What hacks do you have for getting out of survival mode?

I’ll do a few things.

One I’ll try is play video games, to a point where I disassociate enough where what’s plaguing me has less of a hold. This doesn’t always work, but it works sometimes.

Another thing I try is drinking an extra cup of coffee. A lot of times I won’t even finish it, but it’ll give me that little extra boost I need to do another small thing.

Rest. A lot of times, I’m not resting well when these things happen, take a nap.

I also smoke weed, that helps.

I also will from time to time do mushrooms. These save me in my darkest moments. I’m still figuring them out for myself, but they do help.

Keep taking medication, do your best to accomplish your routines, celebrate your successes. Accept you’re sick and take care of yourself.

This is what I do for myself.

I kinda hate myself for the advice I’m about to give.

But I’m on the other side, the side where this phase gets worse. (Quit work coz deadlines could not be coped, and all other advice given here also failed - meds, gaming, walks in sun, more meals & nutrition, making art, weed/THC has no high even on overdose etc). It’s underground-hog day here rn. The world is terrifying.

So this is the odd suggestion I have - a meditation app (really?! 🤮 I know!). But specifically “Waking Up”. It’s made by that Sam Harris guy. I’m using its free trial for the introductory course.

I’ve done meditation countless times in depression before and in cptsd freeze and found it utterly useless. Somehow this one is giving me enough respite. It has very specific focus techniques that I now use to get some control over a spiraling moment.

That, and getting in a few pushups or dumbbell curls I leave lying around the house coz I know I won’t do it if I try to commit to a time or regiment.

And oh, since music and art can be triggering, I started watching science & astrophysics videos and monk interviews. Or dumb twitch streams. Distracts the despair enough. And bbno$ songs because they feel silly and funny.

Depends what you mean by hacks. Shortcuts, temporary solutions or a meticulously refined and sophisticated technique, from careful and dedicated observation, research and understanding, that really works.

The best hack I've found is IFS and a great therapist with it, all firsts and made me realise how amateur, superficial, uncomprehending, counterproductive and sometimes harmful all the previous therapists and modalities had actually been. The silver lining to that was it was finally clear as to why I had remained profoundly stuck, yet more desperate and hopeless than ever, despite the best intentions of most of those therapists and my own best stubborn and relentless efforts.

Yes, IFS therapy with a certified IFS therapist is key to my ongoing transformation. Through it, I am reconnecting with an invincible and enduring source of compassionate safety and awareness within that is influencing every aspect of me and my life, in a pervasive and fluid way, getting into every nook and cranny, much like fear and shame but it turns out to be the very thing that calms and reassures the triggered system back to peace and love. It's been expanding and sustaining my window of tolerance, making living, my capacity to hold and embrace triggered states and overwhelm and my ability to parent myself and care for my needs much easier. I'm finally sleeping after 3 years of extreme insomnia and the chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, autoimmune skin afflictions and allergies, along with the endless list of DSM approved psychobilly conditions and the CPTSD (the only label I have time for, cos isn't every syndrome a reaction to complex post traumatic stress, and ironically isn't in DSM) are all fading without relapse back to square one.

Also invaluable and priceless is research into neuroscience and polyvagal framework on how the autonomic nervous system, sympathetic and parasympathetic, survival states etc functions, and weaving that naturally into the simple, elegant and highly inclusive framework of IFS, has helped me to understand my own nervous system so much better, reading symptoms, thoughts and feelings (which you're already good at, your post as sample) and engaging with my states and needs so much more appropriately, directly and confidently, rather than grabbing at straws and trying all sorts till something clicked, like I did in the past.

And somatics like shaking and walking. Journalling. Clean diet and lifestyle. All good, it's a journey

Get out and walk. Just walk somewhere.

Just do it once for now. You'll want to do it again, I promise.

Grounding techniques -- notice present moment senses, push feet into the ground, feel stability of earth below you

Safeness/Refuge -- remind self 'in this exact moment, I am safe'

Havening (Self-)Touch -- rub arms, chest, face in a soothing way or get a massage from a loved one

Shake out excess nervous energy

Warm water -- run over hands or soak in a hot bath

Energizing music -- give your body permission to dance to it

Smell energizing scents -- like coffee, mint, citrus

Mindful walk -- gentle walk, noticing senses as you go, trying to focus & absorb on positive sensations (warm sun on face)

Crunchy foods

Repetitive hands -- tapping rhythm, fidget spinners, adult coloring books, squeezing stress ball, throwing tennis ball against wall

Practical ideas that pull some out of hypoarousal.

