Ice, Ice Baby ... :)

Long before I knew anything about my why's, or of triggers, before therapy or even understanding that my coping skills were destructive, I knew I was dealing with a physical feeling that I couldn't contain.

I don't feel from 12 onwards that I ever did anger, lost my temper, got cross, I did rage. It was pure & unadulterated, I went from 0 to 100 in 10 seconds. It was frightening for me as I had little memory of these episodes but I knew from the reactions of those around me in the aftermath that it was frightening for them.

I learnt how to control and contain the anger ... but it was at a high cost to me and even more destructive.

Years later one of the first therapists in recovery gave me a list of alternatives to destructive behaviour, ie walk with a friend, garden WTF! Needless to say she didn't last long...lol...

The first alternative for me that worked was ice ... I stocked up on the stuff ... I would put it in the sink with a few inches of water (while the tap run I would run ice over my hands & wrists) I would plunge my hands in till I couldn't feel them ... if the anger surfaced through this I would put my face in or splash it with water. Focusing on getting the water ready, the sensation of cold slowed my thinking quickly. I went from the hectic to the here and now, the urge ebbed ... it stopped the flashes of memory almost instantly... I now know this as grounding

Over time, I abandoned the ice and used cold showers.

There are alot of alternatives to SH out there, and the key is identifying the emotion behind it, your own 'why'. For me it was anger and disassociation. I will bring together articles from the net and do a weekly post on alternatives (on Tuesdays)but I wanted to share one that worked for me and why.... If you have others let us know and we can build up a collection. What works for me may not be so for others and your input would be great as always..... Abz