I'm currently going through a major freeze. Just wanted to share that I got all of the trash taken to the curb before the trash pickup. You have no idea how profoundly proud I am of myself right now. I just learned that a small victory is still a victory even if I'm the only one who knows it. ❤😊
I need more help with my crippling.Anxiety i'm in freeze for response With panic attacks!!! This helps so much as I have never been nice to myself, my mother would always gaslight any victories i had, so i learned to never trust myself and searched for outside validation. I have had so much trauma in life, I have done some e m d r therapy that helped with some things but i'm still working on things.
This is really good to know. I grew up with scarcity of praise mixed with lots of punishments and horrible verbal abuse. That was decades ago. Today I am living in an extremes stressful situation, and the old feelings of runaway shame, severe anxiety, and depression have resurfaced. I live in that freeze zone. Yesterday I took laundry to get done, left a message with a legal agency, and sent a form to a housing agency. These are things that took me days to work up to.
I started making a list of "Wins" every day: things I accomplished, no matter how small. The more I've done it, the longer the lists have got, especially things I had been putting off. It works.
I used to have a habit of doing that. I had a couple years of daily journal entries of it. Now I get demoralized any time I look at my journal app, knowing that I lost a very big streak.
It s a very powerful method, you ve got a rush of dopamine for each self validation. I ve tried that to stick to my intensive training, it works, I do it for 2 years
I was taught growing up that praising myself or being proud anything I've done is bragging and having a big head. I recently saved a coworkers life by performing CPR. Everyone was making a huge deal out of it and I wanted no part of it. I felt like crawling in a hole hating the attention I was getting. No one can understand why i don't even want to talk about it. Starting to celebrate myself is a completely foreign concept. I will try though. Dr. Eilers, I think you're a truly wonderful doctor and am so thankful that I found your channel.
I am SO PROUD of myself for being able to protect myself from toxic hurtful people in my life. I quit a job with a toxic boss once without a second thought. I had no idea that I would do so that morning but by 9 am I had already walked out to everyone's surprise. There was NO way I was going to stay in that abusive work environment. I was done. A month later I was hired in a much better job!!!!! Dont be afraid. God has your back. ❤
I am one of those HARDEST Cases you talk of. 70 yrs old, Major Depreesive Disorder resistant to over 12 meds, ECT, DBT and so many psych programs I could write a book. Yet I'm literally crippled with the anxiety that was added at least 6 yrs ago. If I was an animal you would have me put down for compassion to stop the pain and suffering. I look forward to hearing your talks. Grasping at straws. Giving up daily. I live in literally terror with freeze response . Being completely socially isolated is perhaps at the core of why I can't escape, especially when so many stresses are actually terrifying because I am unable to do them alone
I can’t celebrate the things I’m doing when those things aren’t what I should be doing. I can fold laundry like a champion, but if I cant bring myself to sit in front of my laptop and do the tasks I need to. The ones that I need to do for my business. If I can’t even bring myself to answer a phone call? Then I’m just frozen in a tidier house in clean sheets. The celebrations remind me of my failings and I feel even more useless and stuck. And closer to not wanting to be here anymore.
I get it. Avoidance response. I bought a new laptop over a year ago. Twice I tried to get it going & failed. Stms I will hook it up to charge it, forget it. Like you, I will wash clothes, decorate, get the lint off my clothes (that I hardly ever wear because I never go out). Walk by the stack of bills to be paid, list of really important calls need to make, piles of stuff to file - I see them - decide to file my nails. Half way do them! Listen to Dr Scott (Thankful found him). Truly try to do - at least start- & right back at drawing board. It's just too damn hard too often. Quit. I was not raised to be a quitter! I've actually achieved many great things in my 66yrs. But 15yrs ago, my world shattered in every single area & I have never recovered. It was Dr Scott who helped me realize the "Freeze Response". That has helped. Know your enemy, esp when the enemy is you! I was ready to leave this soul sucking, lonely, often very cruel world many Xs (in my head). So many tools to help. Day by day, stms minute by minute, life is NOT such a constant STRUGGLE! Hold those tight & keep going. It's the best (& hopefully ONLY Solution) - just keep a going ❤.
Small steps. Why not start by sitting at a desk and looking at your laptop. Repeat until you feel up to opening the laptop. Repeat until you feel you’re ready to turn it on. Then keep taking those small steps. Keep checking in with your body and ask if it feels good.
I hear you. I was going through this when I decided to one day just do 5 min of what I should be doing, and then rewarded myself after that. When we don’t do the things we want to do or are meant to do , it weighs heavily on us and affects us. Sometimes we have to nudge ourselves a bit at first
Hey, today I worked out and cooked myself a healthy meal and broomed the floors. I havnt had the energy to do more than one (if any) of those things per day for the past months. So you know what? Yay me 🎉
Your videos are very helpful! I listen then get up and do something. I still don't want to, but I am doing little by little. Tomorrow I am going to begin a morning routine.
@@TampaCatGirl Hello, it's been up and down, but I am pulling through. :) I am not as in bad of shape as last year, so that is a plus! Hope you find relief soon, better days are coming friend :)
Actually in tears because of how much the sidebar about not knowing how to celebrate yourself spoke to me. This video is helping me battle for myself and i wanted to express my gratitude.❤
I believe in another video Scott suggested keeping a victory journal and, at the end of your day, write down your victories for that day, even the smallest ones. I am amazed at how many things I actually accomplished each day, even the tiniest, that made a difference in my day. Maybe he can link it again under this video.
I've never heard this term but then again, I don't follow football. However I am currently in my own freeze state (3 months now) and hating every minute of it. I just listed off some tasks I accomplished and it felt pretty good. I've suffered through chronic depression and anxiety the majority of my life and this cycle has been the worst. Granted every major depressive episode is the worst feeling. This time I'll try this technique to try to crawl out of this pit I've been pounding myself into. I'd like to hear more videos like this.
Thanks for being the people's doc the people need! You've been there, overcome, and deal with all the things you talk about yourself. A doc who is the real deal with real world experience and advice, not just regurgitating crap you've just been taught or read. Respect ❤️
Yes,TY. Realistic,to the point, non judgement.TY. I commented below and it got lengthy sorry I was rambling. Everybody remember just because you can't see it doesn't mean it's not there. As an ICU nurse for 23 years I could see an x-ray I could see someone's pneumonia or their brain aneurysm on a CAT scan but no one can see or MEASURE your emotional physical or mental pain. The non-believers are what make these ailments so taboo. I can't see or feel the love that I know a Mom has for her newborn baby, yet I know it's there❤. Ty Dr Scott.
Hi … yes regurgitating is my go to word in the last few years. I use it to express how I feel when I know a certain outcome that is set by some one else or group that dictates you have to abide by their rules… while you also realise yourself there are usually 2-3 other instant equal ways to get to the goal. Mostly it is a upper hand way of dealing with you …. And we all become cookie cutters (shapes) being the same. So that the other person gets their way…. And they haven’t extended or offered more than they needed to. When you do the same old same old you gets the same results. It is usually the outliers that offer something different, yet solid that can be if help and guidance. Think of those such as therapists who tackle the ‘eggs in a harder basket’ or the academic(lecturer) who has far more personality and gumption when teaching than most….. but get better results and let’s face it…. It means more to people that respond well to it and it’s a pay forward mentality. My musing for the day….😊
This was so liberating. I was getting stressed out because I felt like no one was appreciating me in life. But hearing you articulate that it’s not because I’m not doing enough... it’s more likely because everyone else is fighting the same feelings/their own battles... that took so much weight off me. And it really put into perspective the reason positive self talk is so important. No one is guaranteed to do it for you, but they are also not obligated to do it for you. But you are on the hook for you, and you owe it too yourself. It’s not being self-aggrandizing. It’s appreciating yourself and being your own advocate. Thanks so much for sharing this message.
Well said. Another way I have come to feel about the topic of appreciation, either receiving or giving… is that if you are in a place/environment that you know that whatever you accomplish will never really be acknowledge or even appreciated… you may very well be with someone who doesn’t or can’t/won’t do that for you. If say , you went into a marriage per say and initially your looks and personality or ability to make money was a huge value to your partner… and something happened to change those traits… say a stroke or a mental health disorder that left you in a change state of being…. No matter what you do to show your worth… whatever dance or act you strain to do… that partner may very well never see you in the same light and therefore you learn that your ‘values’ mean different things to different folks. A sporting family may not appreciate a book worm or an academic family may not appreciate a creative person . You have to make peace with what round hole you will spend your life energy on … in trying to shove that square peg into. Go where your are celebrate…. Not tolerated 😊
Accidentally found your channel 2 weeks ago. I've learned more in 2 weeks than I have in 30 years. Hugely stuck in Freeze Mode for a long time. I live my life in permanent Fight or Flight (freeze) mode. Your explanation in the previous video made everything make so much more sense. Thank you for this video. I didn't comment on the last one, but I've been trying for two days to figure out what "celebrate myself" means and looks like. I'm sad to know there were many people like me. But at the same time, happy to know I wasn't alone in that. I look forward to learning how to get Amygdala under my own control instead of letting it control me. Thank you for sharing your knowledge in this way.
Your Freeze response video come along at the right time for me … Thank you … I have just lost my mother and already had a lot if complicated things going on in my life … i think i have just shut down … Been watching videos on grief and healing and your video was in my recommended list … It helped me to see that the accumulation of events has peaked and helped me to set about doing things to get myself out of this fog ❤
Hi … I’m sad to hear you lost your Mum… they are a huge role in our lives. Even if the relationship is mainly healthy or not it is a very large chapter closing and it can be a roller coaster of emotions. Wherever you are along in the grieving process…. Be kind to you and allow yourself to grieve in the moment. It can be hard and shitty sometimes … but this person nurtured you and you have every right to pay homage to a lost one.Take care.
People, like me, who have been starved of affection...inner affection...need to follow your suggestions; speak and hear the inner praise and learn to accept and find joy in it. Then the negative dynamic of the past will be gone. Hearing that our tremendous efforts will start to 'sink in'...to the subconscious mind, is gold!
I’m a “hard case.” Not even the threat of “punishment” is enough to motivate me anymore. It’s the weirdest feeling. I wish I could talk to you. I don’t have social media. It’s nice to know someone like you exists though. That alone gives me some degree of solace.
The fact you're focused on the "difficult cases is truly amazing. I've heard a few therapists now say they won't treat certain people because of what they struggle with. If they're not going to help, who will? Similar story. My little bro took his life 7 years ago. I stayed blackout drunk while working somehow for four years. Alcohol free for two now. Working to eventually get to my PsyD. My prof told me it's harder than getting into med school...I couldn't find anyone to help me either but cobbled resources together. Hoping to make it easier for other folks going through such a brutal thing.
It really lets us know that those brutal times aren't wasted. Because he went through terrible depression and no one could help him for years, it helps him to help others even better. Now he's driven to want to help the hardest cases, that just seems amazing.
