Traumatic Experiences Community Daily Check-in: Monday November 26th
Happy Monday Trauma Community!
We have almost officially made it through another month. I don't know about you all, but I'm ready for a new month and a fresh start. Novembers are difficult for me. The time change and getting dark earlier? Not a fan.
- What has been something good that has happened to you this month?
- What has been the peak and the pit? The high point and the low point? (if you want to share)
- What are you looking forward to next month?
- What color is your mood today?
Say hi, ask for a hug or ask for whatever you may need. 
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There is something totally oppressive and threatening around. It weighs heavy on me today. I suppose you could say my mood is black also.
@affectionateNorth4018
A safe hug for you if you want it. I can also just be here with you. Darkness is hard, especially alone.
@practicalIdeal2007
Thanks. Not sure bout the hugs but u wanna come in my blanket fort? I got mrms n Oreos n hot choclate. Only if u want tho
@affectionateNorth4018
A blanket fort sounds nice right now. Thank you.
@affectionateNorth4018
How are things looking today? Would you want to talk about what was weighing on you?
While I am thankful that the holidays are here, December will be difficult for me, as it usually is. However, I feel a little less apprehensive now that I am here. This community seems to help. I am a little more hopeful that this December will not be as harrowing as the last few.
@lostindecember
I'm glad you're here as well <3 Strong supports and knowing you're not alone in this can go a long way!
@Kate
- What has been something good that has happened to you this month? rearranged my room :)
- What has been the peak and the pit? The high point and the low point? the high point is my room being reorganized but my low point is that I miss my ex :/
- What are you looking forward to next month? Christmas!
- What color is your mood today? grey
@Kate
I've made it through another day! That's my peak. I'm starting to clear out and rearrange my room in hopes it will give me a better chance of sleeping. Dragging from day, to week, to month with little sleep is more than rough. My body's adapted too well, when I tell people I get between 1-1/2 to 3 hours of sleep a night average they don't believe me. We survivors do what we have to do, but drag thru it. But at some point - my body needs a vacation! And some hugs :)
@WoodViolet
Sending safe hugs if ok
@WoodViolet
I've been thinking more about the sleeping problems. Perhaps doing meditation purposefully in your bed would help. Learning how to be calm there, kind of similar to how desensitization works. Perhaps on top of this, having a routine at night that calms you, perhaps reading or a hygiene routine. Sometimes routines can help get your mind ready for sleep. Just some brainstorms!
@Hoxenos
Thank you for your your thoughtful suggestions. Makes sense. Thanks 🤗
@WoodViolet Keep going! You're getting there. :) I watch ASMR, have you tried it?
@betterchoices
I learn something new every day. I've never heard of AMSR, I just googled it and found a couple apps for phone. Thank you for the resource to add. Maybe if I keep alternating my modes of trying to sleep my brain won't build up a resistance and I can rotate them out to keep them fresh. If it works, I'll post! Thank you again!!!
@WoodViolet Absolutely! I am so excited I could help you out! Please let me know if anything works for you!
@WoodViolet Also, Youtube is my main hub for ASMR! Give it a try!
Something good: I met my new, very good friend and we've been chatting all November. He's been helping me a lot and keeping me positive.
Peak: Meeting Theo
Pit: Meeting him, although a blessing, required me to break a promise to myself. He was a light out of some darkness for me.
Next Month: I look forward to being with my family, to Christmas, and to being more productive.
Mood: Orange
- What has been something good that has happened to you this month? My family had a good thanksgiving, good food, nice company and no drama.
- What has been the peak and the pit? The high point and the low point? (if you want to share)
peak was thanksgiving,
pit has been having depression, exhaustion, negative empathy, and gout
- What are you looking forward to next month? My birthday, shopping
- What color is your mood today? Icy blue, cold, bitter and achy
I dont think I want to hurt myself anymore. I dont do it physically very often, Ive definitely made progress on that and would be happy to see the day when I dont do it all anymore. But I mean even like being mean to myself putting myself down and just intentionally trying to make myself feel bad by the things I do or say. I didnt even realize I was doing that, just been so many years and everything got confusing in my head. But I dont really want to live that way anymore. I think I actually want things to get better. Maybe it wouldnt be such a bad thing if I felt good or even tried to enjoy my life sometimes?
I dont know. Seems like it would be nice for things to be better. Maybe Im not such a horrible person and I deserve to suffer and be miserable after all. Any positive feedback would be helpful.
