How to recognize an EF?

[Jazzy]

Good point Slim. Bad EFs always seem to sneak up on me. They're easy to spot with the aftermath, but I keep getting blindsided, which I'm trying to stop.

This is what i've come up with so far. I'm thinking of designing it in to a tattoo, if it shows any success. Hopefully someone else will find this useful too.

[ah]

Jazzy, that's awesome. May I use it too?

I think we keep getting blindsided for real, I guess our emotional brain keeps responding to danger faster than our logical brain ever could (which is the way evolution made sure to make us, so we'd survive emergencies), so whenever we realize we've just gotten blindsided that's exactly what happened. Before our logical brain even had a chance to analyze the thing/s that triggered us, our emotional brain is already on full EF mode.
I guess it'll keep happening to us, the key is to manage it.
I have chronic physical pain, and the idea of management - instead of stopping pain completely, managing it well - makes a lot of sense to me.

[Jazzy]

Absolutely Ah! Please use and share.

Thanks for the compliment, and your insight as well. You're right on the money.

[Cookido]

Out of the Storm helped me realize when I'm in an EF. Keep looking for information and you'll learn more and more about yourself, and also that you are not alone.

When I'm in an EF I get very angry and irritated at others. I start to feel hatred towards anyone, even if they have done nothing to hurt or bother me. I criticise, provoke and isolate myself during these periods.

Other times I feel numb and hollow. I dissociate a lot and usually I notice by thinking back and I realise I can't remember the last couple of weeks. When it's very bad I loose a sense of reality and myself.

Something else I became aware of by reading this thread is that I sometimes switch the order of words when I speak, could that be due to CPTSD maybe? I never felt that I'm not able to speak, but my thoughts can become very very slow and usually repetitive.

And thank you for posting ♡

[Cookido]

Just wanna add that I figured out I can use the amazing tool "google" to find out why I mix up the order of words, and it's due to anxiety (surprise, surprise). Well, now I got that answered. The brain is very complex and interesting as always.

[Blueberry]

Just wanna add that I figured out I can use the amazing tool "google" to find out why I mix up the order of words, and it's due to anxiety (surprise, surprise). Well, now I got that answered. The brain is very complex and interesting as always.

          One upside to having CPTSD is: I don't think I would have looked into the working of the brain without. Admittedly a very small upside.

I mix up the order of words too when I'm talking, not writing. 'Nice' to know I'm not the only one, but also sorry you're similarily afflicted, cookido.

[OrinIncandenza]

When there's much of a confrontation (how much varies depending on the situation), I literally cannot speak! I keep telling people this (before or after), and no one seems to understand that I literally cannot make words, and they don't even seem to notice when it happens! It's made me feel so alone and insane (weird, abnormal? something like that).

I am nearly crying from the feeling that it's not just me, as it has always seemed.

Thank you again.

I feel the same way having read this! I spent years practically silent in social situations where one of my abusers was present. I faced the same reactions. Amusement that I wasn't talking or complete lack of awareness that I'd been silent. Chalk up 3 moments of not feeling alone in the world with a specific experience since I joined a few hours ago. This place is magic!

[DecimalRocket]

Busy brain? I can relate. It's a lot better these days, but I can still get stuck on it. My mind just churns out thoughts and more thoughts, grinding into my brain over and over. It gets crowded and to have so many thoughts feels claustrophobic in my head.

There are many signs of an EF, and others have mentioned that. But remember it's different for everyone. There are many similarities between us with trauma, but there'll be a particular tendency for you. The kinds of feelings you have in you. Where the distress is showing itself in your body. The habits and coping responses you do.

Usually in an EF, I either go analyze my subjects of distress to death or numb out. I get more scared, while others may get more angry or depressed. I can become a little too workaholic or go the other way and procrastinate when I'm not careful, while others can have an eating problem or may ruminate over it obsessively.