaurant and the background changes into a memory she had. If I remember correctly, she was walking by an noticed the restaurant which triggered the memory. It is about as close as you can describe to someone who has not gone through this. Also with the self-talk down you don't have to stick to what is shown. If you have 5 pets that made you happy when you were younger you can name those. Use the names of your kids or loved ones. Again these are just examples. I personally like the method I posted under the video clip. It forces me to look around at my environment to remind me where I am.
Sorry for missing that part. To me it was essential to include this in, mainly due to the prospective it gives.
Now for the 'big' stuff. Here is a question that is asked a lot. Is mindfulness meditation? The answer is actually, No it it isn't. As you may remember from Parts 1 and 2 mindfulness is learning a non-judgemental awareness of thoughts and feelings and pursuing activities to bring you and your thoughts to the NOW. Can you use mediation to practice mindfulness....most definitely. However, it's not always convenient. Mindfulness meditation is one of the best methods to use, but obviously you can't excuse yourself for a minimum of 15-20 minutes. "Yo, Boss...I have to go meditate before I hurt myself or someone" Yeah, not going to happen, bosses usually don't understand and a lot don't want to be bothered with your personal issues. So it is usually best to do this when you have time at home and you can control your environment.
First of all, start with a mediation that says that is a mindfulness meditation or a guided mindfulness meditation. You don't want to venture into another type of mediation at this time until you find on that works for you and you want to make sure you're not doing something will bring up past trauma or anxiety. You may not make it through the mediation your first few attempts. That is ok. It takes practice. You may not like the the first one you try. I suggest to try it at least 3 times before you decide it's not the right one for you. If you start off and right away you don't feel right, find another one. Actually, make a list of a few so that way if something doesn't sit well at that time, you have another ready to go to. You may prefer a male voice or a female voice. You may prefer whispers to soft talk. You may prefer an accent. There are so many to choose from.
Here are a couple that I use, I gave myself 7 days to see if would make a difference. The first one is by Michael Sealey. I have found this particular one works very well for me. I usually fall asleep and that is ok, it just means you've relaxed. Since I have had severe migraines since I was 12 yrs old. I found his ASMR (Autonomous sensory meridian response) Headache and Migraine video with this Mindfulness Meditation have been wonderful. Since, I work graveyard shift I do both of these about an hour before I go to work. I'm relaxed and focused. I don't go into work fuzzy headed.
Mind you these are just suggestions. I personally don't watch the videos, I lay down and listen. If I have a headache, I don't use my headset. That is another thing to keep in mind, you can sit up, you can lay down, you can lay in a recliner, you can sit on the floor, it is whatever works for you, it is trial and error. Mindfulness meditation is a little tougher than most people imagine. It isn't 'let's turn on a video and zone out.' Depending on which one you use there are usually small activities involved with each one. The most common is focusing on your breath and being aware of your body. Most guided meditations that cover this are easy to follow.
Now, if you are wanting the zone out method. There are videos that show a candle, a beach, a river and such. Some with a talkdown, some with just music. To be honest a dimly lit room with a candle works just fine. Maybe some soft music in the background. You focus on the flame and clear your mind, as you do this then you focus on your breathing even steady breaths (nothing fancy). The whole goal with this method is to clear your mind and listen to your body. The flame is very entrancing watching it flicker or wave, change colors and so forth.
One of the reason I recommend the guided meditations first is you can get yourself into trouble opening doors you thought were shut. Opening doors you did not know where there. There are numerous articles around that talk about people trying out meditation and have turned to negative behavior or have even gone as far as killing themselves over these situations. With the simple guided ones, you are only going down the one path and that is simply to calm you down and bring your thoughts back to the NOW. The last thing I want is someone to get hurt because they didn't take their time to learn properly. I cannot stress enough that this all takes time and to use caution, this is not something you can dive into head first and deal with the mess later, there might not be a later. Start simple and work your way up. If you are not seeing some sort of therapist, you might want to. If you are seeing one mention what you have found and see what they suggest. They know you better than I ever could. I am by no means an expert, I can only share what I have been through to hopefully pass on hope.
MINDFUL or MIND FULL mini-series:
Mindful or Mind Full - Let's get started
Mindful or Mind Full - What is Minfulness (Part2)
Mindful or Mind FULL - Part 3
