- For now, let’s focus on the role the I-System plays in keeping your PTSD going.
- The truth is that right here, right now, you are healing yourself from PTSD when your I-System in resting.
- In Chapter 1, you learned to use your foundation tools (bridging awareness practices and thought labeling) to quiet your overactive I-System.
- In this chapter, you will learn to use tools that prevent the I-System from getting activated. You will move from a reactive state to a proactive state.
- The I-System is like our temperature regulation system. When the I-System requirements are not fulfilled, we have body tension, mind clutter, and trouble doing what we need to do.
- The natural state of the I-System is to rest. It is activated only by “requirements”.
- “Requirements” are rules your I-System has about how you and the world should be at any moment, e.g. my spouse should be more understanding, people should be more considerate of one another, etc.
- Noticing your I-System’s requirements is the first step to keeping everyday events from negatively affecting you.
- Any thought becomes a requirement when it triggers the I-System into action. When your I-System is resting and doesn’t make a thought into a requirement, your mind is clear and your body relaxed.
- It is important to notice that whenever the I-System captures a natural thought and makes it into a requirement, you become a victim of circumstances.
- Using bridging awareness tools and thought labeling helps you prevent your I-System from turning events into destructive experiences.
- Recognizing requirements is the most important tool you’ll learn. (i.e. What you think it Should Be, instead of accepting the reality of What Is).
- Day 1: 03/23/21 (Tuesday)
- Look for telltale signs of an overactive I-System: body tension, mind clutter and difficulty doing something. See if you can quiet your I-System by using bridging awareness practices and thought labeling, and returning your awareness to your activity.
- What happened when your I-System was overactive?
- a. Situation:
- b. Body Tension:
- c. Mind Clutter:
- d. How You Acted:
- How often was your I-System overactive today?
- Describe what happened today when you rested your I-System using mind-body bridging tools (bridging awareness practices and thought labeling)?
- a. Situation:
- b. Body Tension:
- c. Mind-Body Bridging Tools:
- d. How You Acted:
- When you quieted your I-System, was your mind clearer?
- Do a “How the World Should Be” map, working quickly without editing your thoughts.
- e.g. Everyone should drive safely. I shouldn’t make mistakes. There should be peace in the world. People should be considerate of one another, etc. etc.
- Do you think everything on your map will happen?
- Notice your body tension and location when you realized it might not happen.
- The body tension you listed is a sign that the thought is a “requirement” and has activated your I-System.
- Your I-System can capture your thoughts about how the world should be.
- When you experience the reality that how you think things should be isn’t how things happen, your thoughts that trigger your I-System are requirements.
- Now, use the bridging awareness practices you learned in Chapter 1 and do a “How the World Should Be” map again.
- Before you start writing, listen to any background sounds, experience your body’s pressure on your seat, sense your feet on the floor, and feel the pen in your hand. Once you feel settled, keep feeling the pen in your hand and start writing about how the world should be. Watch the ink go onto the paper, and listen to any background sounds. For the next few minutes, jot whatever comes to mind about how the world should be.
- What are the differences between this map and the map in the previous exercise?
- Do you see that you can face the world as it is, without the pressure and distortion of your I-System that’s shown on the previous map you made?
- When a situation comes up in your life, tune into your senses and you’ll no longer have an overactive I-System adding mind clutter and body tension. You can now face that situation with a ready and relaxed mind and body.
- Day 2: 03/27/21 (Saturday):
- Whenever you have body tension and mind clutter, it’s a sign that one of your I-System’s requirements is not being fulfilled.
- This exercise is about increasing your awareness of your requirements, and then using bridging awareness practices and thought labeling to reduce your I-System’s activity.
- Recognizing requirements is another mind-body bridging tool.
- “I’m starting to realize that though anyone can kick my tires, my I-System is the only thing that can let the air out of them.”
- Be on the lookout for your requirements throughout the day. Notice your earliest indicators of an overactive I-System. e.g. you may start to raise your shoulders, your toes curl, you feel overwhelmed, you feel a pain in your neck, you stop hearing the fan, or you slump in your chair, etc.
- Once you notice a sign, see if you can find the “requirement” that activated your I-System.
- When you identify your requirement, you have more control over what’s upsetting you.
- Remember, it’s not the other person’s behavior that activates your I-System; it’s your own “requirements”.
- List what requirements you observed today and what happened when you used bridging awareness practices and though labeling.
- e.g. My neighbor opening his garage door to leave this morning at 5.30am woke me up. I wish he would just park outside on his driveway instead, since the garage door’s opening and closing sound is loud, and he’s leaving so early in the morning.
- Thought labeling: “I am have the thought that” my neighbor is not being considerate and that him leaving so early is disturbing my sleep.
- Label it as – “Just a thought”
- Return to my senses, and noticing my senses.
- When you use one or more of your senses, your I-System calms down.
- Day 3: 04/04/21 (Sunday)
- A trigger is an event or thought that violates a requirement that, in turn, activates your I-System.
- Any event or thought is a trigger if, and only if, that event or thought violates a requirement.
- Every coin has two sides, and even when flipped, it’s still the same coin. Triggers and requirements are the same way. When you become aware of a trigger, it’s important to realize that it points you to the requirement (the other side of the coin).