Well done on the PsychD … I’m-reading that as Degree ? in psychology. Even with good intentions sometimes those who have had specific and challenging times are the very ones that can help others… a time to lean on them until they are strong enough to go it alone. Keep chipping away… if you feel it’s the right thing to carry on with…and you feel it in your bones… then keep going. Your brother would be proud of you and . ‘At the end of the day we are all walking each other home’ a profound saying I once heard. Kinda nice ….
I'm very sorry you went through the painful loss of your brother. I trust you've come to terms w/ his passing now. I've struggled w/ suicidal urges quite a bit. Sometimes the depression was so bad, I didn't figure my leaving would even make much impact. Depression still there, but thinking less distorted now. It's often the only thing that keeps me hanging in, knowing I'd pass considerable pain onto others. Depression is a terrible thing. Like seems to be a sacrifice, no matter what. So glad you made it out of alchoholism, and that you have such firm life goals now.
I lost my 14 year old son recently. Life is harder than hard. Been in bed for 3 days in a freeze response. I am up, make-uped and dressed every single day. The last 3 days, I just can't. I can barely lift my body. I hate living like this. CONSTANT pain. Mental and physical. Thank you for your video 🙏🏻❤
Be careful, Chick. I spent 9 months lying in bed 20 years ago when my sister died and it caused me all sorts of musculoskeletal and mental health issues (severe depression for 7 years). The doctor is right, you need to praise yourself for just sitting up if you are bed-bound, because that is akin to climbing kilamanjiro when you're in that sort of state! It's a really tragic thing for you to be going through and my heart goes out to you ❤.
@@FreeBrunoPowroznikin two years, this is the longest I lay in bed. I'm a fighter, for the sake of my remaining son ❤️. Was up today, went to the garden centre, ran some errands. Every step was difficult. Tomorrow I plan to do something in the garden. Whether I want to or not. I'm 47. No reason for me to lay in bed. I'm just so weak. Mind over matter tomorrow. Thank you for your response and I am deeply sorry for the loss of your sister. I bet you miss her every single day. My thoughts are with you and your family ❤️ 🕊️ ❤️
Today I got up out of bed and had some breakfast. I wrote down my work plans for the week. I took care of some scheduling changes. I remembered that I need to do the laundry today! I’ll do that later while my code is running. I’m also dealing with some family vacation planning. Wow, look at that well roundedness. The footwork is impeccable.
I feel like I find my tribe here on your channel. The comments from all those who truly "get it" make me feel so much less alone. Those who know that tackling things as simple as the laundry, a sinkful of dishes, taking a shower, etc., can feel almost impossible -- these people give me hope. Thank you, each & every one of you. My To-Do-List mountain feels impossible to climb. No amount of effort could ever be enough. I feel like someone who has been placed in a medically enforced coma. I am in stasis. Any activity is a win.
Yes, be nice to have a safe community board where we could help, listen & support each other. Your words reflect 100% of my life. Thank you for sharing❤
I am now my biggest fan. It took 55 years. I now realize how strong I have been to to be to survive a dysfunctional immigrant family, an educational system despite having a learning disability, an eating disorder while being overweight and judged, a Christian while being abused by others and having to forgive them and finally going against the grain over and over.
I grew up with a narcissistic mother. Nothing I did was good enough when it came to my looks. I must have had a strong personality because I learned quite early that I DID things that were correct FOR ME. She may have had the gorgeous beauty I didn't have, but I had brains and learned how to use my smarts. My brother, I believe, had the some problem with her. We succeeded in spite of her. Yes, I get overwhelmed- I'm a crazy 67 yrs old city 'girl' who is retired from training high tech engineers and astronauts. I now run a meat goat breeding tiny ranch. Mom would have been mortified, but Dad would have loved it. I am proud of my journey through this life. And yes, I still hear her comments and those of bullies I dealt with throughout life - but I appreciate my small accomplishments. I canned 85 pounds of tomatoes this summer for pizza and pasta sauce! 😊
You spoke to my soul in this video. I have never felt so understood as I did listening to this. I am the person you speak about in this. I've shut down to avoid another piled on criticism and from another person raising their voice to talk over me. I only get noticed when I've not met another person's unspoken expectation of me. I am failing at life. I decided to live today.
Such a helpful video. Feel myself finally coming out of 6 - 7 year freeze response combined with depression. Had an incredibly toxic boss very much like you described (quit when she shouted at me when I wasn't working "fast enough") at 3:00 a few years ago which added on to my CPTSD and was starting to come out of it right before the pandemic... but he events of 2020 sent me (and millions of others) into an anxious/ depressive tailspin with my inner child going: "See! I told you the world is a scary place full of crazy people." Went into full out shut down mode during the pandemic but am finally digging out of all the trauma accumulated over my life and the weight of depression that comes with it.
The last few years im sure put many of us back. Financial issues make it difficult to feel like you are in charge of your own life too. Also that inner childs voice speaks so much sense 😉
I can relate to that inner child a lot. Good job on digging yourself out - having the courage to. (Because I'm there and don't feel like I do. More like helplessly flailing around on my back lying in a deep ditch.)
I am sorry you had to endure that workplace and the unfortunate boss. So many people are not meant to be bosses…. Many think they are ‘leaders’ and yet they only take advantage of the power role they have to exert all of their undesirable… crap… onto others, their own crud that they will not take ownership for themselves. I refer to people who have traits that are corrosive and demoralising as ‘ a dime a dozen’ folks … as there are plenty of them with no risk of there ever being a shortage. 😊
The pandemic was huge. As was everything that went before for you and for many other folk too. You are not alone. Be good to yourself and keep on healing =)
Thank you so much, Dr. E.!!! I suffer from complex childhood PTSD and at 66 years old, still wake up in freeze mode everyday. I discovered your channel yesterday, watched this video and one other on small victories over and over again. Because of you, I was able to get out of bed this morning without turning around and crawling right back in under the covers for the next four hours. I cannot thank you enough!! Please continue to make this kind of content; you are literally a life saver. God bless you 🙏🙏🙏🙏
The worst part in freeze response is to let everything go because its too much, having PSI, and finally deciding to give life another try and having to catch up everything i let go, while being exhausted...
I want to say how good this is us and how much I appreciate it. I will add that there are a lot of bad-willed people out there who go out of their way to put others down. It's just true. And thats all the more reason to advocate for ourselves, and each other, and celebrate our small accomplishments nobody else will ever know about.
💜Thank you, Dr. Scott! Please do keep coming back for part 77, 78, 100 if necessary...I'm up and down like a yo-yo! One day, I've got it all together! I'm floating on air, sailing through life like a pro. The very next day, I'm drowning in stress and anxiety. Overwhelmed by everything I need and want to do. I get so excited by my success on that one day, I overdo it, exhaust myself, and end up back at square one the next day, with too much on my plate. Please help me find my balance!🙄💜
Love this. I have struggled for years to tell myself I’m doing something well. I hear all the voices in my head saying I’m not enough and had too many controlling managers. The sense of calm this has created this morning is wonderful. Thank you.
@@kr1221EI mean actual controlling people/managers. As an example, I had a manager tell me I would move a whole record center by myself in two weeks because they were selling the building I was in. It involved keying over 30,000 files to boxes as well as moving them and the boxes to a storage facility. She also wanted me to scan all of our promissory notes and keep up with all my other services and duties. Very unreasonable request for one person. I told her it wasn’t possible. She said I would do it and get it done. With my abusive background I felt I had no option even though I protested. I was already a very anxious person who has had one nervous breakdown. I did get it done by coming in at the crack of dawn, no breaks, leaving late, etc. I got it done but within a week ended up in the hospital with another nervous breakdown and of course the manager took no responsibility and actually gave me a hard time about my breakdown like it came out of nowhere. I understand some will just say it was my responsibility to maintain my mental health. I really didn’t understand I had the right to at the time. I now know differently. Having learned tools, I no longer let my old training run me and I think about my physical and mental health instead of treating myself as if I’m a robot or letting others do that to me. I have learned that it’s ok to say no or bring the matter to other people such as a director (who had no idea that was happening because I was off-site) or HR who would have come up with a better solution. Very hard lesson learned.
Your channel showed up in my feed a few days ago. I'm finding your videos extremely helpful. YOu explain things in ways I've never considered, and then follow up with examples of practical applications. I had an emergency eye surgery last month, and the eye is healing okay, but the mental health issues it exacerbated post-op have been devastating. I'm working hard on rolling that boulder up the mountain yet again, as I am very proactive and solution-oriented. I ordered your book right away and am 1/3 of the way through it. It's excellent! I'm going on a solo retreat and dropping off the face of the earth this week to finish reading the book and to work on a "how to put my brain back together *this* time?" plan. (I'm on the autism spectrum, so I have to do that a lot.) Plenty of prayer, meditation, reading, writing, etc. No internet or other distractions. Your new video is timed perfectly for me to watch it before I leave. :) BTW, it was very cool to discover that you are not only based in Iowa, but are just two hours away from me. Not in another country, not in Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, or even Des Moines. Most people who have quality mental health youtube channels and who really understand what folks like me go through might as well live on Mars. :P Anyway, have a great evening, and thanks for all you do to help people!
Good heavens I am 75 and a nervous wreck half the time Thank you so much Your words are great fabulous they're not enough expressions to say how much help you are to your fellow human being God bless❤
On the question on how to celebrate oneself, i found something simple and a bit silly that works for me. Just choose a song you like that you associate with victory. It could be a soundtrack from your favourite movie that played when the hero saved the day, or a song with a very uplifting lyrics, etc. Let this song be your victory theme and everythime you accomplish something however small, just play your victory theme and let yourself enjoy the feeling of "I did this."
Music is very powerful. Related beautiful quote: _Melody makes us feel. Lyrics make us think. Song makes us feel thoughts._ I have a video in my favs that expresses quite well what impact appropriate music can have in our life: ua-cam.com/video/qh7j1qUaGOc/v-deo.html
UK viewer here. Rewatching. This is outstanding and I wish I could have found this sort of help years ago in this country. I'm absolutely beaten and worn down by the CBT model of therapy which is all that is on offer here. I've retreated into agoraphobia and hopelessness after continually failing with the cbt model. I love the metaphor of the dog 😊.
I'm also in the UK and only came across these videos in last couple of weeks, here any NHS or counselling seem useless, it's people who just don't seem relatable or talk or suggest what to do with overwhelming struggles, gave up thinking any different. Americans seem much more interesting, positive and Pro active with educating people how to get out of many ruts, isolation and depressive times, very useful and spot on with topics, UK is archaic and run by dithery staff half the time who appear un knowledgeable and un interested often, I'll be staying tuned for sure..
CBT is absolutely useless when you're so self-aware and your problems are mostly circumstantial. Also everyone I know who tried CBT didn't get anything useful out of it. The NHS only offer it because it's free and available asap. Mental health is severely misunderstood and underfunded in the UK 😔
The talk of celebrating after your John Madden story made me cry. I just tuned in a few minutes before this part. I can't wait to watch this from the beginning. You going through your own suffering has made you an amazing practioner!
I agree with you that Dr. Scott is an amazing practioner because he has suffered with the same things he is helping others with. I once listened to another online counselor who said that you cannot judge or help anyone unless you have walked a mile in their shoes.
