In the horror trip, trip cancellation and the negative side thread I have described my experiences about skills to help other users in difficult situations without the need for medication such as benzodiazepines.
Sometimes it is possible (and in my opinion advisable) to use skills in addition to medication and follow simple steps and exercises.
The user 20Fox has quoted me several times in different threads and has advised other users to inform themselves about skills. Since I think it is an advantage when questions arise not to have to refer to an external page but to have an internal thread, I would like to share some skills and my experiences with you.
I will partly quote from external sites, because I don’t think it is necessary to reformulate the single exercises and skills.
I will edit the thread if necessary and am open for criticism and suggestions.
Important:
Skills do not replace a benzodiazepine in an emergency but can be a help and have helped many to get through a trip or an anxiety situation without medication, which in hindsight makes you feel good.
If you have any suggestions or questions please contact me, I will also try to answer any contact requests.
What are skills?
In short, Skills are mindfulness exercises or strong stimuli that help you to get out of stressful situations, such as an anxiety and panic attack, a trip or depersonalizations/dissociations that may have followed from fear.
I have an anxiety and panic disorder, which I can handle very well. Skills are a very big support for me. I have learned these methods in my in-patient therapies and am always happy when I can end a panic attack in this way.
Various skills:
1. – Mindfulness practice:
My experiences with this skill are very different. It is very difficult and requires a lot of practice to concentrate like this during a panic attack. But if you practice it, they are really super helpful exercises.
Calm yourself with the help of our 5 senses:
This skill is very well suited for beginners and is a great help in easy but also in difficult situations, because there is always a possibility to distract yourself with your 5 senses and not to try to solve the problem on the cognitive level.
Mostly combinations of different mindfulness exercises are a good way to escape and overcome fear.
Mixed methods for the emergence of panic
Here are again a few methods, which are also very helpful and easy to use.
Especially the method “talking with fear” is fantastic.
I’ve been trying to control my panic attacks for months without meds.
Since I thought relatively little of “skills” and I thought that there was no other middle way at that time, it was relatively difficult for me to overcome myself.
After many attempts with certain methods and a few panic attacks that I had to endure, the following emerged for me:
– Mindfulness meditation:
Great result if you do it for a long time and especially if you do it constantly. The result does not only refer to the panic attacks, but also has a positive effect in other situations in life.
– Music as trigger: Edith Piaf – Non, Je ne regrette rien, I connect a direct “Red/Off Button” with the song. (Thanks to such a film ;D )
Because I had no relation to the song but it was so perfect for my project I gathered some “experiences”.
This means for example to listen to the song when you are in a euphoric mood. (Partial/rare induced by “soft” drugs)
– Improvement of the general situation:
In my case it was physical and sometimes mental condition that didn’t want to do as I did.
After I cleaned my entire fridge and switched from very unhealthy to very healthy food I definitely noticed a change.
In the beginning (7 days~) the drive came from Modafinil which was also dosed down directly and replaced by motivation.
After sports, nutrition, mindfulness exercises, skills etc. I learned to control my panic attacks (as far as possible).
The connection between my “lifestyle” and the panic attacks was only really clear to me when I was already feeling better.
I definitely notice a slight weakening from panic attack to panic attack.