Wow, I came on Reddit to look up cptsd for support, and reading this post I feel like it is a complete mirror or me, exactly how my life is, wow, I’m so sorry you’re hurting, I know exactly how this feels, currently my mom is visiting and it’s dodging triggers left and right all while trying to appear as normal as possible on the outside so I don’t make others uncomfortable with my lack of joy and exhaustion in this cycle of survival

Too tired to look at thread and see if these have all been covered already but: 1. Light-turn on all the lights as soon as I get up and open the curtains once back from shower and dressed. Go outside for at least 15 minutes to be in the light and air as soon as I can. (MVE minimum viable is to open the door a few a few seconds of sunlight.) I also have one of those 10k lux lights that I turn on at my desk. Light is very important to set your sleep/wake clock especially if bipolar. 2. Better diet- handfuls of nuts, and berries and bags of precut greens & arugula and cabbage that can be eaten easily and improve nutrient content of meal. 3. Do my best to get to sleep before midnight, which means doing some walking or other exercise during the day. 4. Exercise. Whatever you can make easy such as just putting on shoes and walking around the block in your pajamas and a coat but do it as early as you can. 5. Meditation. Lots of different flavors on YouTube. Daily, if possible. A much better thing to do when you can’t do anything than almost anything else. All you have to do is lie there and listen. 6. Contact another human and speak to them. Even if just a few minutes. Even if it’s just to check in that you’re both still alive but voice not just text. Again these are all daily, if possible. I go thru this list of 6 things to see if I’ve missed any as they all improve the day at least some small incremental bit and they layer on each other. Time to go outside and walk! Good luck. Iy sucks to have this chronically. Number 7, if you can think of anything that will improve the day, anything to look forward to- a movie, an actual visit to a friend, take one small step towards it.

A more balanced nutrition. Your body needs more than protein powder or it cant produce all the necessary chemicals your body and mind need to function properly. This is a really important part of self care. Makes a huge difference.

Since you are so exhausted maybe yoga nidra would be good. Its like a body scan meditation. Super chill and relaxing. Should help to calm down your nervous system.

If you have some energy exercise would be good. Even if its just something like walking or dancing. It helps your body and mind to function better.

I forget where I heard it from but someone said that when things are lacking, even if it's with things you normally would enjoy, it just means there isn't enough variety and not enough change or growth going on, sometimes it doesn't really insinuate a negative connotation towards life presently, some people get stuck in relatively neutral loops for awhile and suddenly its x years later. Having said this sometimes breaking the cycle and doing something light but different may spur inspiration on what route to go with next, I'm not talking about life altering stuff but just something to work on. Could be getting more sleep, not forcing activities for too long or making some meals. Maybe even walking somewhere different or maybe the order of how you do things would be different.

My real personal answer is I shut all the lights off, I curl in bed and I sleep. I sleep because usually when I'm in survival mode, I'm not sleeping or barely sleeping at all. And I lull myself to sleep by telling myself that I'm safe and comfortable and that I can go to bed. I can relax and fall asleep and have all the time in the world to do it. I keep repeating those things because I don't want my bed to be a space for discomfort. I want that the moment I get in bed, I've told myself it's time to rest so it's what I'm going to do. I'm not going to think about the past or future or whatever I did or didn't do. But once I do this for a bit, I start doing the previous advice I gave up top in a slow manner.

In general the end goal is to treat yourself better to get more energy to address and unravel the root cause.

I feel this. Deeply.

I’m there right now, I think I’m on month 6. Moved to the other side of the country and it’s been tough finding work. I’m working maybe 5 hours per week. Plus, winter is rough! Overcast and cold constantly is truly so difficult on us.

Here’s the thing: life is hard and kinda mostly sucks. I didn’t choose this and here I am kinda just waiting to die whenever that happens. I feel like I go through the motions because I have to rather than because I want to.

Sorry I have no hacks. I am just here to suggest to be kind to yourself. Just be really cautious of negative self-talk and being judgmental of yourself. It’s already so tough, like out of everyone, WE have to be gentle and kind to ourselves.

Please, please continue to take your meds for bipolar. And hey, let’s take it step-by-step here. Baby steps. Maybe you just set some small daily goals for yourself for right now. Don’t even think about where you want to be, just where you are going right now. Ask yourself, “Is this next choice leading to me feeling better or worse?”

Sending love to you, fellow survivor.

I don't think I've completely gotten out of survival mode yet because I still live with my abusers but what helps me is walking nature trails and weed. or watching comedians/funny things even if I can't laugh seeing others being lighthearted is helpful

Yoga. Specifically trauma informed yoga. Sometimes that meant a good yoga session, sometimes it meant a really gentle one, sometimes it just means getting on the mat and sitting in child’s pose with a blanket over me for a while.

Embroidery helps me a lot. It’s something quiet I can do while I watch a show, and the cool thing about it is even if it looks like a five year old did it, it’s still pretty as long as you pick good colors. I get tired from concentrating and close my eyes for a few mins at a time while I listen to my show.

