Physical Movement and Other Forms of Emotional Regulation

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MindWithoutWalls
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Joined: 25 Oct 2011
Age: 55
Gender: Male
Posts: 1,445
Location: In the Workshop, with the Toolbox

11 Mar 2015, 12:33 pm

I just read an article on page 16 of the December 2014 issue of Psychology Today called "Superstitious to the Bone". It said that a reason behind the things people do in different cultures when they think they've "tempted fate" seems to be because their common element of involving physical movement away from the body (knocking on wood, throwing salt over one shoulder, and spitting) may help them regulate their anxious feelings so they can take a less negative outlook about what the future might actually hold. Movement towards the body (knocking up into a table instead of down onto it) has the opposite effect. The effect is strong enough that throwing a tennis ball, or even just pretending to do so, can have the desired result.

Another regulating activity I've learned about is holding ice cubes as an alternative to self-injurious behavior. My therapist says this causes the same brain response as cutting and is therefore sometimes encouraged in cutters as a way of providing relief without cutting. The ice cubes melt before any damage is done, but the painful signal is still of value in creating the desired experience. I'm not a cutter, but I've struggled with some degree of self injury in very stressful times. On the advice of my therapist, I tried the ice cube method for the first time yesterday. I didn't feel any better about what was stressing me, but I didn't do any other self harm. That's just one time, so I'll need to monitor this long term to see if I get a consistent result, but I'm hopeful so far.

I'd like to know what others think about finding safe substitute physical movements and sensations in an attempt to at least ease anxiety and other emotions somewhat or simply prevent self-harm. Has anyone else experimented with these things? What was the result? I'm going to give some more thought to what else might help me. If anyone tries any suggestions offered in this discussion, I'd be interested in knowing how that goes.

Thanks, everybody! Oh, and it's good to be back after my long absence. Hello again, folks! :heart:


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