ways to manage

Hello! 

During my 2 and a half years of therapy I have started using some techniques to better manage my day to day life whilst learning to co-exist with those inside of me. 

                                                                                                                            Wear a watch

          Time is a very difficult thing to keep track of when your waking up at 9 for breakfast and then by lunch finding out that an alter has spent the whole morning sat in the garden with a tub of playdoh. Keeping track of time when possible is crucial for myself. I prefer to use a watch instead of glancing at my phone, as it can be a lot quicker to have a glance down at my watch instead of having to find my phone at the bottom of my never ending Mary Poppins bag.

Write appointments down

      I never used to be much of a planner but the last year I have found keeping a yearly diary is a very useful way to keep track of any appointments/arrangements. This way, if I’m not present, its possible for another alter to look in the diary and see where I’m supposed to be and hopefully get me there. (emphasis on hopefully)

   Check Journal

          The only way I can find out what I have done some days is to check my journal to see if there are any entries to give me some clues. It’s like waking up from a drunk night having to piece together bits and pieces, maybe from a text, an empty bottle or a carrier bag of new things. Or in the most recent case my bank statement showing £25 had been spent in staples?!?! Really??!


                                                                                           Have fun things for other alters

-       It took me about 3 months to gain the courage to go buy some Play-Doh. The first attempt I stood in the toy isle convinced everyone and his dog knew why I was there, as if I had a flashing sign on my head – I swiftly left the shop with nothing. By my fourth attempt I knew these thoughts where ridiculous and proceeded to buy one individual tub of Play-Doh. I have a lot more now that’s for sure!! I also learned that my alters have a lot of different interests than I do, so why should they not have the things they like just like I’m able to.

                                      Practice grounding every day 

        I find grounding difficult to do even at the best of times, let alone mid flashback. So I’ve started practicing every day, even when I really don’t want to. This way I’m giving myself a head start, and time to practice my skills.

The final and most important thing I’ve learnt is to not be so hard on myself, and not to judge my own experiences. There is nothing I can do to stop what I experience/how I present as this is who I am, so by me judging and being critical towards myself is a somewhat pointless exercise.

“Be nice to yourself, its hard to be happy when someone is being mean to you all the time”