Your content has been more useful for me than decades of therapy. It's so actionable, and it's so kind and comforting. Thank you, so much. You specifically helped me out of a phase of SID just a week or two ago.
Thanks! You saved my mental health today. You have a solutely forced me to mind my own business and be my own coach...59 years of what you've spoken about in this video..thank you 💖🙏💖
I've come to this channel as I find myself at the absolute end. My mother passed away from end stage COPD. The last months were horrifying and before I got her into frail care, my was her primary carer by night and worked in the day. I was not able to sleep. There was resentmemt. Some of the last words we spoke to each other were angry. Now I am left to wi nd up the estate. I am living alone in her old house, and estranged from the rest of my family. The Court will probably take the house where I have now lived for decades if cannot come up with the millions to cover the debt and tax. I was diagnosed with PTSD. I had a thyroid storm last week and was diagnosed with stage 4 endometrosis concurrently. I am drowning in stress. I don't even look like myself anymore.
Thank you being so open about what's happening. I would like to celebrate the fact you are watching this video. You are worth the effort you put in yourself and your healing. This comment touched my heart, I am cheering for you. Celebrating you are here. Sending your love and healing vibes.
Wait, you said, millions, not even 10's of thousands to cover debt. I hope that was a typo somehow, and that if you sell the estate, you will come out some profit and settle the debt. I'm sorry you are going through all this. Please be kind to yourself about how you and your mom had some angry words at the end. You obviously loved her, as you were her final caretaker and you took on the task that no one else did. So you know you did that, and you know you loved her. People that you love the most can get to you the most too, so it's normal to have some sparks fly. Please let yourself off the hook about that. You have enough to deal w/.
Same here-living in my paren’s condo that is falling apart as I write. The whole house is cluttered w/ all kinds of 1980’s junk as my mother was a hoarder. I hit the wall after working on it for 4 yrs. Now I’m in trouble with the mortgage and piling up debt. I’m 71 but look like I’m 90. I am so in overwhelm. Went to an intake appt. and got the wrong address and was driving around in a fog looking for the dang place. Finally came home and found this video. Whew! 😵💫🫣
Hi I to cared for my Mom in the last 5 years of her life other family members to busy with there own families not really care about me or my Mom families all gone there own way as far as I am concerned I got no family just be strong my friend you get there no one else can do this only YOU. CAN @@saintejeannedarc9460
I'm freezing chronically. Just find your voice and instructions to unfreeze me a bit. Need massive doses of something to calm my amygdala down. I avoid like crazy. And everything seems more important to do than the task. And they are important, but the schedule isn't working.
Much needed video for one who was battling depression since 4 years and place where i was overlooked , overworked and left alone in my life . i was suicidal for couple of years and when i opened up my friends left me alone while i was battling through all issues
So grateful for your information on the freeze response. I have suffered from PTSD for years and recently I've noticed I'm no longer fighting and my brain is freezing. I'm not sure what changed. I didn't know how to explain what I was going through in words until I watched your video. I now feel so hopeful that I can work on this with my therapist. Thank you so much Doc. Thank you for explaining things in such an easy way to understand. Hoping you have incredible success in your business and on youtube. I subscribed right away and sent your videos to my friends.
"...to be the John Madden of your life..." How many, like myself, just teared up. Frustraion, anger, anguish, psychological pain, inner sorrow, uncountable failures.; the list goes on. To heal from all that is possible. The journey is exceedingly difficult; and we do it anyway to save what we can of our lives. Feeling deserving of self worth and praise is difficult with a history of rejection and isolation. I'll try the John Madden thing. Thanks.
Thank you for another great video, Dr Scott. I had a messed up childhood with a punitive, abusive father. Thank goodness for my loving mother and that i modelled her kind, caring behaviour. However, I am self critical due to my Dad"s punitive voice and harsh judgements lingering in my psyche. I very rarely reward or praise myself but now I'm going to make a conscious effort to praise my achievements each day. Thank you. ❤
I was too embarrassed to ask how to celebrate myself. Even at 37, I asked my mom. She didn’t seem to know what I was talking about at all. Acted like I was crazy.
I have tried so many videos to help me understand and find strategies to help me understand why I can't feel any joy in life, why every task seems impossible, why life only seems like a chore I can't escape with no light at the end of the tunnel. Why the world seems completely separate from me. I've been through an abusive marriage and some other things, but still. I love my children with all my heart and I'm all they have,but life and this world make no sense to me anymore and I feel like a complete prisoner. Until I found THESE videos, I found NO HELP. No one is doing what Dr. Scott is doing on UA-cam and I feel like it's speaks to SO MANY OF US that feel truly desperate. People don't talk about it. In fact, when I heard these videos, it was like "Other people actually feel this way, lost and imprisoned, hopeless!" The work here is honestly saving lives, I know I'm already using some of the tools and strategies, including starting an exercise routine just this week. Please keep up the good work Dr. Scott, and truly, God Bless you!! ❤️
In 2014 I was dx with Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome, aka high level of prolonged stress...late stage 4, my body had began to shut down. It took me 4.5 years working on myself and finding new coping mechanism, I still have issues including insomnia, but the biggest thing I learned was to say the word NO, to ppl who criticized, degraded me, abuse, and to put the responsibilities back to who it belongs to
Even in therapy i feel like i can't truly explain how hard it is to do the smallest task. And when i finally manage to get something done i cant see it as a win because that was just a tiny speck and there's a whole mountain of stuff still to be addressed.
I know the feeling. It really stresses to try and make a society understand that has such deficits there. That's why he explained how to deal with it in this video.
Thank you for all these videos. Even if i may not be completely frozen all the time, i do freeze up. I was listening to this and thought, what can i celebrate about myself, there isnt anything to celebrate. You are 100% correct, I was not taught to do that. And the thought that i cant do anything worth celebrating actually made me chuckle. Thank you.
You took time out to watch the video Andrea… you are helping you get healthier which is great… it allows you to then add even more to the world. In a collected way … as a caretaker of yourself and others- (not as in a commercial/economic/money making way).😊
Getting out of my 4-year freeze response. Feels good! Also feels scary as eff, so thanks for all the support! I got this. I grew up with Oprah cheering her audience & guests on, so I’ll try having her as my cheerleader. 😂 Although I do remember Madden and his 5 legged turkeys on Thanksgiving. 🦃 He was a lot of fun.
@@margaretdonovan1649 Thanks for sharing! I’m excited for you. I’ve heard of both of these therapies, even did a DBT group through Kaiser. I’d love to learn more about TMS. I’ve tried so many things to get back to work. EFT, journaling, yoga nidra, medical hypnosis and breathing techniques (which are all very helpful and I still use them), but it’s EMDR that’s been serious relief. And also the info on this channel, such as creating a daily routine around self-care & management of symptoms. Game changer! I wish you the best! So happy you’ve found relief.
@sentaleuck8101 Thanks. Yes, I feel pretty good about TMS. It is very expensive. I am interested in EMDR. I am not very consistent with journaling and self care and I know I'd feel better if I could make the commitment.
@@margaretdonovan1649 Sounds like you’re doing great with your commitment to healing. I know it’s a journey. Mine definitely hasn’t been a straight line. I’m doing Virtual EMDR, which is great & inexpensive (69 USD/month), but read up on it to see if you’d prefer doing it with a therapist. Just to know what to expect & what to do if you feel overwhelmed. My side effects have been brief & manageable & well worth the positive impact. I just felt very agitated one day and of course crying is to be expected!
This is me with 6 months of stress. Hair thinning and had a full head of hair before. No life and nothing but regrets. Feeling a bullet is all I have left.
I’m not even sure how I found you but I’m so glad I did. I always cry when I watch your videos, I have so much to figure out and you are very much helping. Thank you for that!
Thank God you are in my head helping me to fight for reality. This message hitting the spot. I agree with you, we all need a John Madden to see the great things that no one notices. Focusi g on being "present" with each little task, even brushing my teeth has become a challenge. I'm going to sit down as soon as I finish cleaning my kitchen, and write in my newly made Hurrah notebook. Thank you for helping me make a change in my perspective 👏💯👍
I drowned in college. Started out with (new) friends who truly liked me. When they realized how fast I was drowning, they dumped me. Can't blame them. It's been many many decades since my college years. It still hurts. I've learned to let go and move on. For the most part. It taught me to treat others with grace.
Thank you so much for these videos. This is so new to me. I’ve never celebrated myself, never felt like I deserved it. But I’m going to try although it feels weird.
There is this thing therapist recommend that you journal the good things that happened to you every day and things that you are grateful for. I never saw the point in that. Today I learnt it is because no one ever taught me how to celebrate myself. While I did achieve great things the world never rewarded me for them so I always thought: Well, I suck, I am not good enough. I will try the celebrate yourself approach from now on.
I have been living in a freeze response for a while now, and I am so tired of it. I have a different voice in my head, one that criticizes me every time I do something wrong. I thought it was my voice, but after looking inward, I realized it was the voice of my father. I believed for years that I couldn't do anything right, but now I am going to celebrate every little victory until I dig myself out of this hole. Thank you so much for showing me how.
I was STARTING another video about "Today's WARS" and commenting to myself internally that "I MUST be stupid if I do NOT know why they are killing each other", AND THIS POPPED UP! THANK GOD! It reminded me to stop watching so much terror and just be in myself for a moment!
Spot on. And ‘the rules’ change from overlords (parents, managers, partners) from Monday to Tuesday. It’s never right, never enough and if it is, dead silence. so change my expectations. Do it all for the Glory of God and that’s my focus, not human praise.
I’m that hard case you speak of. I’ve had this crippled anxiety for 2 years now since I stopped drinking. It was bad before,but now the fog and inability to speak full sentences some times-THAT Is what is scaring me. If I had money I’d try therapy again. I’m just broke,considering ending it,but I don’t have a plan because I know I couldn’t follow through with it. Still, I’m the drive to NOT deal with this anymore is strong and unwavering. I’ve dealt with this my whole life,just not to this level or timeline. Then,out of the blue I’m good. I have a full week of feeling ok. Ok,or really good. Supplementing B12,D3 and Magnesium Theronate has helped,but still not enough. Your channel is awesome. If you ever find time,I’ll pay you for a zoom call. I think it would help me feel encouraged. I’m lonely and when I quit drinking had to lose all my friends
The following is the slightest movement to improve my outlook-instead of crashing after an early dinner, thereby avoiding the greasy clogged up sink full of dishes: move my walker and I to the kitchen sink. Halfway through dishes, I decide to remount the small fluorescent light above the sink. I haven’t seen the bottom of my sink in months. This is huge. HUUUUGE!!!
It occurs to me that, if you're concerned about how much time you'd have to spend appreciating yourself, it implies you're doing a lot of things to appreciate.
5 years at my latest retail job. Managers don't say a word to me, unless something didn't get done. I made myself physically sick dealing with customers who were treating me like a servant, and co-workers who I was picking up slack for who never seemed to notice. My doctor finally diagnosed me with fibromyalgia, put me on painkillers that I only took a few of, cuz that only made it worse, and told me there was nothing else she could do. I gave up. And I DO NOT ever want to do that again. But what else can I do? I need pay of some kind...
