Tips in caption ❤️ Everyone dissociates but not always to the degree of a disorder. Think of dissociation as a spectrum, where on one side we have things like zoning out, mild day dreaming, imaginary friends, imagining future scenarios and on the other side we have depersonalization, derealization & dissociation disorders. This can also look different for other people When you struggle with dissociation it is important to bring yourself back to present moment. This isn’t always easy but things such as ice, cold water, dancing, shaking, giving yourself a hug, gently pinching / touching your arms & legs can help. Essentially, you want to try to engage your senses. It is also helpful to remind yourself that dissociation has been a tool that has kept you safe & what your body and mind deemed best in the moment. Judging yourself for this will not make it easier. Safety affirmations can help as well “I am safe” “Everything in this present moment is okay” ❤️ Ib @joshpsychology .

There is nothing wrong with helping the people you love, but when you lose yourself to consistently help others, it may be time to work on your boundaries and self esteem. I will be going through all the trauma responses in my next videos ❤️ the first one I want to focus on is fawn; the people pleasing response. This response can come from a variety of experiences. For childhood trauma survivors, fawn can be a trauma response that was developed as a way to stay safe forms neglectful or abusive parents. Many people who have a fawn trauma response would need to “keep the peace” and keep others happy to ensure their safety. When we people please, we often seek validation based on how useful we feel to other people, this can’t be how we measure our self worth or we will never put ourselves first. People pleasing is often an overlooked trauma response which is referred to as “fawning,” This can result in:⁣ ⁣ - feeling guilty for saying no⁣ - feeling guilty when you are angry at others⁣ - feeling responsible for other feelings⁣ - blaming yourself when things go wrong⁣ - being confused about your values and priorities⁣ - compromising your own happiness for others⁣ - low self-esteem & confidence⁣ - trying to fit in/a large desire to be included⁣ - feeling drained and exhausted⁣ ⁣ A crucial step in healing the “fawn” response will be learning to develop your true values as well as learning how to create and assert healthy boundaries. Ib @ab ❦ 🤍 . . . . . #mentalhealth #anxiety #trauma #unhealedtrauma #depression #stress #ptsd #complextrauma #cptsd #selfhelp #selflove #motivation #procrastination #wellness #therapy #therapist #mentalhealthmatters #socialanxiety #bpd #bipolar #dsm #adhd

You are never alone in dealing with your mental health. Canada.ca/mental-health includes mental health and substance use resources in your area, educational content, access to virtual mental health services, and information about 9-8-8, Canada’s new Suicide Crisis Helpline. This post is created in paid partnership with Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada. All views expressed here are my own. #MentalHealth #MentalHealthMatters #MentalHealthAwareness #SuicidePrevention #988Canada #sponsored #canada

Do you have an anxious attachment style or are you in a relationship or friendship with someone who has an anxious attachment style? Someone with an anxious attachment style often thinks their partner (or friend) is always mad at them due to their deep fears of abandonment and rejection. This attachment style can cause a constant need for reassurance and closeness with the people you love. There’s a misconception in the self-help community that we need to focus on self-care and learn to love ourselves and fight against reassurance as a way to get through it. But I don’t believe that’s true, I think we learn to do these things in relationships that provide reassurance and validation. In the situation outlined above, it would be helpful for the second person to say something like “I know you may feel like something is wrong, but I’m not mad at you. I love you and everything between us is okay.” It’s a simple affirmation that can go a long way. Here are some other ways you can help: Open Communication: Encourage open and honest conversations about feelings and concerns. Create a safe space for your partner to express their insecurities without judgment. Do not roll your eyes, or get frustrated when they bring up the same topics. They need to hear it. Asking your partners needs: When they are feeling insecure or anxious, what do they need from you to help them? Is it a simple text or call, is it quality time? Figure out what works. Reassurance: Provide reassurance and verbal affirmation of your love and commitment. Remind them frequently that you care deeply about them and the relationship. Consistency: Be consistent in your actions and words. People with anxious attachments often get worried when they notice something changed or their partner isn’t showing up the way they usually do. If you have something going on in your own life, explain this to them to keep them from feeling abandoned. If you don’t, try to remain consistent for them to ease their fear. Inspired by: @nnelsson_

Let’s talk maladaptive daydreaming 💭 Daydreaming is completely normal, and something almost every single person does. It gives us a break from our current life, it helps us think about goals and the future and it can be exciting and pleasant. But, it does not last for extreme periods of time and we often feel content returning to our present reality. Daydreaming becomes maladaptive when it is intense, distracting and impacts a persons daily function. Maladaptive daydreaming is often an escape for an individual from their current life or pain & trauma from the past. I want to address that maladaptive daydreaming is not widely recognized and is not in the DSM. There is not a lot of evidenced based research on it. But, it can become extremely distressing for an individual and impact areas of their life such as work, school, social life & much more. Dissociating is a response that could have kept us safe when we felt as if we were in danger. We may have developed this as a way fo escape our reality and put our bodies & minds in a place that was safer than our current situation. Dissociating & daydreaming is not something you should shame yourself for. If you experience maladaptive daydreaming or you feel as if daydreaming & dissociating as a coping strategy is impacting your health, here are some tips: - Become aware of what you are experiencing & name it - Recognize the patterns & triggers that cause you to do it - Ground yourself in the present moment if possible or safe. (Using 5 senses, grounding tools, breathing etc) - Find coping strategies that are safe and work for you. This may take trial and error - Give yourself a set time to daydream and stay within that tome - Be kind to yourself- you’re doing the best you can with what you know! Give yourself time, don’t try to stop all at once and judge yourself if it doesn’t work - Set goals and small steps to achieve them Ib @jessie ˚ ༘🧁⋆｡˚ ꕥ . . . . . #mentalhealth #anxiety #trauma #unhealedtrauma #depression #stress #ptsd #complextrauma #cptsd #motivation #procrastination #wellness #therapy #therapist #mentalhealthmatters #socialanxiety #bpd #bipolar #dsm