_Survivors_

( Collapse )

This week, it might actually also be extra helpful if, when submitting your comment, you list the religions/belief systems you mention--that way others can decide whether to read or skip over your comment until they are feeling up to it. 

Without further ado, here are this week's questions!

1. What kind of experiences did you have with religion/spirituality in regards to your abuse history? 
2. What kind of impact have these experiences had on your current belief system?
3. How does your current belief system and/or the practices related to it affect your recovery path as a survivor?

Selective Desensitization is a process by which to reduce the severity of trauma triggers.

( Collapse )


This week's questions are:
- To which triggers do you have the greatest reaction?

- Which triggers would you like to desensitize most? Which are the ones you encounter most often?

- In which ways could you safely expose yourself to those triggers?

- Who in your support network would be best to help you desensitize those triggers?

Originally posted by sistahraven  on January 10, 2006

What is your favorite smell?

This one might sound a bit odd, so I'll give you some background. Many of us have learned coping skills out the wazoo to deal with our panic attacks, flashbacks, depression, anger, nightmares, etc. Studies have shown that using a few coping skills, which focus on different senses at the same time (as in touch and sound, taste and sight, etc.) are the most effective. By soothing our bodies on multiple levels, we're able to tell our bodies faster that we are safe and okay, despite what our emotions are doing at the time.

One of the easiest things, and often the most overlooked, coping skill is aromatherapy. Think about it. How much more comforted do we feel with the smell of warm apple pie in the oven, or fresh baked bread, or the lilacs in the spring, or maybe even the smell of your family dog. Adding the component of smell to your coping is an all-encompassing aid, that doesn't intrude on cuddling with a loved one, reading a book, listening to music. And with all the various scented candles, air fresheners, and potpourri available... well, you can find just about any smell - from fresh cut grass to a warm cup of coffee.

• So what are your favorite smells?
• What good things do they remind you of?
• How can you bring those smells into your life when you need that extra bit of comfort?

( Collapse )


This week's questions are:
- Do you have birthday triggers? Are they for your, or another person's birthday?

- What negative associations do you have with birthdays?

- What have been the coping skills or strategies which helped you most?

( Collapse )


This week's questions are:
- Were you bullied? How old were you when it started, and how long did it last?

- How did your bullies choose to hurt you? Were you ever able to have resolution with that bully?

- How did you cope with the feelings bullying brought up while you were being bullied, and how did you cope with the remaining feelings after the bullying stopped?

( Collapse )


This week's questions are:
- Is your relationship with food healthy?

- How has the rape or abuse you survived changed or affected your relationship with food?

- Do you have any insight or advice for those who are struggling to have a healthy relationship with food?

( Collapse )

Questions:

1. In what areas of life do you most frequently face conflicts and confrontations?
2. What kinds of negative effects do conflicts and confrontations have on you?  How do they make you feel?
3. Are there specific aspects related to conflicts and confrontations that you'd like to change or focus on for the future?
4. Have you ever had a positive resolution to a conflict or confrontation?  And if so, were there things about that experience that you have held onto?

( Collapse )

1. What kinds of situations (or sounds, smells, etc.) typically trigger flashbacks for you?
2. How does experiencing flashbacks impact your life (negatively OR positively--as part of the recovery process, for example)?
3. What kinds of techniques, information, skills, etc. do you successfully use to help mitigate the negative effects of your flashbacks?
4. What are some things you would still like to learn about flashbacks and/or coping with them?

( Collapse )

• In what ways does anxiety play a (negative or positive) role in your life?
• What kinds of coping mechanisms have you established to try to help you overcome your anxiety in different situations?
• What are your goals regarding the anxiety you experience?

Bonus!

• What is one big victory you've accomplished in spite of or in relation to your anxiety?

PUBLIC

( Collapse )

So this week's questions are:
- Do you have a soothing routine for bedtime?
- If so, what do you do? What works best for you?
- If not, what soothing things could you do in the 15-20 minutes before sleep?