You could look into another job, but I think retail/ service jobs are pretty similar that way. I notice most customers are pretty polite to retail people and will usually say please and thank you. So many of us started out retail, so we remember what it's like. There will be some people who don't treat you as well, but the most important thing is that you treat you well and give yourself credit. It is a service industry, and we are there to do a job. We can give ourselves credit for putting the effort in, day in and day out. We can change our expectations. If your managers are generally not complaining, then you're doing your job. It is their job to speak up when things slip, so if you can expect that, then it won't be as hard on you. The managers often have the worst and longest shifts, and are blamed if things aren't running smoothly, or their store isn't profitable enough. So it helps to give grace to others as well as ourselves. Please find a way to nurture yourself. Fibromyalgia is no joke. It took me out of the workforce decades ago. Some can muddle through and still manage to work. Hopefully the doctors are wrong, and it's more stress related and can be rectified, before the condition worsens and becomes entrenched.
@@saintejeannedarc9460 I can't work anymore. I left that job in 2017, and still get vertigo and muscle spasms in my lower back and thighs that make it very hard to move. I now crochet and knit, and spend my Saturdays at our local flea market, selling my crafts. But winter is on its way, and that will close down for the season. My son is currently picking up the slack for me, paying my car insurance and getting my dog's food when I haven't made enough, but I don't want to be totally reliant on him. I'm working on it, but it's just so hard some days. All I want to do is cry.
Hello I am sorry that you had that experience. Losing our health to those who only take can be devastating. There are resources who may shed some light on fibromyalgia. One is a Brit psychologist Alex Howard ,when he was a bit younger and newer in looks… who suffered from this himself. It is a matter of just putting feelers out and connecting with those you resonate with. Good luck.
Ive been sick for 6 weeks due to stress bad diet low mood very tearful feeling isolated with no one to talk to. Im overwhelmed with my family im single parent have been for years and everybody thinks im here to take care of them and their problems. Im burnt out no good to nobody.. in pain and exhausted. Cant see the wood for the trees. I cant find any joy or positivity its crippling. I have to pretend to smile while my stomach is in knots. A few times i wanted it to end. From a mother grandmother carer who never took time out for herself she felt guilty..now im knackered.
That's very painful to have stress. It really is crippling and causes insomnia and depression. I can relate to your situation. It sucks! And no therapy will help, because we are the ones going through it. I suffer now so badly, I can't take care of myself... and just want to end it. I hate this.
Thank God for social media for real!!! I learn more from social media, people like you, then I do from therapists. I deal with issues of narcissistic abuse and through social media I have grown to learn more about narcissism then the therapists do. I digress. Thank you so much for the video!!
This has helped me out. A close personal friend of mine passed away unexpectedly on Saturday October 23rd 2021. I have not been the same since. He was always pushing me to improve myself and my situation with work and with life. Now that he is gone I just do not know what to do to improve my situation. I hate my job and I hate my life. About the only reason why I have not killed myself is that if I did that then I would never see my friend / boy again on what comes next when we die.
"...the last thng you can afford is to be shut down." I learned to put a name to my inability to function only about a week ago. My overload and overwhelm came on top of lifetime cPTSD and some recent nerve wracking situations. I knew I needed to act, fast, but just could not. That made the anxiety much worse. Now I've learned to will myself to push through the anxiety and not buckle to it. I can work while anxiety tries to reign me in...the work tamps down the mental anguish, gets things done, reduces the overwhelm...everything improves.
I have PTSD from 15 years as a carer, I have started EMDR, but freeze response is my nemesis, I have constant panic attacks in my sleep for no apparent reason and wake up in the freeze response I'm left feeling dreadful for the rest of the day, numb, shaky, sick, depressed, how I wake up is how I spend my day
I wish i was younger After Years and Years in treatment with a Sorry Mental Health System that failed me. I just am so tired of trying. You make morr sense then any other Provider i have talked to in my lifr time. Again the reason you are so good You "Lived It"
I can fully relate. I feel for you because I too am tired. So tired, barely still here after decades living like this with no measurable psychological or physical help. Please don't follow in my footsteps. I am 70, alone and with no hope. Please follow all Dr Scott's videos and make it! Don't give in. You're worth it. If you get to my age and start trying, it will be too late. I regret so much I didn't get the opportunity earlier in life 😢❤🎉
A few nights ago, after another day spent in bed, accomplishing nothing, I looked around my house at the reminders of all my undone tasks. I was surrounded by so many triggers for guilt, shame, worthlessness, fear, panic.... and I was frozen. Seeminly out of nowhere came the thought, "From now on, I will look at each object, each chore, as if it were made of love -- literally MADE of LOVE". It was almost like someone else was saying those words, but I knew it was just a different part of myself. I realized that I could create/recreate each moment as if it were a joyful dance. Each piece of trash I throw away, each article of clothing that I fold & put in a drawer, each phone call I make for work, EVERY SINGLE BIT of whatever had felt before like an impossible accomplishment -- all of this was transformed in an instant. I knew that I had the power to hit some sort of reset button.I fell asleep as if I were being rocked by angels -- the overwhelming bliss, the sweet sense of being enveloped by love, came as a surprise, a spontaneous gift from out of the blue, but it has changed my life. And, no, the ecstatic state did not maintain itself at that level through the following days, but there is new hope now. There is more light. I know that I can reframe so many of my emotional responses. An enormous weight has been lifted off of me. I think this is exactly what the doctor is prescribing here -- he is giving us methods to achieve this sense of joyful agency as we learn to celebrate ourselves. I'm going to keep going till I/we figure this out.
This was lovely. Informative and compassionate. I am exhausted by constantly fighting myself (or so it feels). Now I feel I can reframe it as a part of my brain in overload.
"John Madden yourself" is 1000% my new favorite saying. Thank you. (And as a looooong time John Madden fan, I can totally hear his voice in my head doing it, too. In fact, I'm pretty sure he's gonna be drawing Xs, Os, & routes all over my memories while I do this. lol)
Thank you so much. "You do amazing things every day" wow, thanks for the reminder. So much appreciated. I always struggle expecting too much of myself so this was really helpful. Its still hard to believe that what I do is enough. Okay, today's achievement was goong to work, doing a good job there, not crying endlessly and taking some time to watch this ❤ Love your channel
I used to have so much to do and so much motivation. But years and years of stress combined with sad and tragic events broke me down. Now i've deleted everything that can cause any stress, that means relations, interests, career. It's pretty much nothing left really. Still have a job, fortunately one that doesn't require too much mental focus. During the work week i sometimes have the ambition to do stuff during the weekend, but i never manage to get started.
One thing I would add, and perhaps you have discussed this elsewhere, but sometimes physical strains or tension can be translated into stress by the body. An example of this is that if you sleep badly you can suffer neck strain, your mind then picks up that you have stress in your body and can generate reasons in the mind why that stress exists. When there was no underlaying stress aside from the tension in your body. I know that you understand this a LOT LOT more than I do but I wanted to add my experience. I often sit in bed far too long as I have suffered from stress, anxiety and depression over the past few years and it’s been extremely tough but I am trying to move forwards from there. Thank you for your content and for helping others. Oh and the neck tension and stress goes back to the ‘Bridge’ analogy that is often used in CBT etc
I don't know how to say this, I don't know that there exist a correct way. *My disclaimer* If you are reading this and are in rough waters pls stop reading now. But when I tune in I am finding this channel INCREDIBLY helpful with this amazing gentleman dedicating his knowledge/wisdom towards helping others. However, every single time I see his face I see my real life therapist for they are identical in appearance, style, and demeanor. Unfortunately it was 1 month ago that I learned that this wonderful soul who helped me so much took his own life. I can't begin to explain how tornadic my mind becomes when I think about this. The gentleman above and my therapist look identical...I want to continue tuning in but without the avalanche of emotions. Thanks for listening...
I've come to realize I was in a long freeze response, recently. How long that response lasted, I really can't say. Feels like at least five years, to be honest. I was having the hardest time adjusting to the realization that I've been in this response. This last week has been utter hell, because of it. Trying to come to terms with where I am in life while trying to not spiral into a vortex of negative thoughts was exhausting. But then I saw your video, and it really turned things around for me almost instantly. I immediately celebrated the fact that I got out of bed, ate a light breakfast, and just have been relaxing to recover from the last week. Thank you for making this video. It's a good kickstart to my new life.
I'm currently going through a major freeze. Just wanted to share that I got all of the trash taken to the curb before the trash pickup. You have no idea how profoundly proud I am of myself right now. I just learned that a small victory is still a victory even if I'm the only one who knows it. ❤😊
Congratulations! That is a major accomplishment. I know I have been there.
Yes!! Well done!
👊❤️
That's awesome! Good for you!
Good for you!!!!
"Maybe you wanted to die today and you decided not to"... that hit me hard...
Same. 🥲
Me too. I think it every day.
@@khart1825 I didn't realize there were that many of us out there - struggling
❤❤❤🤗
No one. In my whole life. Has ever. Taught me how to celebrate anything for myself
Me either, this is a new concept to me. My mother raised me to live for her validation. Messed me up. She was mean.
I need more help with my crippling.Anxiety i'm in freeze for response With panic attacks!!!
This helps so much as I have never been nice to myself, my mother would always gaslight any victories i had, so i learned to never trust myself and searched for outside validation. I have had so much trauma in life, I have done some e m d r therapy that helped with some things but i'm still working on things.
Wonderful success that the path you chose in life led you to coming here.
This is really good to know. I grew up with scarcity of praise mixed with lots of punishments and horrible verbal abuse. That was decades ago. Today I am living in an extremes stressful situation, and the old feelings of runaway shame, severe anxiety, and depression have resurfaced. I live in that freeze zone. Yesterday I took laundry to get done, left a message with a legal agency, and sent a form to a housing agency. These are things that took me days to work up to.
Boy, can I relate.....
I started making a list of "Wins" every day: things I accomplished, no matter how small. The more I've done it, the longer the lists have got, especially things I had been putting off. It works.
What a great idea! I need to do this myself.
I used to have a habit of doing that. I had a couple years of daily journal entries of it. Now I get demoralized any time I look at my journal app, knowing that I lost a very big streak.
It s a very powerful method, you ve got a rush of dopamine for each self validation. I ve tried that to stick to my intensive training, it works, I do it for 2 years
I will try that! I hope it helps me too
"You can't scare yourself out of something that you got scared into..." Words to live by when you're frozen that's for sure.
Might this even apply generally, that others cannot do it either? 🤔 I am undecided and too tired to ponder it properly.
I was taught growing up that praising myself or being proud anything I've done is bragging and having a big head. I recently saved a coworkers life by performing CPR. Everyone was making a huge deal out of it and I wanted no part of it. I felt like crawling in a hole hating the attention I was getting. No one can understand why i don't even want to talk about it.
Starting to celebrate myself is a completely foreign concept. I will try though.
