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How to rewire your brain to recover, to sleep


[MT...]

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There are some things I have learned during recovery, and for my job, that I think might be helpful to some of you. Benzo recovery can involve tremendous distress. This distress activates the nervous system and creates, or reinforces pre-existing, neural pathways that we are in danger. This danger signal (in the amygdala and Anterior Cingulate Cortex/ACC) then creates symptoms. These symptoms can be pain, insomnia, anxiety, depression or just about anything. If you can understand how freaking powerful your brain is, it will help you.

 

Think of it this way. Let’s say you learned to ride your bike with the seat and peddles sideways. Neural pathways would be formed for this learned behavior so that whenever you got near a bike you’d think, “Yep. Sit sideways.” If you were put on a forward facing seat your brain would totally struggle to function on it because you wouldn’t have the neural pathways-yet-for that. Maybe you couldn't even figure out how to pedal or you'd fall but once you practiced enough times, the sideways sitting would start to fade out some.

 

This happens with many chronic pain disorders, especially low back pain. There’s an injury and a learned neural pathway for pain is established. Since all pain, fatigue, insomnia, anxiety and depression comes from the brain’s interpretation of signals, even when the injury is healed and there’s no tissue damage, the brain will often continue to create pain because it’s an established neural pathway. When you bend over, your brain will send the signal of “PAIN” even if there’s no actual tissue-damage problem in the body because it learned to do so and now interprets bending over as dangerous. The pain the brain then creates is intended to protect you but it’s that obnoxious overprotective big brother who is actually making things worse.

 

Most people are aware of the placebo response-that our brains can cause actual changes in our body and brain that creates an improvement. This isn’t an imagined improvement but actual change in what happens in the body and brain. What many don’t know about is the nocebo response. Our brains, when the danger signal is activated and a trigger (or imagined trigger) is present, can create hives, insomnia, nausea, asthma attacks, really anything: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nocebo

 

 

When we go through wd, there’s a change in our body chemicals but it improves. What can happen however, is that we can become so convinced that we won’t get better, that, for example “I won’t sleep tonight,” that we activate this danger signal/neural pathway and this then creates/maintains our symptoms. “I won’t sleep” turns into not sleeping because your brain has hit the groove with the over protective big brother thinking it’s helping you out by keeping your nervous system on red alert. Our brains need help learning to feel safe again.

 

This is why it’s so important to keep giving your brain messages like this: “I’m getting better every day. I can do this. I’m safe. I’m a good sleeper. I’ll get all of the sleep I need. My brain and body are healing.” It doesn’t matter what words you use. Choose something that fits the way you talk but that has a positive message. Then *look* for positive evidence such as having a stretch of sleep or an extra 10 minutes. Instead of saying to yourself, “I only got 4 hours” say to yourself, “Hey, I was able to get 4 hours (or 2 hours or 6 hours, whatever). That’s a sign of healing” instead of repeating on a loop “I only got 4 hours. I can’t live like this.” Every time you do that you’re reinforcing the neural pathway for insomnia, danger, depression and anxiety. Go to bed and tell yourself, “Whatever happens tonight, I’ll be OK. I’m safe.”

 

Maybe you won’t believe it for a while. That’s OK. Just start to doubt your doubts that this can get better and doubt your damaging beliefs that this will go on for many months, you’re going to have severe insomnia and/or you’ll always be a terrible insomniac. As you lay down new tracks in your brain, new pathways, those more hopeful thoughts will get easier. This takes time so why not start today. Be patient. There will be ups and downs but you'll be OK. Things will get better. *You* will get better.

 

I hope this helps. I’m sorry it’s so long.

 

For more info on some of this, you can go to: https://www.unlearnyourpain.com/

You can access his meditations with the password “meditations” (without quote marks).

 

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[c6...]

Hey this is a great post. I remember hearing about this theory a while ago, and today is really the perfect day to be reminded of it.

So thank you so much for posting this and breaking things down the way you did; it makes it pretty simple to grasp. Thanks for the link too.

 

I think anyone who practices meditation (something I've finally started) will be better off and better able to create these new neural pathways.

Mind over matter and all. We need to be positive, work on building our inner strength and good things will follow.

