Therapy today

[Banned]

I just got back from therapy, and I'm actually kind of tired. I was scheduled to see her next week, but I asked to bump it up to this week. We are/were down to about once/month sessions.

I can't get the thoughts to stop. Day and night my brain just goes and goes and goes and doesn't stop. I lay in bed for hours before I can finally fall asleep for two or three hours, and then the thoughts (and the sun, and the dogs) wake me up. I tried putting a pillow over my head to make them stop (ok, I didn't actually expect it to work, but I was getting desperate!). It was seriously driving me bonkers.

She gave me some Brain Gym stuff to try. She also has some software called HeartMath that we're going to try next week. I'm going to bring my laptop so we can hook up the software and sensors...apparently it teaches you how to be more aware of your body and stuff...it's kind of like biofeedback, but different. I'm excited to try it. I did some research on it and it looked really interesting.

She also advised me to do some reading on ADD and if I think it might fit, then she will send me somewhere to get tested. I asked her the difference then between ADD and OCD for what I'm experiencing and she said she believes alot is intertwined. So maybe I have more ADD than OCD...I dunno. What I do know, is that I'm looking forward to teaching my brain how to take a breather. Currently, it just never stops, and while I get alot of great ideas and inspiration, there are times when I just want to "be"...and not be thinking or analyzing or doing...please tell me it's possible!

 

[Jazzey]

The new program sounds really interesting Turtle. And I understand about the thoughts. When I'm there, I just get out of bed for a while. Otherwise, I get more and more distraught at not sleeping.

I've also bought one of those masks that cover your eyes. For whatever reason, I find it really helps...

 

[Banned]

I love my sleep mask! It is great in the summer when the sun brightens my room at 5am...

 

[Jazzey]

...Me too Turtle - it's kind've my 'secret addiction' (although no longer much of a secret) :lol:

When I struggle with sleep, I lay on my back, focus on the feel of against my face and do the exercise where you clench muscles and relax them - from the toes up gradually. And I breath deeply. All the while focusing on an imaginary x dead center of my eyes...

That mask has saved a me a few sleepless nights.

 

[Banned]

Ok...we did the Heartmath thing today. It was SO cool! I loved it! The way it works is you put this sensor on your finger, and open the software on the computer. There are several programs to choose from...there is one that just shows your heart rate on the screen, and as you're talking it might go up or down...so when my T asked me about something specific my heart rate shot way up because it was apparently upsetting to me. Then when she changed the subject it came back down.

Then we played a "game". The first one is three minutes long, and you have to try to relax enough to create a meadow with animals and rivers and stuff. The more relaxed you are, the more colour your meadow gets. My meadow didn't do very well. We didn't get past half a sunset.

We tried the balloon one that is seven minutes long. Depending how relaxed you are, the balloon flies across the land. If you tense up, your balloon stops flying and eventually lands. The goal is to keep it in the air. My balloon didn't do so well.

We played around with it quite a bit. She had never actually used it before so she was learning the same as I was. We did experiments where she left the room for a while and then came back, and we went back and saw what my heart rate did. We had various conversations, some serious and some casual, and it was very, very interesting to watch the difference in how your body responds on a level you can't control. The good thing is, using this mechanism, you can totally teach your body how to relax and be zen-like.

The bonus in all of this is because we installed it on my laptop to try it out, it still works on my laptop so basically I got the program for free. I ordered the finger sensor (it's pretty useless without that) and should get it in the next 7-10 days. Then I can practice at home...trying to learn to relax, and getting instant feedback on when I'm doing it right and when I'm not.

So I guess that is my product review for today haha. I LOVED it. I even booked another app't for next week so we can play with it some more...even though I was trying to only go once a month haha.

 

[ladylore]

Sounds like fun - where can I buy this game?

 

[Banned]

Online at heartmath.com. She (well, "we" lol) has an older version of it but it works good enough for me...the ones available now are much newer and probably have even more features as well as limited licenses...hers is good on as many computers as she wants...which is neat.

 

[Meg]

Biofeedback can be quite fun. I'm glad you've had a good experience with it, Turtle

 

[Andy]

That sounds pretty cool. I have never heard of that before. I hope it works well for you and you are able to read the signs your body gives you to relax a bit. :support: