Re: A Survival Box

[Guest guest]

Ooooh cool. I'm not sure if I still dissociate. I know that I used to do it

becaue of untreated physical pain - hurts too bad. . .brain exit stage left.

That sounds very soothing - reassuring that I'm really in there, if its all

things I love that are meaningful to me.

I like that. My touch item would be yarn - different varieties of wool. And

can I put my pets in there for touch, sound, too. They make me feel like I'm

myself.

Does this even make sense?

>

>

>

> Someone asked what a survival box was and I wanted to share it with

> everyone if you're interested. My therapist said that when we were little,

> being raised by a borderline parent made us hypervigalent because the rules

> were always changing. Our brains had to figure out a way to cope so a lot of

> times we would dissociate ourselves from the situation. When you dissociate

> yourself, you kind of leave your body (so to speak) and you become unaware

> of your 5 senses...and it worked then (dissociating), but now it doesn't

> work anymore. So the survival box is something I use when I am dissociative

> or having really high anxiety.

>

> Go to your local Target (or Wal-Mart, 's, Hobby Lobby, etc) and

> purchase a box.

> You can pretty much use your imagination. I have a medium-sized white

> basket lined in pink fabric, but you could use a treasure chest or whatever

> you want.

>

> Get as many items as it will hold that have to do with your 5

> senses...things YOU like and are special to YOU and no one else.

>

> Touch

> Taste

> Smell

> Hearing

> Sight

>

> For touch, I have a sock monkey (dont laugh), a squishy stress ball, some

> grounding beads (if you don't know what grounding beads are, I'd be happy to

> do another post explaining how to make them), some little ceremic bears my

> therapist gave me.

> For taste, I have mints, chocolates, some herbal teas, and sprees. I love

> sprees, lol.

> For smell, I have some Ralph perfume that I love, some scented

> candles (which can also be for sight), and different sized lotions from Bath

> and Body Works.

> For hearing, I have some CDs that I like to put on.

> For sight, I have pictures of my kids, my husband, my therapist, a cross,

> my positive affirmation book, etc...

>

> The point is to use it right before or during high anxiety or dissociative

> times. Maybe it could work for you too!!

>

> As you're doing it, be aware of what you're feeling, thinking, seeing. Ask

> yourself, what am I touching? (my grounding beads) Where is it touching me?

> (my fingers) How does it feel? (rough, cool, smooth).

>

> Okay, now you all owe me $140!!

>

> LOL Just kidding.

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