writing letters you'll never send is incredibly cathartic
https://lemmy.world/post/44599340
writing letters you'll never send is incredibly cathartic - Lemmy.World
My therapist suggested I write a letter to my ex in my journal. Not to send,
just to say everything I never got to say. I was skeptical. It sounded like a
cheesy exercise from a self-help book. But I did it anyway and I wrote SEVEN
PAGES. Seven. Things I’d been carrying for two years just poured out. The anger
I couldn’t express because we “ended amicably.” The hurt I minimized because I
didn’t want to seem dramatic. The questions I’ll never get answers to. The
things I wish I’d said in the moment. After I finished, I felt physically
lighter. Like I’d been carrying a bag I didn’t know I had and finally put it
down. I’ve since written letters to my dad who passed, to my younger self, to a
friend who ghosted me. None of them will be sent. That’s the point. They’re not
for the other person. They’re for me. Has anyone tried unsent letters in their
journal? Who would you write to?
adhd emotional dysregulation — journaling gives me the pause i need
https://lemmy.world/post/44590587
adhd emotional dysregulation — journaling gives me the pause i need - Lemmy.World
ADHD emotional dysregulation is the part nobody talks about. Everyone knows
about the focus issues and the restlessness. But the emotional reactivity? The
going from zero to sixty over something minor? That’s the part that damages
relationships. I snap at people. I get disproportionately upset about small
things. I have intense emotional reactions that don’t match the situation. And
by the time I realize I’ve overreacted, the damage is done. Journaling hasn’t
cured this. But it’s given me something I desperately needed: a pause. When I
feel the emotional surge, I’ve trained myself to write first, react second. “I’m
furious because my roommate left dishes in the sink again.” Seeing it written
out, I can recognize that my fury is a 9/10 response to a 2/10 situation. That
awareness doesn’t always stop the reaction, but it shortens it. I also journal
in the evening to process the day’s emotions after the fact. “Snapped at my
coworker over email. She didn’t deserve that. The real issue was I was already
overwhelmed.” These entries help me apologize better and understand my triggers
over time. I track my mood daily in Sola
[https://socialhub-links.darian-hanci.workers.dev/sola?ref=lemmy-53BD7906] and
the emotional dysregulation shows up clearly — big swings between “happy” and
“rough” in the same day. Seeing the pattern documented helps my therapist and me
work on strategies. ADHD folks — how do you manage the emotional side? I feel
like it gets so much less attention than it deserves.
Simple breathing trick that makes stressful meetings bearable
https://lemmy.world/post/44589811
Simple breathing trick that makes stressful meetings bearable - Lemmy.World
I work in a high-pressure job and used to dread certain meetings. Heart racing,
sweaty palms, brain fog. A colleague who’s ex-military taught me what soldiers
use: tactical breathing (same as box breathing). Before the meeting: 4 rounds of
box breathing in the bathroom. Takes 90 seconds. During the meeting: extended
exhales under the desk. Nobody notices. The extended exhale trick is genius —
just make your exhale twice as long as your inhale. Breathe in for 3 seconds,
out for 6 seconds. You can do it while someone is talking to you and they have
no idea. It doesn’t eliminate stress but it takes the edge off enough that I can
think clearly. My performance reviews have actually improved since I started
doing this. What coping techniques do you use for work stress?
I built a breathing app after my first panic attack
https://lemmy.world/post/44563112
I built a breathing app after my first panic attack - Lemmy.World
Last year I had my first real panic attack. Heart racing, couldn’t breathe,
thought I was dying. The ER doctor told me it was anxiety and suggested
breathing exercises. I tried following YouTube videos but they were hard to use
during an actual panic attack — too much talking, couldn’t focus. So I started
building a simple app that just shows you WHEN to breathe with a visual guide.
No talking, no complicated UI, just breathe in… hold… breathe out. It took me
months but it actually helped me. The 4-7-8 technique before bed changed my
sleep completely, and box breathing gets me through stressful days. I ended up
publishing it — it’s called Lunair
[https://socialhub-links.darian-hanci.workers.dev/lunair] if anyone wants to try
it. Free to use, no account needed. But honestly, even without any app — just
try the 4-7-8 method tonight before sleep. 4 seconds in, 7 seconds hold, 8
seconds out. It sounds too simple but it works.
A chat space on Matrix has appeared - Divisions by zero
Crossposted from https://lemmy.dbzer0.com/post/64470729
[https://lemmy.dbzer0.com/post/64470729] ----- It’s called Evil Autism, because
it’s a space based on the old subreddit that was so fun back in the day. Please
join and help make this new space feel like another safe space for those of who
are ND. I hope to see you there! Join this space on Matrix
https://matrix.to/#/#evil-autism:matrix.org
[https://matrix.to/#/#evil-autism:matrix.org]
Anyone else who can't function in their 40s? Why is it so much worse now and what to do?
https://lemmy.dbzer0.com/post/64375323
Anyone else who can't function in their 40s? Why is it so much worse now and what to do? - Divisions by zero
I got some book recommendations from another community to see what has been
discovered about ADHD since I got diagnosed 20 years ago. I bought a few and
they haven’t been delivered yet. For example, I didn’t know my auditory
sensitivities and rejection sensitivities were associated until recently. Also,
daydreaming apparently. But right now I’m in my mid-40s and I can’t function.
The political situation in the US is dangerous, there are serious issues with
ethics and safety at my job that would have never been as prevalent when I
started 20 years ago, there are pedophiles and people who protect then
represented by half the population. So at this point, people scare me, I feel
alone, and I think everyone else is nuts. You all know what they say about that.
With everything going in and my inability to handle basic tasks, I feel like I’m
going nuts. It could cause trouble with my jib soon. Any basic additional
everyday problem is a major issue I can’t handle. I can’t focus at all, I can’t
do any hobby with decision paralysis, my anxiety is through the roof, and ADHD
is ruining my life. I’m too old to add more amphetamine s to my dosage. What can
I do? Would a therapist be able to even do anything here?
GustavoFring279
NeuroD Is Me™
Da Cap’n