Lived Experience Forum

[adlaide77]

Oh, me too. I feel you.

[Margot]

Welcome to the conversation @utopia@Zoe7@MoonGal @adlaide77

Avoidance is a really common way us humans deal with strong emotions and we'll certainly be talking a whole lot more about that. Hopefully you can take away a few tips this evening 🙂

[Margot]

Us humans have complex emotional lives that allow us to do things like: feel inspired when we hear powerful stories; feel hurt when we learn that somebody has been gossiping about us; feel excited when we’re about to do something new; feel deep sadness and grief when we lose somebody close to us; feel anger when we believe something to be unjust; and feel anxious when we are reminded of all the uncertainties in the world.

While these emotions allow us to feel connected to ourselves and others, at times, the strength of these feelings can leave us feeling completely overwhelmed and unable to cope with their intensity. We want to push them away, avoid them, bury them, discharge them, or take action to make ourselves feel otherwise.

Can you relate to that urge to resist or avoid discomfort? What emotions or feelings do you find hard to manage?

[Zoe7]

I find sadness hard to deal with - the overwhelming sadness that my whole body feels when triggered or hurt by something.

[Maree11]

Am also interested in how others effectively manage tolerate distress when severe di stress tend avoid retreat bed for days not leave flat comfort eat repeatedly ph helplines beg helpme etc am using better ways when moderate distress go walking ph fri end distraction positive ways

[BlueBay]

Hi @Margot is it too late to join ?

[Saski]

I find anger as a parent hard to diffuse

[Adge]

Hi everyone.

Thanks for the tag reminder @Margot

I think distress tolerance is part of resilience (or being resilient).

I am told that I am resilient, yet I frequently have high levels of emotional distress - which I certainly don't feel tolerant to.

I have CPTSD too.

Adge

[MoonGal]

"Can you relate to that urge to resist or avoid discomfort? What emotions or feelings do you find hard to manage?"

guilt and hurt.

Also hugely reactive to perceived criticism although have gotten much better with that by practising chat back to it "Is that person deliberatley being hurtful? Is that person making a suggestion that might be helpful rather than critical? What if they are right (in a helpful way)? 

[BlueBay]

I struggle with distress tolerance because my stress levels go from 0 to 10 in an instant. I struggle with anger.