So, for simplicity, now try conceptualise mental illness as living within our Threat System (i.e. fight, flight, freeze, collapse). Think of depression as freeze; anger, anxiety, terror as fight or flight. Remember the Threat System is only intended for a real life and death threat (i.e. poverty, danger). #HealingTrauma
So the two fundamental questions to ask are:
- Is this moment safe or dangerous?
- Is this moment real or my imagination?
We need to get good at telling the difference between danger vs safety. Between imagination vs reality. That’s pretty much it.
A student said to his Master: You teach me fighting, but you talk about peace. How do you reconcile the two? The Master replied: It is better to be a warrior in the garden than to be a gardener in a war.
If the moment is dangerous, then we fight, run, freeze or collapse to stay alive: safety is primary. If we think the moment is dangerous and it turns out to just be our imagination (i.e. anxiety; fear of something bad happening), remind yourself: “It is not real. There is nothing to do.”
When the moment is safe the Social Engagement System is intended for the experience of peace, joy, love, compassion, blissfulness, ecstasy. This system is essentially “friendship” via:
- Intimacy.
- Play.
Intimacy is “stillness” like freeze/collapse. Play is “movement” like fight/flight. The difference: safe vs danger in stillness vs movement.
How cool is that!? Now we can drop the labels (i.e. I’m Depressed). Rather, check danger vs safety – Threat System vs Peace System – where we are determines what we need. If depression is freeze, stillness, low arousal, then try intimacy: like music, a hug.
If anger, anxiety, terror is fight/flight, movement, high arousal, try play: running it off, kick boxing. Notice what will not work due to intensity of arousal: i.e. freeze (low) cannot immediately play (high), fight/flight (high) cannot immediately do intimacy (low). So cool.
Crack the code: Where am I? Threat System? Peace system? Is there danger? Is this moment safe? Is this real? Or my imagination? Where exactly am I: fight, flight, freeze? For collapse you won’t be awake. Can I switch fight/flight to play? Freeze to intimacy? You can try.
Intimacy: connecting deeply with life or someone, including yourself (i.e. it is okay to be your own friend), in this moment, in stillness, such as: “Be thankful (i.e. gratitude) to feel (i.e. empathy) right here right now (i.e. mindfulness), with a book, nature, friend, lover, pet, music, movie, rest, anything.
“The way people are living today, I would say, never do unto others what you do unto yourself.” – Sadhguru
Play: deeply connecting with life or someone, including yourself, in this moment, in movement, such as cooking, cleaning, working, helping, volunteering, creating, campaigning, entertaining, yoga, martial arts, dance, games, sports, science, technology, arts, anything.
“I am just interested in life. Whatever and wherever, I am inevitably involved.” – Sadhguru
https://www.consciousplanet.org
Now you know the power of Trauma Informed Care. Let’s turn this framework into a mindset for personal, social and political change. If you are unable to, you might need help first, to get safe or become ‘unstuck’ from trauma. Reach out for trauma informed care. #YouBelong
With love,
Dr Louise Hansen
Psychologist
PhD in Psychology
Human Rights Activist
#HealingTrauma #Justice4Australia #YouBelong
“You fill up my senses
Like a night in a forest
Like the mountains in springtime
Like a walk in the rain
Like a storm in the desert
Like a sleepy blue ocean
You fill up my senses
Come fill me again
Come, let me love you
Let me give my life to you
Let me drown in your laughter
Let me die in your arms
Let me lay down beside you
Let me always be with you
Come, let me love you
Come love me again
Let me give my life to you
Come, let me love you
Come love me again
You fill up my senses
Like a night in a forest
Like the mountains in springtime
Like a walk in the rain
Like a storm in the desert
Like a sleepy blue ocean
You fill up my senses
Come fill me again.”
#YouBelong
Dedicated to Andrea Waugh.
https://youtu.be/RNOTF-znQyw
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