Tips for escaping a bad mindset. Many people believe that the cycle of trauma ends as soon as the abuse or action causing the distress is terminated. That’s not the case, and it’s far from the truth. A special article for jupsin.com.
Abuse is a traumatic experience that affects the way we function and cope with daily events
Abuse is a traumatic experience that affects the way we function and cope with daily events.
Prolonged abuse has been found to affect all areas of our lives, affecting:
- Our mental capacity.
- Ability to process emotions.
- The way we form and maintain relationships.
A key tool for survivors
Whether the abuse is ongoing or has stopped, the trauma experienced is something that won’t go away overnight. Moving forward is a difficult journey, but if you power through, it can also empower.
Learning how to escape during moments of stress is a key tool for survivors
Learning how to escape during moments of stress is a key tool for survivors. It can help heal and provide us with methods of self-care to get us through reliving these traumatic moments.
Tips For Escaping a Bad Mindset
Positive Affirmations (1)
Positive affirmations can help us reprogram the part of our mind that’s been changed by abuse and trauma. We need to work on reducing the destructive thoughts that may pop up while we’re going about our lives.
Often these thoughts force us into self-sabotage and prevent us from rebuilding our lives.
If your abuser told you you’re ugly, an affirmation to repeat yourself daily could be «I am beautiful and important»
The thoughts, or voices, that cross our minds are often related to things that our abusers said and continue to take its toll on us, even if the abuse is no longer occurring. This turns us into our own worst enemy.
A positive affirmation can help you restructure your way of thinking. For example, if your abuser told you you’re ugly, an affirmation to repeat yourself daily could be «I am beautiful and important».
Every time you doubt yourself, repeat this affirmation to break the pattern of self-sabotage. Add reminders of this affirmation to your phone and living spaces to remain mindful of this new sense of positivity.
Get Physical (2)
As the saying goes, healthy body, healthy mind.
Exercise can give you an outlet to release all your bottled-up emotions and frustrations
Exercise can give you an outlet to release all your bottled-up emotions and frustrations. It’s also worth mentioning that exercise has been found to release endorphins, boost your mood, and improve your overall wellbeing.
Try to find an activity that you’ll enjoy doing as this will encourage you to keep moving.
Mindful Breathing (3)
By meditating and practicing mindful breathing, you can channel your thoughts and calm your mind during times of stress.
Take the time to simply breathe and become aware of the emotions you’re feeling and what triggered them
Take the time to simply breathe and become aware of the emotions you’re feeling and what triggered them. This helps you remove yourself from the situation and gain perspective.
Using this time to think can help you process what’s happened during your day and give you something to reflect on. You can also focus on finding solutions to problems you’re facing instead of focusing on the negative, which could lead to a downward spiral.
Express Yourself (4)
Art therapy is a helpful tool when it comes to processing trauma. It allows you to create something beautiful while managing the self-destructive feelings you may experience.
Art therapy is a helpful tool when it comes to processing trauma
Sometimes channeling your pain into art can be more therapeutic than trying to force yourself into talking about it before you’re ready to do so.
Trauma often disconnects the parts of our body associated with the ordeal in an attempt to cope with the stress. As these areas begin to reconnect, we begin to remember and re-experience aspects of trauma that were once forgotten.
Art can help to channel these feelings into a safe release. This makes it easier to cope with and process the emotions you may feel.
Find A Distraction (5)
When you start to feel overwhelmed, find something to distract your thoughts
When you start to feel overwhelmed, find something to distract your thoughts.
Often, cleaning the house or doing something constructive can keep you occupied and provide an outlet for you to channel your emotions.
Identify triggers (6)
Knowing what can cause an episode will help you find ways to work around preventing them from occurring.
Being able to identify the symptoms of an episode can help you cope with it before it becomes too extreme.
Look For Help (7)
Seeking help can assist you in coping with the effects of trauma.
Seeking help can assist you in coping with the effects of trauma
Whether you’re reaching out to a friend or family member, making an appointment to see a professional, or even joining a counseling group, there are plenty of safe spaces available.
When in a safe space you can identify your triggers. From here, you can learn how to work through your feelings when something triggers a memory or flashback.
It’s A Journey
The journey to recovery has no quick fix. It takes time, effort, and dedication to work through the trauma you’ve experienced.
You need to be patient and compassionate with yourself during this time and acknowledge that the self-blame you are experiencing is not healthy. It’s a by-product of everything you went through, and you need time to change that narrative.
The journey to recovery has no quick fix. It takes time, effort, and dedication to work through the trauma you’ve experienced
There’s no time limit to how long it will take, and there’s no blanket approach to treating this either.
Everyone experiences things difficulty and will need their coping mechanisms and treatment methods to reflect their individuality.
Sometimes there may be the need to hold your abuser accountable, such as how a Boy Scouts lawyer helped file claims against those in the organization who had committed abusive acts.
In other scenarios, long-term therapy may be the preferred course of action.
It’s beneficial to reflect on the past, but becoming consumed by it will only increase your levels of stress, which could inhibit your recovery.
Playing things repeatedly in your head will keep you trapped in a circle of self-doubt, which will hinder the healing process.
Stop Overthinking
Focusing on the negative can lead to long-term mental health issues.
You may be inclined to develop depression and anxiety because of focusing on your problems. It also means that you’ll handle daily difficulties poorly, beating yourself up for silly mistakes that aren’t the end of the world.
Change the way you think and become mindful of what you’ve been through
Escaping your mind during breaking moments is difficult, but the more you think about them, the longer past traumas will affect you. This can become a habit, making it difficult to change and find healthy ways to cope.
Change the way you think and become mindful of what you’ve been through. Never trivialize your trauma, but focus on the way forward rather than dwelling on the past.
