Direct Impact with Andrea Epting
Licensed Professional Counselor, Masters Addiction Counselor, and Certified Sex Therapist
When feeling disregulated, we may find ourselves considering old unwanted behaviors. Let’s talk about the mind tricks we can play on ourselves to stop our following through. Join us next week for part two, and five more mind tricks we can utilize.
Let's talk about the skills (mind tricks) we can use when we become disregulated.
Sometimes we know we are going into a challenging/ triggering situation Sometimes triggers can come out of nowhere - confronted with, usually external Sometimes internal - cravings, thoughts, emotionsLow expectations - Being mindful of expectations of self/ others and limiting beliefs
Are they grounded in reality?Is there room for air?Can I be present and just respond one minute at a time?Poising the fantasy - Stopping the inevitable romanticizing of unwanted behaviors
Using reminders of why we stopped that unwanted behavior and are saying no now
Let them be reminders you may be embarrassed of, ones that may be hard to face - poison that fantasy
E.g., letters, texts, picturesPlay the tape all the way through to the end - “If I follow through with this old behavior, the end result will be negative”; go step by step
What are the consequences - shame, regret, injuries, relationship damage, Get back into your window of tolerance, re-ground decisions Reverse engineering - Reverse engineer the HALT (cravings/ urges)
Step one: Recognize Internal cravings when we are hungry, angry, lonely, tired, stressed, sick, or bored
Contributing to feeling disregulated and dis-easedStep two: Do something instead. Talk to your partner, take care of the need in a healthy way. Distraction - Distract yourself until after the craving subsides, then revisit it
Cravings usually only last about 15 - 20 minutes at a time. Music, walking, doing something that takes us away from the unwanted behaviorCall to action: Implement one of these mind tricks this week
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