- Remember, it’s not the event itself that activates the I-System; it’s your requirement about that event.
- Observe what triggered your I-System, and list the behaviors or events and your body tension.
- a. Trigger Behavior or Event: e.g. I did it wrong.
- b. Body Tension and Location: e.g. Pressure in chest, foot tapping.
- Your body tension is your signal that your I-System has been activated.
- Next, note the thoughts and stories you weave about the trigger behavior or event.
- Do a Triggers map by jotting down what triggered your I-System, such as how others behave or demands you make of yourself. e.g. I did it wrong.
- From your Triggers map, write down your body tension, triggers and requirements.
- Mind-body mapping is always about your I-System requirements, not someone else’s behavior.
- Remember that the trigger points to your requirement.
- a. Body Tension: e.g. Tight shoulders.
- b. Trigger: e.g. He broke his promise.
- c. Requirement: He shouldn’t break his promise.
- How many requirements did you identify?
- Day 4: 04/10/21 (Saturday)
- Whenever it’s hard to find the underlying requirement, it’s helpful to do a “What’s on My Mind?” map. Take a couple of minutes to write whatever pops into your mind. Work quickly, without editing your thoughts.
- a. Is your mind cluttered or clear?
- b. Is your body tense or relaxed? Describe your body tension.
- This is a momentary snapshot of what’s on your mind. Notice which thoughts are connected to body emotion. e.g. My life was ruined when I was sexually abused.
- Recognize the requirement in the item. e.g. I should not have been sexually abused.
- c. What are your requirements?
- Do this map again, this time using bridging awareness practices. Before you start writing, listen to any background sounds, feel your body’s pressure on your seat, sense your feet on the floor, and feel in keyboard.
- Once you feel settled, keep feeling the keyboard that you’re typing on, and start typing. For the next few minutes, jot down whatever thoughts that pop into your mind.
- Observe the differences between the two maps.
- Remember, thought labeling helps. e.g. If you have the thought “I ruined my life”, say to yourself, “I’m having the thought – I ruined my life”.
- What’s ruining your life right here, right now, isn’t the sexual abuse, but the thoughts your I-System has spun about the sexual abuse.
- You don’t have to fix your thoughts, push them away, or force any changes.
- During the day, being aware that this thought is just a thought is all it takes; then you can return your awareness to the task at hand.
- Mind-body bridging is an ongoing practice. When you use bridging awareness practices (use your senses) and thought labeling, you gain the ability to live every aspect of your life with a calm I-System (your true self).
- The only question you need to answer is who is living your life; your I-System or your true self?
- Day 5:
- 04/19/21 (Monday):
- Be aware of your body tension throughout the day. Awareness of the early signs of body tension lets you know when you are heading in the wrong direction.
- Use it like a compass. When you recognize that the I-System is on, and you use your mind-body bridging tools to quiet its commotion, it becomes a friend. You are befriending your I-System.
- When your body is tense and your mind cluttered, your I-System is in the driver’s seat. To quiet your I-System, note that it’s your requirement, not the situation, that’s causing your distress.
- Next, listen to any background sounds, sense whatever you’re touching, and fully return your awareness to what you were doing.
- Your awareness is all it takes, because when your I-System is calm, your natural functioning lets you effectively navigate daily activities, and even any crisis.
- Do a “Problem Map”, and write down any body tensions you may experience.
- What does your map say about how you are approaching your problem?
- a. Is your mind cluttered or clear?
- b. Is your body tense or relaxed?
- c. What are your requirements?
- If your map has minimal signs of an overactive I-System, it may be that you have no requirements, but that’s quite unlikely at this early stage of your practice. What’s more likely happening is that your overactive I-System is closing you off, shutting down your normal body sensations.
- The key to waking up your body and healing yourself is recognizing your requirement. You don’t have to force yourself to feel anything. Your natural functioning will let the process take place gently and powerfully.
- Using the same problem, do another “Problem Map”, this time using your bridging awareness practices.
- Listen to any background sounds, feel your body’s pressure on your seat, sense your feet on the floor, and feel your fingers typing on the keyboard. Watch the words go onto your computer screen.
- Observe the differences between the two maps:
- Are you clearer about your problem?
- In this mind-body state, how would you approach your problem?
- In this mind-body state, do you recognize your ability to heal yourself?
- Day 6:
- 04/20/21 (Tues)
- Throughout the day, observe how your day is going? How do you see the results of mind-body bridging in your daily life?
- List any situations where mind-body bridging isn’t working. See if you can recognize the requirement responsible for your distress.
- Do a “Problem Map”. Start by choosing the most stressful problem from the previous list.
- Day 7:
- 05/31/21 (Mon)
- It’s not my “problems”, but my “requirements” that are causing me distress.
- Mind-body bridging has two parts: the first consists of your bridging awareness practices and thought labeling, and the second is befriending your I-System. You befriend your I-System by using tools like mapping, and recognizing and defusing your requirements.
Source(s): Mind-Body Workbook for PTSD. A 10-Week Program for Healing After Trauma. By Stanley H. Block, MD, & Carolyn Bryant Block