@pioneeringBanana1598
On the plus side, I don
@pioneeringBanana1598
It's a big moment when we can consider that maybe we do actually deserve to be happy, and that we don't want to live the way we've been living anymore. I'm really happy for you that you're thinking about these things. How have you been feeling since you wrote that?
It sounds like you've already identified some areas in your life that you want to change. Do you think there are small steps you can do to work toward those goals? Things that will help support you to encourage this mindset? I am in a similar place right now. For me, I guess my goal is to improve my self esteem and be more compassionate toward myself so that I won't get so down on myself and resort to negative coping skills. So I've been trying to make more time for things I enjoy, things that make me happy, which make me feel kinder toward myself. I'm also trying to make more time for meditation each day, especially when I don't feel like it or don't think I need it. It seems like when I stick with it, I tend to remember better choices when I do start to feel bad again. Anyway, hope maybe you find something in that helpful as well. You're doing great.
Hi @Kate and Trauma family. I could use some hugs today.
Trying to be present and active with my family (as we are visiting my brother ~6 hr drive away) and feeling sick/unwell at the same time ... these two do not go together very well. It is now after 11pm, so I think I'm going to bed. Good night, friends. ~ Platy
@cyanPlatypus6370 sending a safe hug
@cyanPlatypus6370 sending you lots of hugs
@Kate - Thank you so much, Kate! A problem I have with awesomely given hugs on 7cups is that I've yet to figure out how to feel them 
We drive home tomorrow and I'll pick up my SFO. I see even more so now why he is not 'just' my pet, and that as a companion pet or emotional support animal he really does have a job (yes I knew this before, but with emphasis now, perhaps). How is Weezy doing? :)
and Lime too, Thank you! for certainly even internet hugs or hug by e-mail or the like, even that sort is better than zero hugs, eh? Platy
@cyanPlatypus6370 Weezy is doing well but is not a fan of the cold weather. He sends you a hug too!
((Platy kisses the sweet Weezy on the head)) ((scratches his ears)) Don't worry little one, you'll get used to the cold. I know, I wish I didn't have to either. Maybe your mama will buy you a sweater! :O
Thanks for hugs :) We're home now. I think my body is going to declare itself to be in 'sick mode' now that I'm home :( But at least at home I know where stuff is to care for self. Good night dear @Kate. <3 Platy
@Kate
- What has been something good that has happened to you this month?
There have been a lot of good things really. I'm blessed in a lot of ways. I hope that I can fix my messed up brain to be able to fully enjoy them.
- What has been the peak and the pit? The high point and the low point? (if you want to share)
Peak: Holidays, trying to make new traditions and memories. Pit: Also holidays. lol. Failed expectations of family and society, anniversaries that I'm getting irritated with remembering, making choices that I think are right for me but then constantly questioning them.
- What are you looking forward to next month?
Christmas season.
- What color is your mood today?
Brown. I feel like poo. I have a lot to do, but I'm thinking maybe I'll just do something small and then let myself be lazy the rest of the day. Almost feels like I need to, but I don't know if that's my good brain or bad brain talking.
@SentientiaPoecile
This was some prime grade-A introspection right here. I could tell that you practise a lot of cognitive restructuring and are getting really good at it! You're able to identify good and bad things (even if it's still hard to really identify with the good) and you are listening to your body in an attempt to not overwhelm yourself. Being able to identify this stuff is one step closer to actually feeling those positive things you're talking about. The negatives will continue to shrink and you'll take each new thing as it comes because you're a master of your mind. You've got this and sound like you're doing way better than you give yourself credit for!
@Hoxenos
Thank you for such kind words. You're a very thoughtful person. What you said means a lot. I had to read it over a couple times. Then I had to look up Cognitive Restructuring. LOL!
I think maybe I needed to hear that today. I ended up letting my mind wander a little too much into questions/self-loathing mode even knowing it was unhelpful and opened the floodgates to some old emotions. I don't know what to do sometimes when I get into those "I don't care what happens" moods. I eventually pulled myself down from what was quickly snowballing into a panic attack and am now attempting to observe lightly. My anxiety is still on high, but I'm going to try to distract myself now. I can't tell if it's stuff that maybe my mind has been trying to hold back, but I'm hoping maybe it's just another one of those layers of the onion that is really 1 step back but 2 steps forward.
Hope you're having a good day, Hox.