Dr. Eilers, I think you're a truly wonderful doctor and am so thankful that I found your channel.
I am SO PROUD of myself for being able to protect myself from toxic hurtful people in my life. I quit a job with a toxic boss once without a second thought. I had no idea that I would do so that morning but by 9 am I had already walked out to everyone's surprise. There was NO way I was going to stay in that abusive work environment. I was done. A month later I was hired in a much better job!!!!! Dont be afraid. God has your back. ❤
I am one of those HARDEST Cases you talk of. 70 yrs old, Major Depreesive Disorder resistant to over 12 meds, ECT, DBT and so many psych programs I could write a book. Yet I'm literally crippled with the anxiety that was added at least 6 yrs ago. If I was an animal you would have me put down for compassion to stop the pain and suffering. I look forward to hearing your talks. Grasping at straws. Giving up daily. I live in literally terror with freeze response . Being completely socially isolated is perhaps at the core of why I can't escape, especially when so many stresses are actually terrifying because I am unable to do them alone
I so much relate to this.... 😢
@@fattidiliberta 💜
Sending you both love and warm wishes ❤
@@ericajane5465 ⚘️
How are you? ❤
I can’t celebrate the things I’m doing when those things aren’t what I should be doing. I can fold laundry like a champion, but if I cant bring myself to sit in front of my laptop and do the tasks I need to. The ones that I need to do for my business. If I can’t even bring myself to answer a phone call? Then I’m just frozen in a tidier house in clean sheets. The celebrations remind me of my failings and I feel even more useless and stuck. And closer to not wanting to be here anymore.
I get it. Avoidance response. I bought a new laptop over a year ago. Twice I tried to get it going & failed. Stms I will hook it up to charge it, forget it. Like you, I will wash clothes, decorate, get the lint off my clothes (that I hardly ever wear because I never go out). Walk by the stack of bills to be paid, list of really important calls need to make, piles of stuff to file - I see them - decide to file my nails. Half way do them! Listen to Dr Scott (Thankful found him). Truly try to do - at least start- & right back at drawing board. It's just too damn hard too often. Quit. I was not raised to be a quitter! I've actually achieved many great things in my 66yrs. But 15yrs ago, my world shattered in every single area & I have never recovered. It was Dr Scott who helped me realize the "Freeze Response". That has helped. Know your enemy, esp when the enemy is you! I was ready to leave this soul sucking, lonely, often very cruel world many Xs (in my head). So many tools to help. Day by day, stms minute by minute, life is NOT such a constant STRUGGLE! Hold those tight & keep going. It's the best (& hopefully ONLY Solution) - just keep a going ❤.
Small steps. Why not start by sitting at a desk and looking at your laptop. Repeat until you feel up to opening the laptop. Repeat until you feel you’re ready to turn it on. Then keep taking those small steps. Keep checking in with your body and ask if it feels good.
I hear you. I was going through this when I decided to one day just do 5 min of what I should be doing, and then rewarded myself after that. When we don’t do the things we want to do or are meant to do , it weighs heavily on us and affects us. Sometimes we have to nudge ourselves a bit at first
Hey, today I worked out and cooked myself a healthy meal and broomed the floors. I havnt had the energy to do more than one (if any) of those things per day for the past months. So you know what? Yay me 🎉
🎉
Your videos are very helpful! I listen then get up and do something. I still don't want to, but I am doing little by little. Tomorrow I am going to begin a morning routine.
@Progressivelyyou I hope you are doing well. I can relate to where you were.
@@TampaCatGirl Hello, it's been up and down, but I am pulling through. :) I am not as in bad of shape as last year, so that is a plus! Hope you find relief soon, better days are coming friend :)
Actually in tears because of how much the sidebar about not knowing how to celebrate yourself spoke to me. This video is helping me battle for myself and i wanted to express my gratitude.❤
I believe in another video Scott suggested keeping a victory journal and, at the end of your day, write down your victories for that day, even the smallest ones. I am amazed at how many things I actually accomplished each day, even the tiniest, that made a difference in my day. Maybe he can link it again under this video.
Me too. I had no idea what this comment meant until I watched the video myself. So very, very true that nobody notices anything unless it’s a mistake
@@traciprovins3221Traci how can we talk 🙏🤗❤️
I've never heard this term but then again, I don't follow football. However I am currently in my own freeze state (3 months now) and hating every minute of it. I just listed off some tasks I accomplished and it felt pretty good. I've suffered through chronic depression and anxiety the majority of my life and this cycle has been the worst. Granted every major depressive episode is the worst feeling. This time I'll try this technique to try to crawl out of this pit I've been pounding myself into. I'd like to hear more videos like this.
Dr. Scott, please keep these videos going. You are the best and saving people's lives.
Thanks for being the people's doc the people need! You've been there, overcome, and deal with all the things you talk about yourself. A doc who is the real deal with real world experience and advice, not just regurgitating crap you've just been taught or read. Respect ❤️
Thanks! Love the avatar 😁
Yes,TY. Realistic,to the point, non judgement.TY. I commented below and it got lengthy sorry I was rambling. Everybody remember just because you can't see it doesn't mean it's not there. As an ICU nurse for 23 years I could see an x-ray I could see someone's pneumonia or their brain aneurysm on a CAT scan but no one can see or MEASURE your emotional physical or mental pain. The non-believers are what make these ailments so taboo. I can't see or feel the love that I know a Mom has for her newborn baby, yet I know it's there❤. Ty Dr Scott.
The Rock came to mind after reading the people’s doc.
“Can you SMEEEEEELLL what the Doc is cookin?” 😂
Hi … yes regurgitating is my go to word in the last few years. I use it to express how I feel when I know a certain outcome that is set by some one else or group that dictates you have to abide by their rules… while you also realise yourself there are usually 2-3 other instant equal ways to get to the goal. Mostly it is a upper hand way of dealing with you …. And we all become cookie cutters (shapes) being the same. So that the other person gets their way…. And they haven’t extended or offered more than they needed to. When you do the same old same old you gets the same results. It is usually the outliers that offer something different, yet solid that can be if help and guidance. Think of those such as therapists who tackle the ‘eggs in a harder basket’ or the academic(lecturer) who has far more personality and gumption when teaching than most….. but get better results and let’s face it…. It means more to people that respond well to it and it’s a pay forward mentality. My musing for the day….😊
@tedwilson1477 agreed!!!
This was so liberating. I was getting stressed out because I felt like no one was appreciating me in life. But hearing you articulate that it’s not because I’m not doing enough... it’s more likely because everyone else is fighting the same feelings/their own battles... that took so much weight off me. And it really put into perspective the reason positive self talk is so important. No one is guaranteed to do it for you, but they are also not obligated to do it for you. But you are on the hook for you, and you owe it too yourself. It’s not being self-aggrandizing. It’s appreciating yourself and being your own advocate. Thanks so much for sharing this message.
Well said. Another way I have come to feel about the topic of appreciation, either receiving or giving… is that if you are in a place/environment that you know that whatever you accomplish will never really be acknowledge or even appreciated… you may very well be with someone who doesn’t or can’t/won’t do that for you. If say , you went into a marriage per say and initially your looks and personality or ability to make money was a huge value to your partner… and something happened to change those traits… say a stroke or a mental health disorder that left you in a change state of being…. No matter what you do to show your worth… whatever dance or act you strain to do… that partner may very well never see you in the same light and therefore you learn that your ‘values’ mean different things to different folks. A sporting family may not appreciate a book worm or an academic family may not appreciate a creative person . You have to make peace with what round hole you will spend your life energy on … in trying to shove that square peg into. Go where your are celebrate…. Not tolerated 😊
I am so in freeze mode from stress that I can barely watch this video.. but I will
Accidentally found your channel 2 weeks ago. I've learned more in 2 weeks than I have in 30 years. Hugely stuck in Freeze Mode for a long time. I live my life in permanent Fight or Flight (freeze) mode. Your explanation in the previous video made everything make so much more sense. Thank you for this video. I didn't comment on the last one, but I've been trying for two days to figure out what "celebrate myself" means and looks like. I'm sad to know there were many people like me. But at the same time, happy to know I wasn't alone in that. I look forward to learning how to get Amygdala under my own control instead of letting it control me. Thank you for sharing your knowledge in this way.
Yeh I’m new to the channel too. You can celebrate basic things at first like, small win, brushed teeth
What is the previous video you mentioned? I'm in your same shoes. Constant tension and stress.
I myself live with generalised anxiety disorder 24/ 7,stay strong !!!
Your Freeze response video come along at the right time for me … Thank you … I have just lost my mother and already had a lot if complicated things going on in my life … i think i have just shut down … Been watching videos on grief and healing and your video was in my recommended list … It helped me to see that the accumulation of events has peaked and helped me to set about doing things to get myself out of this fog ❤
This video is a continuation of that one so I hope it is just as helpful 🤞
Hi … I’m sad to hear you lost your Mum… they are a huge role in our lives. Even if the relationship is mainly healthy or not it is a very large chapter closing and it can be a roller coaster of emotions. Wherever you are along in the grieving process…. Be kind to you and allow yourself to grieve in the moment. It can be hard and shitty sometimes … but this person nurtured you and you have every right to pay homage to a lost one.Take care.
People, like me, who have been starved of affection...inner affection...need to follow your suggestions; speak and hear the inner praise and learn to accept and find joy in it. Then the negative dynamic of the past will be gone. Hearing that our tremendous efforts will start to 'sink in'...to the subconscious mind, is gold!
I’m a “hard case.” Not even the threat of “punishment” is enough to motivate me anymore. It’s the weirdest feeling. I wish I could talk to you. I don’t have social media. It’s nice to know someone like you exists though. That alone gives me some degree of solace.
The fact you're focused on the "difficult cases is truly amazing. I've heard a few therapists now say they won't treat certain people because of what they struggle with. If they're not going to help, who will?
Similar story. My little bro took his life 7 years ago. I stayed blackout drunk while working somehow for four years. Alcohol free for two now. Working to eventually get to my PsyD. My prof told me it's harder than getting into med school...I couldn't find anyone to help me either but cobbled resources together. Hoping to make it easier for other folks going through such a brutal thing.
It really lets us know that those brutal times aren't wasted. Because he went through terrible depression and no one could help him for years, it helps him to help others even better. Now he's driven to want to help the hardest cases, that just seems amazing.
Well done on the PsychD … I’m-reading that as Degree ? in psychology. Even with good intentions sometimes those who have had specific and challenging times are the very ones that can help others… a time to lean on them until they are strong enough to go it alone. Keep chipping away… if you feel it’s the right thing to carry on with…and you feel it in your bones… then keep going. Your brother would be proud of you and . ‘At the end of the day we are all walking each other home’ a profound saying I once heard. Kinda nice ….
OH, my, YES !!! That IS nice
Keep going
I'm very sorry you went through the painful loss of your brother. I trust you've come to terms w/ his passing now. I've struggled w/ suicidal urges quite a bit. Sometimes the depression was so bad, I didn't figure my leaving would even make much impact. Depression still there, but thinking less distorted now. It's often the only thing that keeps me hanging in, knowing I'd pass considerable pain onto others. Depression is a terrible thing. Like seems to be a sacrifice, no matter what. So glad you made it out of alchoholism, and that you have such firm life goals now.
