Traveling while sort-of-triggered
October 30, 2018 10:12 PM Subscribe
I have a work trip coming up and I'm looking for small things I can do to alleviate ongoing trauma-y reactions without bringing an entire weighted blanket along.
I asked this and things feel kind of shitty. My therapist has no clinic availability until after I'm back. She got me in to see my pdoc and suggested Xanax, but that doesn't do much for me. I do tapping and might get some kind of therapeutic scent - basically I need things that will keep me in the present and grounded.
Also: if TSA flags me for patdown, is there an alternative? I might react really badly.
I asked this and things feel kind of shitty. My therapist has no clinic availability until after I'm back. She got me in to see my pdoc and suggested Xanax, but that doesn't do much for me. I do tapping and might get some kind of therapeutic scent - basically I need things that will keep me in the present and grounded.
Also: if TSA flags me for patdown, is there an alternative? I might react really badly.
Strong tasting candy and or essential oil right under the nose. In situations where I'm likely to get very triggered those are my two biggest grounding items. (I carried a defuser necklace for a long while with my favorite calming scent ). If you can't bring an essential oil, spray some perfume on a qtip or two.
I also like figet toys, but the other two don't raise eyebrows in company. So I could be eating pepperments, to prevent flashbacks in the middle of a work coference. It was miserable, but it worked.
posted by AlexiaSky at 11:06 PM on October 30, 2018 [3 favorites]
I also like figet toys, but the other two don't raise eyebrows in company. So I could be eating pepperments, to prevent flashbacks in the middle of a work coference. It was miserable, but it worked.
posted by AlexiaSky at 11:06 PM on October 30, 2018 [3 favorites]
If you have a pashmina-type scarf, you can bring that and it can be like a blanket. I like to pull it around me and knot it in the front and then tuck my arms into it - it feels really cozy like a hug, and is also good for confined spaces like a plane.
The app Virtual Hope Box is really great - my trauma therapist recommended it. You can put in photos and music that help ground you, and there’s a word search game that is so helpful, with all positive words. It is good distraction.
You might try some breathing techniques - I like the one where you breathe in for a count of four, hold for a count of seven, and exhale for a count of eight. Something about the oddness of the number is helpful to me and it also triggers a relaxation response in my body. Mindfulness activities are good too - what 5 things can you see, 4 things you can hear, 3 things you can touch, 2 things you can smell, 1 thing you can taste. You can do these kinds of things any time and they can really help you come back into your body and the present.
You could also write yourself a note (and/or have a loved one write one for you) that you can have in your wallet and reread as needed.
For plane travel specifically it always helps me to look up the airport I’ll be going to and plan ahead of what stores I can look at, where I can get a coffee, etc. Then I have something to look forward to. I also will let myself get treats I don’t usually, like a candy or a nice coffee or a magazine, and that makes it kind of indulgent.
I wish you well. I bet you’ll do great and maybe even have some good times.
posted by fleecy socks at 11:38 PM on October 30, 2018 [3 favorites]
The app Virtual Hope Box is really great - my trauma therapist recommended it. You can put in photos and music that help ground you, and there’s a word search game that is so helpful, with all positive words. It is good distraction.
You might try some breathing techniques - I like the one where you breathe in for a count of four, hold for a count of seven, and exhale for a count of eight. Something about the oddness of the number is helpful to me and it also triggers a relaxation response in my body. Mindfulness activities are good too - what 5 things can you see, 4 things you can hear, 3 things you can touch, 2 things you can smell, 1 thing you can taste. You can do these kinds of things any time and they can really help you come back into your body and the present.
You could also write yourself a note (and/or have a loved one write one for you) that you can have in your wallet and reread as needed.
For plane travel specifically it always helps me to look up the airport I’ll be going to and plan ahead of what stores I can look at, where I can get a coffee, etc. Then I have something to look forward to. I also will let myself get treats I don’t usually, like a candy or a nice coffee or a magazine, and that makes it kind of indulgent.
I wish you well. I bet you’ll do great and maybe even have some good times.
posted by fleecy socks at 11:38 PM on October 30, 2018 [3 favorites]
If tactile sensations help you, one thing I've recently found is elastic bead bracelets - the pressure on the wrist helps, and when it gets bad you can slip it off into your hand and concentrate on slipping the beads through your fingers one by one. Dark ones are fairly gender-neutral. Mine is this style.
posted by I claim sanctuary at 11:43 PM on October 30, 2018 [3 favorites]
posted by I claim sanctuary at 11:43 PM on October 30, 2018 [3 favorites]
If you have some time before the trip (not sure how soon it will be) perhaps you can try a few of the above suggestions ahead of time so that you can develop that association with those items and the calming feelings - rather than having them still be on the foreign side for you when you use them in the airport or the plane.
posted by acidnova at 12:01 AM on October 31, 2018
posted by acidnova at 12:01 AM on October 31, 2018
Do you find wearing earplugs calming at all? When I buy a large package of foam earplugs at Walmart there's often a little plastic travel container included.
posted by XMLicious at 12:36 AM on October 31, 2018
posted by XMLicious at 12:36 AM on October 31, 2018
This is kind of a perverse approach so I don't know if you'd find it helpful, but if at security they're using the scanning machines (instead of regular xray) you can specifically tell them you'd prefer a patdown. This involves waiting around for them to assign a person to do the patdown and so forth, and they're usually not thrilled about it but too bad. I mention this in case it would help you to feel in control of the situation to basically demand a search, rather than leaving the decision in their hands.
posted by trig at 4:29 AM on October 31, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by trig at 4:29 AM on October 31, 2018 [2 favorites]
I find mints really helpful for this, because they give me something to do, keep me from grinding/clenching my teeth, the taste is soothing, and mint also helps if you get anxiety/stress-related stomach aches. My go-to is english mints but YMMV (your mint may vary).
posted by ITheCosmos at 5:26 AM on October 31, 2018
posted by ITheCosmos at 5:26 AM on October 31, 2018
I've been known to sleep under pillows. I have yet to try a weighted blanket.
posted by advicepig at 6:24 AM on October 31, 2018
posted by advicepig at 6:24 AM on October 31, 2018
I travel with a 2x2x2 Rubik's Cube (spoiler, it's actually the MoYu LingPo variant Amazon Link). It doesn't take much to memorise a basic solve that takes around a minute, it offers tactile sensations, relaxation, something to focus on, and most people will be more than satisfied with an "I'm practicing" as an explanation.
posted by ewan at 6:24 AM on October 31, 2018
posted by ewan at 6:24 AM on October 31, 2018
The PTSD Coach app is pretty good and well researched.
posted by lazuli at 9:18 AM on October 31, 2018
posted by lazuli at 9:18 AM on October 31, 2018
To answer the TSA question--
You can often avoid a pat down by going through the scanner (as opposed to the normal metal detector) if one is available. However, if you are selected for the patdown you cannot refuse or select an alternative. You can request a private screening area and (I don't think this helps you) you may ask for someone to accompany you to the private screening area. They have to take any medical devices or religious considerations into account. But you can't skip it altogether.
posted by frumiousb at 5:19 PM on October 31, 2018
You can often avoid a pat down by going through the scanner (as opposed to the normal metal detector) if one is available. However, if you are selected for the patdown you cannot refuse or select an alternative. You can request a private screening area and (I don't think this helps you) you may ask for someone to accompany you to the private screening area. They have to take any medical devices or religious considerations into account. But you can't skip it altogether.
posted by frumiousb at 5:19 PM on October 31, 2018
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A white noise generator for your phone, if you find that comforting?
A worry stone?
posted by praemunire at 10:21 PM on October 30, 2018