 

Peace

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I like this post and method, but it's so hard to think like this when night after night I'm getting not restful sleep, wake up multiple times a night, nightmares and anxiety, and for it to go on for so long, even if I "tell myself" I'll be ok, my body tells me I'm not ok, my body tells me I'm fatigued, in pain, etc, and I can't believe those positive sentences. It feels like I'm lying to myself.
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[c6...]

I definitely can relate to you and your symptoms. That's why I mentioned the meditation in my reply. I really think I needed to do this all my life but my personality was like go go go and meditating seemed impossible. Basically, people who are good at it have better control over their body's stress responses. I'm not currently tapering, but have, am in tolerance withdrawal and this have suffered setbacks these past 2 months that put extreme stress on my body -which affects the mind, etc, it's a cycle.

 

I downloaded an app called calm. It's mostly mindful meditation and helpful life tips that remind me of what one would hear in a CBT session. Anyways when I'm using that usually I feel a calm, physical change in my body. I think doing something like this every day can really help us. There's a huge section on insomnia too. I've written about it a lot but only because I'm hoping that others might find some benefit from it like I do. I feel slightly better after a month of daily use - imagine a few months, or a year.

 

We're not in great shape and usually in a negative feedback loop to begin with so positive thinking sounds like bs I agree. But there's more to it than telling ourselves "Hey just be positive!" lol I know that sounds ridiculous. But taking steps to work on ourselves, even if it's something like putting 10-20 minutes aside a day - could tie in with creating new positive/helpful neural pathways like the original post mentioned.

 

I hope you feel better soon  :smitten:

 

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PTSDmiracle,

 

I hear you. It can feel like you're Scully on the X-files with Moulder saying, "I want to believe." I think about that danger signal going off on my head as being like a frightened child in a terrible storm. The child needs to be comforted so he/she doesn't harm themselves and can relax a bit. There's still a storm but running around screaming doesn't help.

 

I've been using this method to work on my pre-existing Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. When I feel exhausted and like I can't move, telling myself that I'm OK, I'm safe, and that I'm strong and healthy can seem bizarre on one hand. But on the other, I can't help but notice that I tend to spiral down less often into days on end of not being able to function. And when I am super tired, it's not as distressing. So I say these things to myself and then press on to do more and more of the things my brain wants to convince me I can't do.

 

Another way to look at it is as if you have an internal choir. There's a voice or two that screeches and yells the panicky stuff. They're going to do their thing-screech, chatter, be the  tellers of doom. But you can put some other folks in that choir who can sing on key and remember the words. Over time they will outnumber and drown out the others.

 

So let your body scream whatever it needs to. Then tell it that you understand, this is really hard, but that you're going to be OK. This will get better and you're just going to baby step your way into recovery. Those words may sometimes feel like a lie but the other words aren't truth either. They're just sticky words that draw you down those painful pathways. What do you have to lose by throwing some other voices in your head and practicing kindness, empathy and support with yourself?

 

It's more than even just being positive. It's more like building a muscle. At first it's weak but it gets stronger and stronger. Cosmic is right on about that negative feedback loop. We can choose what we program into our brain computer.

 

You can do this.

 

The meditations on that website are free. Even if you can just do 5 minutes, it's a good start. He talks you through some good things. You might surprise yourself.

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[c6...]

I love the rainstorm analogy MTfan, it is spot on. Looking forward to checking out the free meditations too.

 

And you're welcome PTsdmiracle <3

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I downloaded an app called calm. It's mostly mindful meditation and helpful life tips that remind me of what one would hear in a CBT session. Anyways when I'm using that usually I feel a calm, physical change in my body. I think doing something like this every day can really help us. There's a huge section on insomnia too. I've written about it a lot but only because I'm hoping that others might find some benefit from it like I do. I feel slightly better after a month of daily use - imagine a few months, or a year.

 

We're not in great shape and usually in a negative feedback loop to begin with so positive thinking sounds like bs I agree. But there's more to it than telling ourselves "Hey just be positive!" lol I know that sounds ridiculous. But taking steps to work on ourselves, even if it's something like putting 10-20 minutes aside a day - could tie in with creating new positive/helpful neural pathways like the original post mentioned.

 

I hope you feel better soon  :smitten:

 

 

I have also downloaded CALM. Just started so I don’t know too much about it. Particularly with Insomnia, have started using meditation and Binaural Beats to help with my Insomnia. Hope to employ other aspects of meditation and sound as I become more familiar.

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[c6...]