I lost my 14 year old son recently. Life is harder than hard. Been in bed for 3 days in a freeze response. I am up, make-uped and dressed every single day. The last 3 days, I just can't. I can barely lift my body. I hate living like this. CONSTANT pain. Mental and physical. Thank you for your video 🙏🏻❤
Be careful, Chick. I spent 9 months lying in bed 20 years ago when my sister died and it caused me all sorts of musculoskeletal and mental health issues (severe depression for 7 years). The doctor is right, you need to praise yourself for just sitting up if you are bed-bound, because that is akin to climbing kilamanjiro when you're in that sort of state! It's a really tragic thing for you to be going through and my heart goes out to you ❤.
@@FreeBrunoPowroznikin two years, this is the longest I lay in bed. I'm a fighter, for the sake of my remaining son ❤️. Was up today, went to the garden centre, ran some errands. Every step was difficult. Tomorrow I plan to do something in the garden. Whether I want to or not. I'm 47. No reason for me to lay in bed. I'm just so weak. Mind over matter tomorrow. Thank you for your response and I am deeply sorry for the loss of your sister. I bet you miss her every single day. My thoughts are with you and your family ❤️ 🕊️ ❤️
I'm so sorry for your loss.
Im sorry for your loss. My condolences.
Today I got up out of bed and had some breakfast. I wrote down my work plans for the week. I took care of some scheduling changes.
I remembered that I need to do the laundry today! I’ll do that later while my code is running.
I’m also dealing with some family vacation planning.
Wow, look at that well roundedness.
The footwork is impeccable.
I feel like I find my tribe here on your channel.
The comments from all those who truly "get it" make me feel so much less alone. Those who know that tackling things as simple as the laundry, a sinkful of dishes, taking a shower, etc., can feel almost impossible -- these people give me hope.
Thank you, each & every one of you.
My To-Do-List mountain feels impossible to climb. No amount of effort could ever be enough. I feel like someone who has been placed in a medically enforced coma. I am in stasis. Any activity is a win.
Sending you many warm wishes ❤
Absolutely!!!
Yes, be nice to have a safe community board where we could help, listen & support each other. Your words reflect 100% of my life. Thank you for sharing❤
I am now my biggest fan. It took 55 years. I now realize how strong I have been to to be to survive a dysfunctional immigrant family, an educational system despite having a learning disability, an eating disorder while being overweight and judged, a Christian while being abused by others and having to forgive them and finally going against the grain over and over.
I grew up with a narcissistic mother. Nothing I did was good enough when it came to my looks. I must have had a strong personality because I learned quite early that I DID things that were correct FOR ME. She may have had the gorgeous beauty I didn't have, but I had brains and learned how to use my smarts. My brother, I believe, had the some problem with her. We succeeded in spite of her. Yes, I get overwhelmed- I'm a crazy 67 yrs old city 'girl' who is retired from training high tech engineers and astronauts. I now run a meat goat breeding tiny ranch. Mom would have been mortified, but Dad would have loved it. I am proud of my journey through this life. And yes, I still hear her comments and those of bullies I dealt with throughout life - but I appreciate my small accomplishments. I canned 85 pounds of tomatoes this summer for pizza and pasta sauce! 😊
You spoke to my soul in this video. I have never felt so understood as I did listening to this. I am the person you speak about in this. I've shut down to avoid another piled on criticism and from another person raising their voice to talk over me. I only get noticed when I've not met another person's unspoken expectation of me. I am failing at life. I decided to live today.
You know, as an elementary teacher, I did that for my kids all the time. Never, ever thought that I could benefit from some self praise. Thank you.
Such a helpful video.
Feel myself finally coming out of 6 - 7 year freeze response combined with depression. Had an incredibly toxic boss very much like you described (quit when she shouted at me when I wasn't working "fast enough") at 3:00 a few years ago which added on to my CPTSD and was starting to come out of it right before the pandemic... but he events of 2020 sent me (and millions of others) into an anxious/ depressive tailspin with my inner child going: "See! I told you the world is a scary place full of crazy people."
Went into full out shut down mode during the pandemic but am finally digging out of all the trauma accumulated over my life and the weight of depression that comes with it.
The last few years im sure put many of us back. Financial issues make it difficult to feel like you are in charge of your own life too. Also that inner childs voice speaks so much sense 😉
I can relate to that inner child a lot. Good job on digging yourself out - having the courage to. (Because I'm there and don't feel like I do. More like helplessly flailing around on my back lying in a deep ditch.)
I am sorry you had to endure that workplace and the unfortunate boss. So many people are not meant to be bosses…. Many think they are ‘leaders’ and yet they only take advantage of the power role they have to exert all of their undesirable… crap… onto others, their own crud that they will not take ownership for themselves. I refer to people who have traits that are corrosive and demoralising as ‘ a dime a dozen’ folks … as there are plenty of them with no risk of there ever being a shortage. 😊
The pandemic was huge.
As was everything that went before for you and for many other folk too. You are not alone.
Be good to yourself and keep on healing =)
Thank you so much, Dr. E.!!! I suffer from complex childhood PTSD and at 66 years old, still wake up in freeze mode everyday. I discovered your channel yesterday, watched this video and one other on small victories over and over again. Because of you, I was able to get out of bed this morning without turning around and crawling right back in under the covers for the next four hours. I cannot thank you enough!! Please continue to make this kind of content; you are literally a life saver. God bless you 🙏🙏🙏🙏
This is brilliant !!
Its been 4years that i am getting treatment for anxiety and depression and I am still in freeze state. Your video brought tears.
The worst part in freeze response is to let everything go because its too much, having PSI, and finally deciding to give life another try and having to catch up everything i let go, while being exhausted...
What is PSI?
I want to say how good this is us and how much I appreciate it. I will add that there are a lot of bad-willed people out there who go out of their way to put others down. It's just true. And thats all the more reason to advocate for ourselves, and each other, and celebrate our small accomplishments nobody else will ever know about.
💜Thank you, Dr. Scott! Please do keep coming back for part 77, 78, 100 if necessary...I'm up and down like a yo-yo! One day, I've got it all together! I'm floating on air, sailing through life like a pro. The very next day, I'm drowning in stress and anxiety. Overwhelmed by everything I need and want to do. I get so excited by my success on that one day, I overdo it, exhaust myself, and end up back at square one the next day, with too much on my plate. Please help me find my balance!🙄💜
You have 'named that thing.' Your insight is inspiring.
Love this. I have struggled for years to tell myself I’m doing something well. I hear all the voices in my head saying I’m not enough and had too many controlling managers. The sense of calm this has created this morning is wonderful. Thank you.
When you say controlling managers, do you mean the manager parts that Dr Richard Schwartz mentions in IFS?
@@kr1221EI mean actual controlling people/managers. As an example, I had a manager tell me I would move a whole record center by myself in two weeks because they were selling the building I was in. It involved keying over 30,000 files to boxes as well as moving them and the boxes to a storage facility. She also wanted me to scan all of our promissory notes and keep up with all my other services and duties. Very unreasonable request for one person. I told her it wasn’t possible. She said I would do it and get it done. With my abusive background I felt I had no option even though I protested. I was already a very anxious person who has had one nervous breakdown. I did get it done by coming in at the crack of dawn, no breaks, leaving late, etc. I got it done but within a week ended up in the hospital with another nervous breakdown and of course the manager took no responsibility and actually gave me a hard time about my breakdown like it came out of nowhere. I understand some will just say it was my responsibility to maintain my mental health. I really didn’t understand I had the right to at the time. I now know differently. Having learned tools, I no longer let my old training run me and I think about my physical and mental health instead of treating myself as if I’m a robot or letting others do that to me. I have learned that it’s ok to say no or bring the matter to other people such as a director (who had no idea that was happening because I was off-site) or HR who would have come up with a better solution. Very hard lesson learned.
Your channel showed up in my feed a few days ago. I'm finding your videos extremely helpful. YOu explain things in ways I've never considered, and then follow up with examples of practical applications. I had an emergency eye surgery last month, and the eye is healing okay, but the mental health issues it exacerbated post-op have been devastating. I'm working hard on rolling that boulder up the mountain yet again, as I am very proactive and solution-oriented.
I ordered your book right away and am 1/3 of the way through it. It's excellent! I'm going on a solo retreat and dropping off the face of the earth this week to finish reading the book and to work on a "how to put my brain back together *this* time?" plan. (I'm on the autism spectrum, so I have to do that a lot.) Plenty of prayer, meditation, reading, writing, etc. No internet or other distractions. Your new video is timed perfectly for me to watch it before I leave. :)
BTW, it was very cool to discover that you are not only based in Iowa, but are just two hours away from me. Not in another country, not in Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, or even Des Moines. Most people who have quality mental health youtube channels and who really understand what folks like me go through might as well live on Mars. :P Anyway, have a great evening, and thanks for all you do to help people!
I love it! We should also do the same for others. Search out, seek the good that they’ve accomplished instead of always looking for the bad.🥰
Good heavens I am 75 and a nervous wreck half the time Thank you so much Your words are great fabulous they're not enough expressions to say how much help you are to your fellow human being God bless❤
am i the only one who cried over Scott saying that we do amazing things every day
On the question on how to celebrate oneself, i found something simple and a bit silly that works for me. Just choose a song you like that you associate with victory. It could be a soundtrack from your favourite movie that played when the hero saved the day, or a song with a very uplifting lyrics, etc. Let this song be your victory theme and everythime you accomplish something however small, just play your victory theme and let yourself enjoy the feeling of "I did this."
Music is very powerful.
Related beautiful quote: _Melody makes us feel. Lyrics make us think. Song makes us feel thoughts._
I have a video in my favs that expresses quite well what impact appropriate music can have in our life: ua-cam.com/video/qh7j1qUaGOc/v-deo.html
UK viewer here. Rewatching. This is outstanding and I wish I could have found this sort of help years ago in this country. I'm absolutely beaten and worn down by the CBT model of therapy which is all that is on offer here. I've retreated into agoraphobia and hopelessness after continually failing with the cbt model. I love the metaphor of the dog 😊.
I'm also in the UK and only came across these videos in last couple of weeks, here any NHS or counselling seem useless, it's people who just don't seem relatable or talk or suggest what to do with overwhelming struggles, gave up thinking any different. Americans seem much more interesting, positive and Pro active with educating people how to get out of many ruts, isolation and depressive times, very useful and spot on with topics, UK is archaic and run by dithery staff half the time who appear un knowledgeable and un interested often, I'll be staying tuned for sure..
Aye CBT is BS. We need good drugs and empathetic friends.
CBT is absolutely useless when you're so self-aware and your problems are mostly circumstantial. Also everyone I know who tried CBT didn't get anything useful out of it. The NHS only offer it because it's free and available asap. Mental health is severely misunderstood and underfunded in the UK 😔
The talk of celebrating after your John Madden story made me cry. I just tuned in a few minutes before this part. I can't wait to watch this from the beginning. You going through your own suffering has made you an amazing practioner!
