Owning my pain. Once its owned it loses its power. Pain is a neutral sensation. It is impersonal and part of being in a body. Pain is not only a neutral sensation but when experienced as such, in clarity, it offers pure data. Wordless info that only the body can convey. …
Let your pain speak. Pain management is often necessary and grounded in kindness and mercy. Pain avoidance on the other hand will go too far. Learn to walk that line. The entire medical system, both for physical and mental health, is largely based on pain avoidance-it’s not sustainable. We must feel to deeply heal. Fact… Continue Reading →
I would call what I do emotive face painting therapy, in a daily selfie. It’s like a daily journal, but using colors on my own face. Sometimes I cannot find words or even music to express how I feel. When I am feeling an intense feeling that is troubling me or exciting me, I’ll sit in front of the mirror with my paints out and choose what color(s) I’m drawn to spontaneously. Sometimes a simple color comes, sometimes many, sometimes an entire character or persona. Sometimes I feel the entire world, sometimes I feel the entire universe, sometimes I feel a very selfish dark feeling. …
Someone asked to know more about what I referred to as sub-personalities and parts in the last post: The somatic imperative and meditation — she thought that perhaps it was the drug withdrawal that created these parts. I responded: no, it’s not the drugs or the withdrawal that causes the subpersonalities. They UNCOVER them when the nervous… Continue Reading →
Baby steps…I started with an exercycle on which I peddled for 15 seconds until I could peddle 30 seconds. (I got it for free on free cycle). Walking to the mailbox was an exciting workout for quite a while. Yoga has been wonderful…sometimes still I only do 5 or 10 minutes at a time…it continues to unfold….I did a lot of other things in baby step ways. Never pushing beyond what felt safe and comfortable.
So much talk of disease these days. Depression is a disease. Mental illness is a disease. — The language of disease is soothing: there is nothing wrong with you, you are not crazy, you are not different, you are not “less.” You just have a disease. Like diabetes. — Type 1 diabetes is a lifelong condition: you take your insulin, you are fine (well, sorta: you also have a shorter life expectancy and likelihood of nerve damage, eye damage, etc.). So is the “disease” of mental illness. Nothing to be ashamed of. It doesn’t mean you’re weak, or that someone hurt you. It’s no one’s fault. — So here’s what’s wrong with this lovely, guilt-free approach to mental pain. one: it dooms you to a lifetime of disability. You are a lifetime depressive, bipolar, OCD sufferer, schizophrenic. The disease is here to stay. … [click on title to read the rest]
If we can’t recognize the oppression of others I have to say we’ve not learned much from the oppressive forces of psychiatry. I keep letting these sorts of messages from those harmed by racism to penetrate my being that I might learn to eradicate oppression everywhere I see it. As long as abuse is happening anywhere in our human family we are all harmed. … [click on title for the rest of the post]
There are lots more tools and methods of support to browse in the drop-down menus at the top of this site — don’t limit yourself to this page. This site is now 11 years running and there are more than 5,000 posts. Many of those best suited to support you are found in the drop-down… Continue Reading →
#12 from the IT GETS BETTER series
JANUARY 10, 2012
I don’t often talk about the numerous, odd and often acute aches and pains we who’ve been harmed by drugs often experience as a result of the iatrogenic damage from taking and then withdrawing from psychiatric drugs. … [click on title to read and view more]
(a wonderful piece of music and commentary on how I use healing tones)
Everything matters 