Back in the day binaural beats used to help me fall asleep like it was no one's business. Once I started having more chronic sleep issues in the last 1.5 years they didn't really help, and sometimes made me feel anxious. Podcasts used to work too. I'm really looking forward to finally using meditation as a tool to grow stronger, control my breathing, stress etc. I think if this is done on a daily basis better days and better sleep will follow.

 

Anyhoo glad you're looking into meditation too. And definitely make use of that app it wasn't cheap. The free trial seriously could've been longer, so if you're still in trial mode try and use it as much as possible and see whether you like it. I like how it's always there, (who doesn't have a smartphone by their side) the sessions are fairly short so they're digestible for meditation newbies like me and the mini programs based on what you want to improve that you can keep track of are great. It gives me incentive to stick with it daily. It's got some awesome relaxing soundscapes as well.

 

I'd also check out the free site recommended by MTfan. It's probably helpful as well if the philosophy behind it is related to the original post.

 

Best wishes

CL

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Calm is a great app. Even the free version has some helpful things on it. Anything we can do to help our nervous systems calm down and feel safe is helpful. Meditation, exercise, healthy eating, stress management, distraction, heck, just taking some slow deep breaths and reminding our muscles to relax here and there during the day is a powerful intervention. Anyone, no matter how sleep deprived, can do deep breathe and relax some thing.
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Thanks MTfan. I downloaded the unlearn anxiety and depression on kindle yesterday.  It's the sleep that's been an issue for me and I will give it a try.  I do like the idea of training the nervous system to trust that it is safe.  I believe that's doable.  Although I have to say, Benzo WD can really have a mind of it's own and trying to control it has never seemed to work.  But it cannot hurt to get into a relationship with my subconscious and nervous system. 
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[c6...]

Thanks MTfan. I downloaded the unlearn anxiety and depression on kindle yesterday.  It's the sleep that's been an issue for me and I will give it a try.  I do like the idea of training the nervous system to trust that it is safe.  I believe that's doable.  Although I have to say, Benzo WD can really have a mind of it's own and trying to control it has never seemed to work.  But it cannot hurt to get into a relationship with my subconscious and nervous system.

 

The meditation on the website helped me fall asleep the night I tried it. I might check out the book too. It's true BW really takes over our systems but with the right tools I believe we can fight it. It's like the light and dark side of the  force. Lol I'm a bit embarrassed that I wrote that but it's true in a way. The dark side's powerful we gotta train ourselves. Notice people who've meditated all their lives are generally less stressed. With enough practice hopefully we can tap into out subconscious and learn to activate our parasympathetic nervous system. I believe that's the one that calms us down.

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  • 1 month later...
Thank you.  It’s way more comforting to speak to myself positively than negative.  To count the healing and not the set backs.  To acknowledge that there were hard times, but healing is happening.  It’s a challenge for sure when an extra rough patch happens.  But that’s exactly when it’s most needed.  The brain and body believes what we tell it, even if it seems silly.  One of the things about reading too many posts is that it contributes to fears of having others experiences.  The hard ones.  I like to hear about positive healing experiences. 
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Good points, Healing. On one hand it can be validating to read other's distressing experiences. But if/when it is triggering, please give yourself permission to walk away (whether that's reading different kinds of posts or taking a break from BB). Be a hope, gratitude, beauty, and encouragement seeker. The other crud is all there but we don't have to focus on it then marinate in terror of all of the terrible things that can happen. Fear mind is very compelling and loves to suck us in. Walk away... :smitten:
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I was going to check out the free version of CALM, but after asking for my email, they wanted a credit card.  Not sure why they needed that for the "FREE" version, so I just left the site.

 

 

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Yep, lots of free options. I also like these free resources:

 

https://www.mindfulness-solution.com/DownloadMeditations.html

 

http://sittingtogether.com/meditations.php

 

And this for working with distressing thoughts and emotions: https://mrsmindfulness.com/r-n-four-step-process-using-mindfulness-difficult-times/  Here's a guided version: https://www.tarabrach.com/meditation-the-rain-of-self-compassion/

 

Lately  RAIN has really been helping me. I start Recognizing with kindness what's going on inside of me, Allow the experience to be just what it is, without judging it or trying to change it, then Investigate with  interest and care, then finally nurture with self-compassion by speaking to yourself with kindness and compassion. What are the words you need to hear? Try saying them to yourself. It can be very grounding and soothing.

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