I agree with you that Dr. Scott is an amazing practioner because he has suffered with the same things he is helping others with. I once listened to another online counselor who said that you cannot judge or help anyone unless you have walked a mile in their shoes.
Your content has been more useful for me than decades of therapy. It's so actionable, and it's so kind and comforting. Thank you, so much. You specifically helped me out of a phase of SID just a week or two ago.
Thanks! You saved my mental health today. You have a solutely forced me to mind my own business and be my own coach...59 years of what you've spoken about in this video..thank you 💖🙏💖
Thank you so much!!
You helped me a lot by reminding me I have been sober for 10 years--just when I was starting to think about having a drink.
I needed that comment. Thanks
Always freeze. I make lists daily when I'm not working and I put every little thing done so I can acknowledge that I've in fact done something
I work in a hospital for over 30 years. Congrats... your videos will help many desperate people outside. Good job👍😊
I've come to this channel as I find myself at the absolute end. My mother passed away from end stage COPD. The last months were horrifying and before I got her into frail care, my was her primary carer by night and worked in the day. I was not able to sleep. There was resentmemt. Some of the last words we spoke to each other were angry. Now I am left to wi nd up the estate. I am living alone in her old house, and estranged from the rest of my family. The Court will probably take the house where I have now lived for decades if cannot come up with the millions to cover the debt and tax. I was diagnosed with PTSD. I had a thyroid storm last week and was diagnosed with stage 4 endometrosis concurrently. I am drowning in stress. I don't even look like myself anymore.
Thank you being so open about what's happening. I would like to celebrate the fact you are watching this video. You are worth the effort you put in yourself and your healing. This comment touched my heart, I am cheering for you. Celebrating you are here. Sending your love and healing vibes.
Wait, you said, millions, not even 10's of thousands to cover debt. I hope that was a typo somehow, and that if you sell the estate, you will come out some profit and settle the debt. I'm sorry you are going through all this. Please be kind to yourself about how you and your mom had some angry words at the end. You obviously loved her, as you were her final caretaker and you took on the task that no one else did. So you know you did that, and you know you loved her. People that you love the most can get to you the most too, so it's normal to have some sparks fly. Please let yourself off the hook about that. You have enough to deal w/.
Same here-living in my paren’s condo that is falling apart as I write. The whole house is cluttered w/ all kinds of 1980’s junk as my mother was a hoarder. I hit the wall after working on it for 4 yrs. Now I’m in trouble with the mortgage and piling up debt. I’m 71 but look like I’m 90. I am so in overwhelm. Went to an intake appt. and got the wrong address and was driving around in a fog looking for the dang place. Finally came home and found this video. Whew! 😵💫🫣
Hi I to cared for my Mom in the last 5 years of her life other family members to busy with there own families not really care about me or my Mom families all gone there own way as far as I am concerned I got no family just be strong my friend you get there no one else can do this only YOU. CAN @@saintejeannedarc9460
Here it is. I found it. The one that made me cry the right way.
I'm freezing chronically. Just find your voice and instructions to unfreeze me a bit. Need massive doses of something to calm my amygdala down. I avoid like crazy. And everything seems more important to do than the task. And they are important, but the schedule isn't working.
Much needed video for one who was battling depression since 4 years and place where i was overlooked , overworked and left alone in my life . i was suicidal for couple of years and when i opened up my friends left me alone while i was battling through all issues
So grateful for your information on the freeze response. I have suffered from PTSD for years and recently I've noticed I'm no longer fighting and my brain is freezing. I'm not sure what changed. I didn't know how to explain what I was going through in words until I watched your video. I now feel so hopeful that I can work on this with my therapist. Thank you so much Doc. Thank you for explaining things in such an easy way to understand. Hoping you have incredible success in your business and on youtube. I subscribed right away and sent your videos to my friends.
YEAH YOU ARE RIGHT ON IT NO MOTIVATION, NO DOPAMINE ! 4:31
You actually care that's so sweet
"...to be the John Madden of your life..." How many, like myself, just teared up. Frustraion, anger, anguish, psychological pain, inner sorrow, uncountable failures.; the list goes on. To heal from all that is possible. The journey is exceedingly difficult; and we do it anyway to save what we can of our lives. Feeling deserving of self worth and praise is difficult with a history of rejection and isolation. I'll try the John Madden thing. Thanks.
Thank you for another great video, Dr Scott. I had a messed up childhood with a punitive, abusive father. Thank goodness for my loving mother and that i modelled her kind, caring behaviour. However, I am self critical due to my Dad"s punitive voice and harsh judgements lingering in my psyche. I very rarely reward or praise myself but now I'm going to make a conscious effort to praise my achievements each day. Thank you. ❤
I’ve heard versions of this advice before but this is the first one that actually clicked with me and made sense.
I was too embarrassed to ask how to celebrate myself. Even at 37, I asked my mom. She didn’t seem to know what I was talking about at all. Acted like I was crazy.
I have tried so many videos to help me understand and find strategies to help me understand why I can't feel any joy in life, why every task seems impossible, why life only seems like a chore I can't escape with no light at the end of the tunnel. Why the world seems completely separate from me. I've been through an abusive marriage and some other things, but still. I love my children with all my heart and I'm all they have,but life and this world make no sense to me anymore and I feel like a complete prisoner. Until I found THESE videos, I found NO HELP. No one is doing what Dr. Scott is doing on UA-cam and I feel like it's speaks to SO MANY OF US that feel truly desperate. People don't talk about it. In fact, when I heard these videos, it was like "Other people actually feel this way, lost and imprisoned, hopeless!" The work here is honestly saving lives, I know I'm already using some of the tools and strategies, including starting an exercise routine just this week. Please keep up the good work Dr. Scott, and truly, God Bless you!! ❤️
❤️❤️❤️
In 2014 I was dx with Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome, aka high level of prolonged stress...late stage 4, my body had began to shut down. It took me 4.5 years working on myself and finding new coping mechanism, I still have issues including insomnia, but the biggest thing I learned was to say the word NO, to ppl who criticized, degraded me, abuse, and to put the responsibilities back to who it belongs to
Even in therapy i feel like i can't truly explain how hard it is to do the smallest task. And when i finally manage to get something done i cant see it as a win because that was just a tiny speck and there's a whole mountain of stuff still to be addressed.
I know the feeling.
It really stresses to try and make a society understand that has such deficits there. That's why he explained how to deal with it in this video.
Thank you for all these videos. Even if i may not be completely frozen all the time, i do freeze up. I was listening to this and thought, what can i celebrate about myself, there isnt anything to celebrate. You are 100% correct, I was not taught to do that. And the thought that i cant do anything worth celebrating actually made me chuckle. Thank you.
You took time out to watch the video Andrea… you are helping you get healthier which is great… it allows you to then add even more to the world. In a collected way … as a caretaker of yourself and others- (not as in a commercial/economic/money making way).😊
Getting out of my 4-year freeze response. Feels good! Also feels scary as eff, so thanks for all the support! I got this. I grew up with Oprah cheering her audience & guests on, so I’ll try having her as my cheerleader. 😂 Although I do remember Madden and his 5 legged turkeys on Thanksgiving. 🦃 He was a lot of fun.
It is scary! Do you know what happened for you to start coming out of your freeze? I think for me it was 2 years of DBT and 2 sessions of TMS.
@@margaretdonovan1649 Thanks for sharing! I’m excited for you. I’ve heard of both of these therapies, even did a DBT group through Kaiser. I’d love to learn more about TMS. I’ve tried so many things to get back to work. EFT, journaling, yoga nidra, medical hypnosis and breathing techniques (which are all very helpful and I still use them), but it’s EMDR that’s been serious relief. And also the info on this channel, such as creating a daily routine around self-care & management of symptoms. Game changer! I wish you the best! So happy you’ve found relief.
I am so happy for you
@sentaleuck8101 Thanks. Yes, I feel pretty good about TMS. It is very expensive. I am interested in EMDR. I am not very consistent with journaling and self care and I know I'd feel better if I could make the commitment.
@@margaretdonovan1649 Sounds like you’re doing great with your commitment to healing. I know it’s a journey. Mine definitely hasn’t been a straight line. I’m doing Virtual EMDR, which is great & inexpensive (69 USD/month), but read up on it to see if you’d prefer doing it with a therapist. Just to know what to expect & what to do if you feel overwhelmed. My side effects have been brief & manageable & well worth the positive impact. I just felt very agitated one day and of course crying is to be expected!
This is me with 6 months of stress. Hair thinning and had a full head of hair before. No life and nothing but regrets. Feeling a bullet is all I have left.
The expectation is perfection - and it's not MY definition of perfection - it's theirs! Impossible to achieve! So incredibly defeating.
I’m not even sure how I found you but I’m so glad I did. I always cry when I watch your videos, I have so much to figure out and you are very much helping. Thank you for that!
Thank God you are in my head helping me to fight for reality. This message hitting the spot. I agree with you, we all need a John Madden to see the great things that no one notices. Focusi g on being "present" with each little task, even brushing my teeth has become a challenge. I'm going to sit down as soon as I finish cleaning my kitchen, and write in my newly made Hurrah notebook. Thank you for helping me make a change in my perspective 👏💯👍
I drowned in college. Started out with (new) friends who truly liked me. When they realized how fast I was drowning, they dumped me. Can't blame them. It's been many many decades since my college years. It still hurts. I've learned to let go and move on. For the most part. It taught me to treat others with grace.
Thank you so much for these videos. This is so new to me. I’ve never celebrated myself, never felt like I deserved it. But I’m going to try although it feels weird.
There is this thing therapist recommend that you journal the good things that happened to you every day and things that you are grateful for. I never saw the point in that. Today I learnt it is because no one ever taught me how to celebrate myself. While I did achieve great things the world never rewarded me for them so I always thought: Well, I suck, I am not good enough. I will try the celebrate yourself approach from now on.
I have been living in a freeze response for a while now, and I am so tired of it. I have a different voice in my head, one that criticizes me every time I do something wrong. I thought it was my voice, but after looking inward, I realized it was the voice of my father. I believed for years that I couldn't do anything right, but now I am going to celebrate every little victory until I dig myself out of this hole. Thank you so much for showing me how.
I was STARTING another video about "Today's WARS" and commenting to myself internally that "I MUST be stupid if I do NOT know why they are killing each other", AND THIS POPPED UP! THANK GOD! It reminded me to stop watching so much terror and just be in myself for a moment!
Spot on. And ‘the rules’ change from overlords (parents, managers, partners) from Monday to Tuesday. It’s never right, never enough and if it is, dead silence. so change my expectations. Do it all for the Glory of God and that’s my focus, not human praise.
I’m that hard case you speak of. I’ve had this crippled anxiety for 2 years now since I stopped drinking. It was bad before,but now the fog and inability to speak full sentences some times-THAT Is what is scaring me. If I had money I’d try therapy again. I’m just broke,considering ending it,but I don’t have a plan because I know I couldn’t follow through with it. Still, I’m the drive to NOT deal with this anymore is strong and unwavering.
