I know, right? It's kind of a funny idea, but I think presenting oneself with constant stimuli that requires one to re-orient to the present is a good practice for those of us with PTSD brains. I am giving some thought to how to do this more often and in a wider variety of ways.
This is really interesting to me. My folks got divorced and I was moved three times in a year when I was 8. Had two entirely new families in less than that. What’s intriguing to me is that, when we finally settled in the house I would live in for the next several years I would rearrange my bedroom furniture every month or so and I did that for a couple of years. One of those things I haven’t remembered doing for many years--I wonder if it was a similar coping mechanism (albeit from a lot less intense set of stressors).
Thank you for naming this practice. I grew up with obsessive cleanliness and frequent changes of the common space, and I am immersed in clutter, meaningful useful clutter (lol). I understand the energy drain of clutter, and am making tiny steps to reduce it, a la the infinite 1%. Looking at those steps as reorientation to the present adds momentum to the process.
If your clutter is a reaction, then it is good to change it. But if it's a reflection of you as a visual / right-brained personality, clutter is really ok and getting a handle on it might look different to you than your upbringing. You can come up with systems geared toward right-brained tendencies...there's a book called Organizing the Creative Mind which is fantastic. Just make sure you put your dirty laundry and trash where it goes. :D Just a thought.
I've gone back and forth with this -- my cleanliness and order are *absolutely* reactions to my childhood. But I think I like them for their own sake. And if something is going on where I need to temporarily take it down a notch (like when I broke my wrist, last winter), I am able to do so without a lot of distress, just some mild annoyance. So I think I'm going to continue this way, at least for now. But I do think about these things, seriously. Thanks for commenting!
Oh, I've done this sort of thing before - it always helps quiet my own PTSD "restlessness" & my mind feels "cleansed" for quite a while afterwards. I'm glad to hear it's helping you too!
This is very interesting. When I get severely stressed out, I cook or clean. It requires me to pay attention to what I'm doing and there is a nice prize at the end. I always thought it had to do with what I can control vs what I can't, but I like your interpretation about it making you live in the now.
I also take ballet, because it's too hard for me and I can't think about anything else besides it when I'm in class. x
So seeing the problem in a logical way instead of getting trapped in the feeling. Changing your surroundings, breaking the patterns up. Cleaning or making things neat (just started cleaning as my parents are visiting, not finished but feel so much better as things start to look better). And the patterns you’re breaking up are from the past so the P in PTSD post… trauma/stress after the fact. I’ve not suffered from that but thinking about what you’re doing I think helps me see it better. I have a few times almost gone into panic attacks and those would be me thinking about the future. I got out of them by recognizing I was going into them and using logic to tell myself that this thing isn’t happening now and reminding myself of my loved ones who’ve faced the hard things in life (even their deaths) and done so with grace, got through it… all my ancestors who faced it and got through it. I’ve been near all of my grandparents near their deaths, with one and see their strength. Am watching my parents age now, my strong father growing weak and know a future is coming up that will be hard but one they’ve gone through and their parents went through and… it’s not happening right now.
I know, right? It's kind of a funny idea, but I think presenting oneself with constant stimuli that requires one to re-orient to the present is a good practice for those of us with PTSD brains. I am giving some thought to how to do this more often and in a wider variety of ways.
This is really interesting to me. My folks got divorced and I was moved three times in a year when I was 8. Had two entirely new families in less than that. What’s intriguing to me is that, when we finally settled in the house I would live in for the next several years I would rearrange my bedroom furniture every month or so and I did that for a couple of years. One of those things I haven’t remembered doing for many years--I wonder if it was a similar coping mechanism (albeit from a lot less intense set of stressors).
I think it probably is, yeah. Unconscious way of re-orienting yourself repeatedly to the present, avoiding disassociation, etc.
Thank you for naming this practice. I grew up with obsessive cleanliness and frequent changes of the common space, and I am immersed in clutter, meaningful useful clutter (lol). I understand the energy drain of clutter, and am making tiny steps to reduce it, a la the infinite 1%. Looking at those steps as reorientation to the present adds momentum to the process.
If your clutter is a reaction, then it is good to change it. But if it's a reflection of you as a visual / right-brained personality, clutter is really ok and getting a handle on it might look different to you than your upbringing. You can come up with systems geared toward right-brained tendencies...there's a book called Organizing the Creative Mind which is fantastic. Just make sure you put your dirty laundry and trash where it goes. :D Just a thought.
I've gone back and forth with this -- my cleanliness and order are *absolutely* reactions to my childhood. But I think I like them for their own sake. And if something is going on where I need to temporarily take it down a notch (like when I broke my wrist, last winter), I am able to do so without a lot of distress, just some mild annoyance. So I think I'm going to continue this way, at least for now. But I do think about these things, seriously. Thanks for commenting!
I'm looking for a book with that title, and I'm not finding it on Amazon. Do you have the author's name?
Sorry, it’s Organizing for the Creative Person: Right-Brain Styles for Conquering Clutter, Mastering Time, and Reaching Your Goals
Pub date 1993.
Many thanks. Ordered used on Amazon. Thank you for the prompt response.
Oh, I've done this sort of thing before - it always helps quiet my own PTSD "restlessness" & my mind feels "cleansed" for quite a while afterwards. I'm glad to hear it's helping you too!
Thank you!
This is very interesting. When I get severely stressed out, I cook or clean. It requires me to pay attention to what I'm doing and there is a nice prize at the end. I always thought it had to do with what I can control vs what I can't, but I like your interpretation about it making you live in the now.
I also take ballet, because it's too hard for me and I can't think about anything else besides it when I'm in class. x
I’m exactly the same way now. If I am agitated I generally cook up a storm.
So seeing the problem in a logical way instead of getting trapped in the feeling. Changing your surroundings, breaking the patterns up. Cleaning or making things neat (just started cleaning as my parents are visiting, not finished but feel so much better as things start to look better). And the patterns you’re breaking up are from the past so the P in PTSD post… trauma/stress after the fact. I’ve not suffered from that but thinking about what you’re doing I think helps me see it better. I have a few times almost gone into panic attacks and those would be me thinking about the future. I got out of them by recognizing I was going into them and using logic to tell myself that this thing isn’t happening now and reminding myself of my loved ones who’ve faced the hard things in life (even their deaths) and done so with grace, got through it… all my ancestors who faced it and got through it. I’ve been near all of my grandparents near their deaths, with one and see their strength. Am watching my parents age now, my strong father growing weak and know a future is coming up that will be hard but one they’ve gone through and their parents went through and… it’s not happening right now.
Yes!! This is excellent. Thank you.
Thank you.