I’ve dealt with this my whole life,just not to this level or timeline. Then,out of the blue I’m good. I have a full week of feeling ok. Ok,or really good. Supplementing B12,D3 and Magnesium Theronate has helped,but still not enough. Your channel is awesome. If you ever find time,I’ll pay you for a zoom call. I think it would help me feel encouraged. I’m lonely and when I quit drinking had to lose all my friends
Moving away from punishment and moving towards a reward. Got it!!!😊
The following is the slightest movement to improve my outlook-instead of crashing after an early dinner, thereby avoiding the greasy clogged up sink full of dishes: move my walker and I to the kitchen sink. Halfway through dishes, I decide to remount the small fluorescent light above the sink. I haven’t seen the bottom of my sink in months. This is huge. HUUUUGE!!!
It occurs to me that, if you're concerned about how much time you'd have to spend appreciating yourself, it implies you're doing a lot of things to appreciate.
5 years at my latest retail job. Managers don't say a word to me, unless something didn't get done. I made myself physically sick dealing with customers who were treating me like a servant, and co-workers who I was picking up slack for who never seemed to notice. My doctor finally diagnosed me with fibromyalgia, put me on painkillers that I only took a few of, cuz that only made it worse, and told me there was nothing else she could do. I gave up. And I DO NOT ever want to do that again. But what else can I do? I need pay of some kind...
You could look into another job, but I think retail/ service jobs are pretty similar that way. I notice most customers are pretty polite to retail people and will usually say please and thank you. So many of us started out retail, so we remember what it's like. There will be some people who don't treat you as well, but the most important thing is that you treat you well and give yourself credit. It is a service industry, and we are there to do a job. We can give ourselves credit for putting the effort in, day in and day out. We can change our expectations. If your managers are generally not complaining, then you're doing your job. It is their job to speak up when things slip, so if you can expect that, then it won't be as hard on you. The managers often have the worst and longest shifts, and are blamed if things aren't running smoothly, or their store isn't profitable enough. So it helps to give grace to others as well as ourselves.
Please find a way to nurture yourself. Fibromyalgia is no joke. It took me out of the workforce decades ago. Some can muddle through and still manage to work. Hopefully the doctors are wrong, and it's more stress related and can be rectified, before the condition worsens and becomes entrenched.
Don't give up. ❤❤❤
@@saintejeannedarc9460 I can't work anymore. I left that job in 2017, and still get vertigo and muscle spasms in my lower back and thighs that make it very hard to move. I now crochet and knit, and spend my Saturdays at our local flea market, selling my crafts. But winter is on its way, and that will close down for the season. My son is currently picking up the slack for me, paying my car insurance and getting my dog's food when I haven't made enough, but I don't want to be totally reliant on him. I'm working on it, but it's just so hard some days. All I want to do is cry.
Hello I am sorry that you had that experience. Losing our health to those who only take can be devastating. There are resources who may shed some light on fibromyalgia. One is a Brit psychologist Alex Howard ,when he was a bit younger and newer in looks… who suffered from this himself. It is a matter of just putting feelers out and connecting with those you resonate with. Good luck.
This was a great part 2 about being frozen. In fact it felt perfect.
Holy shit. This is my life right now with no way out.
All I can say is I have to follow this one by the letter. It's make or break, right now. The bills are due, and I must perform some tasks.
I never write comments but this content is so helpful and inspiring !! THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!
10:55 Me at 48 and hearing this for the first time. 😢😢❤
Ive been sick for 6 weeks due to stress bad diet low mood very tearful feeling isolated with no one to talk to. Im overwhelmed with my family im single parent have been for years and everybody thinks im here to take care of them and their problems. Im burnt out no good to nobody.. in pain and exhausted. Cant see the wood for the trees. I cant find any joy or positivity its crippling. I have to pretend to smile while my stomach is in knots. A few times i wanted it to end. From a mother grandmother carer who never took time out for herself she felt guilty..now im knackered.
That's very painful to have stress. It really is crippling and causes insomnia and depression. I can relate to your situation. It sucks! And no therapy will help, because we are the ones going through it. I suffer now so badly, I can't take care of myself... and just want to end it. I hate this.
Thank God for social media for real!!! I learn more from social media, people like you, then I do from therapists. I deal with issues of narcissistic abuse and through social media I have grown to learn more about narcissism then the therapists do. I digress. Thank you so much for the video!!
This has helped me out. A close personal friend of mine passed away unexpectedly on Saturday October 23rd 2021. I have not been the same since. He was always pushing me to improve myself and my situation with work and with life. Now that he is gone I just do not know what to do to improve my situation. I hate my job and I hate my life. About the only reason why I have not killed myself is that if I did that then I would never see my friend / boy again on what comes next when we die.
"...the last thng you can afford is to be shut down." I learned to put a name to my inability to function only about a week ago. My overload and overwhelm came on top of lifetime cPTSD and some recent nerve wracking situations. I knew I needed to act, fast, but just could not. That made the anxiety much worse. Now I've learned to will myself to push through the anxiety and not buckle to it. I can work while anxiety tries to reign me in...the work tamps down the mental anguish, gets things done, reduces the overwhelm...everything improves.
I have PTSD from 15 years as a carer, I have started EMDR, but freeze response is my nemesis, I have constant panic attacks in my sleep for no apparent reason and wake up in the freeze response I'm left feeling dreadful for the rest of the day, numb, shaky, sick, depressed, how I wake up is how I spend my day
I wish i was younger
After Years and Years in treatment with a Sorry Mental Health System that failed me.
I just am so tired of trying.
You make morr sense then any other Provider i have talked to in my lifr time.
Again the reason you are so good You "Lived It"
I can fully relate. I feel for you because I too am tired. So tired, barely still here after decades living like this with no measurable psychological or physical help. Please don't follow in my footsteps. I am 70, alone and with no hope. Please follow all Dr Scott's videos and make it! Don't give in. You're worth it. If you get to my age and start trying, it will be too late. I regret so much I didn't get the opportunity earlier in life 😢❤🎉
@rhonmc2782 I
I am 67 years old today..
Dr Scott really has saved me..
@@EdithBrown-v2d then maybe there is still hope. I'm glad you have worked through it ⚘️
A few nights ago, after another day spent in bed, accomplishing nothing, I looked around my house at the reminders of all my undone tasks. I was surrounded by so many triggers for guilt, shame, worthlessness, fear, panic.... and I was frozen.
Seeminly out of nowhere came the thought, "From now on, I will look at each object, each chore, as if it were made of love -- literally MADE of LOVE". It was almost like someone else was saying those words, but I knew it was just a different part of myself.
I realized that I could create/recreate each moment as if it were a joyful dance. Each piece of trash I throw away, each article of clothing that I fold & put in a drawer, each phone call I make for work, EVERY SINGLE BIT of whatever had felt before like an impossible accomplishment -- all of this was transformed in an instant. I knew that I had the power to hit some sort of reset button.I fell asleep as if I were being rocked by angels -- the overwhelming bliss, the sweet sense of being enveloped by love, came as a surprise, a spontaneous gift from out of the blue, but it has changed my life.
And, no, the ecstatic state did not maintain itself at that level through the following days, but there is new hope now. There is more light. I know that I can reframe so many of my emotional responses. An enormous weight has been lifted off of me.
I think this is exactly what the doctor is prescribing here -- he is giving us methods to achieve this sense of joyful agency as we learn to celebrate ourselves.
I'm going to keep going till I/we figure this out.
This was lovely. Informative and compassionate. I am exhausted by constantly fighting myself (or so it feels). Now I feel I can reframe it as a part of my brain in overload.
"John Madden yourself" is 1000% my new favorite saying. Thank you.
(And as a looooong time John Madden fan, I can totally hear his voice in my head doing it, too. In fact, I'm pretty sure he's gonna be drawing Xs, Os, & routes all over my memories while I do this. lol)
Thank you so much.
"You do amazing things every day" wow, thanks for the reminder. So much appreciated. I always struggle expecting too much of myself so this was really helpful. Its still hard to believe that what I do is enough.
Okay, today's achievement was goong to work, doing a good job there, not crying endlessly and taking some time to watch this ❤
Love your channel
I used to have so much to do and so much motivation. But years and years of stress combined with sad and tragic events broke me down. Now i've deleted everything that can cause any stress, that means relations, interests, career. It's pretty much nothing left really. Still have a job, fortunately one that doesn't require too much mental focus. During the work week i sometimes have the ambition to do stuff during the weekend, but i never manage to get started.
I was writing my final note to my family this morning. I am not throwing it away just yet but I won't be using it today. Thank you Doctor Scott.
Please tell me you're still here? writing from Yorkshire and thinking about you. Just because I saw your note.
One thing I would add, and perhaps you have discussed this elsewhere, but sometimes physical strains or tension can be translated into stress by the body. An example of this is that if you sleep badly you can suffer neck strain, your mind then picks up that you have stress in your body and can generate reasons in the mind why that stress exists. When there was no underlaying stress aside from the tension in your body. I know that you understand this a LOT LOT more than I do but I wanted to add my experience. I often sit in bed far too long as I have suffered from stress, anxiety and depression over the past few years and it’s been extremely tough but I am trying to move forwards from there. Thank you for your content and for helping others.
Oh and the neck tension and stress goes back to the ‘Bridge’ analogy that is often used in CBT etc
"No one knows the battles you face every day."
That's because NO ONE CARES.
Are you complaining? Or educating everyone?
Either way, What's next for you given this?
@@stevecarter8810 Neither. Merely stating a fact.
Oh. Your caps are stuck on then
@@stevecarter8810 I recently had eye surgery. Caps help me see. Maybe they help others, too.
Wow, did I do good in deciding to watch this video. I’ve never heard something like this. The value and wisdom in the message is enormous.
I don't know how to say this, I don't know that there exist a correct way. *My disclaimer* If you are reading this and are in rough waters pls stop reading now.
But when I tune in I am finding this channel INCREDIBLY helpful with this amazing gentleman dedicating his knowledge/wisdom towards helping others. However, every single time I see his face I see my real life therapist for they are identical in appearance, style, and demeanor.
Unfortunately it was 1 month ago that I learned that this wonderful soul who helped me so much took his own life. I can't begin to explain how tornadic my mind becomes when I think about this. The gentleman above and my therapist look identical...I want to continue tuning in but without the avalanche of emotions. Thanks for listening...
I've come to realize I was in a long freeze response, recently. How long that response lasted, I really can't say. Feels like at least five years, to be honest. I was having the hardest time adjusting to the realization that I've been in this response. This last week has been utter hell, because of it. Trying to come to terms with where I am in life while trying to not spiral into a vortex of negative thoughts was exhausting. But then I saw your video, and it really turned things around for me almost instantly. I immediately celebrated the fact that I got out of bed, ate a light breakfast, and just have been relaxing to recover from the last week.
Thank you for making this video. It's a good kickstart to my new life.
Well done… it’s the small things…. They get momentum and it leads to more.