Grounding. Go out on a trail (when it’s real bad I just tell myself I don’t need to go far, just far enough to get some privacy) and stick your feet in the dirt. Like without shoes and socks. It’s better if you can do this in the sunshine, but good dirt actually has good microbes in it that are good for your health. It’s also something specifically for your mental health. You can sit on a log and do it.

I make new recipes. Or I tweak my usual ones. Just doing something different. I tell myself if I start and I hate it in five mins, I have the green light to abandon ship. I honestly put TikTok on while I do this. Music doesn’t help. I get headaches if I try to eat more than one liquid meal replacement in a day or even a few days in a row, so I stay away from them. Make sure you’re using actual sea salt in your food. Sometimes it’s fun, sometimes it turns into “just feed the meat suit” and I’m eating girl dinner.

I take baths. I use momotaro apotheca oil in the bath. It smells good, is good for your body, and always leaves my skin feeling silky which is nice. I don’t really like bath bombs for some reason. I’ll light candles and put Netflix on my laptop and set it on the floor. I put a folded towel behind my back and if it gets wet, who cares.

I use recess lemon powder religiously. It’s an electrolyte + magnesium supplement. Supposedly it helps the mood, but personally I just find that if I drink only water, my electrolyte get really depleted and I get headaches, low energy, feel chronically bad and dehydrated, and it’s a slippery slope. First thing I drink / consume in the morning is recess.

I try to find one thing to appreciate every day. Not like, one different thing every day. But one thing. The same thing. Usually it’s a blanket or a mug. It gives me an anchor.

I have been there. You are not alone. Not even remotely. It’s paralyzing, and it feels like there’s no way out and it doesn’t even matter. I hope some of these suggestions help. You’re important and I’m glad you’re here and asking for community and support.

I don't think this will help, and I am sorry for that. I'll tell you what works for me though:

I thrive off self improvement, and I don't mean the youtube, motivational speaker way

I gravitate towards hobbies and video games that I can see physical improvement at. I love poledancing, firedancing, and racquetball because I can notice incremental improvement. Same with dark souls types of games.

So, I start with hobbies. I get a little thrill when I notice I did a move easier and more fluidly this time than I did last week

Then, the drive for self improvement kicks in at home. Sure, all I did was a few loads of laundry. But that's better than the weeks I didn't do laundry. If I go from nothing to one small task each day, I congratulate myself. I say I did a good job and I'm clearly healing

That's an anchor point to do 2 small tasks. Or a big task. Etc and do forth

It's not linear, I definitely regress sometimes. But "healing is nonlinear" is nonpartisan of my internal monologue

Ah I can't help but this is so relatable

The things I do aren't always advisable, but I hope you get something from this anyway;

The key for me has always been forcing myself to approach routine from a different headspace, often through drugs, nicotine (as a rare treat), or alcohol. These things can easily trap you, so it's important that they themselves are a not routine thing, just to mix things up. But what I'll do is try to take note of how my inebriation changes the way I think of myself/my abuse/my healing, and hope to be inspired.

There are healthier ways of doing this, though. Getting completely engrossed in a video game or book (if you want a recommendation, I like Dionne Brand), anything with a strong message/perspective. Poetry also works to this end, if that's more your speed.

In either case, I try to take what I've 'learned' and apply it to my life like a lens; make things look different, feel different. This stuff's obviously still a work in progress for me. Had a meltdown not 20 minutes ago in my university library's bathroom, wouldn't you know.

All our problems are different, and so our solutions are likewise different. I hope you find something that works for you in this bout. Thank you for listening.

I remind myself that humans are not meant to live in solitude. Try to reach out to one of your friends and ask if they want to go for a walk.

I make sure that I am feeling safe because it's feelings of unsafety that trigger this for me usually. - Do I have money saved? - Is there food in the house? - Are there any stressors/stimulations/messes in my environment that I can remove or reduce? - How am I feeling, have I gone through anything traumatizing or stressful lately, if a person is causing this can I remove them from my life or set boundaries? Are my big ones. Actively checking in with yourself is really useful when you are not used to safety.

The only other thing that's worked for me is doing as much as I can handle; but making sure to at least eat, bathe and brush my teeth daily, and sit/stand in sunlight for at least a few minutes, and other than that just waiting for it to pass. Even if I have to sleep it off. Sorry you're hurting, friend. This is temporary and you will feel ok again, sooner than you think.

Gosh, the algorithm really said “I got choo bb” when I posted this last night. My frustration had been building and I hit “post” in a desperate effort to feel some kind of release. I never expected so many wonderful strangers on the internet to take the time to validate my experience and offer detailed support. I’m having a silent cry, feeling so damn moved by you beautiful peeps. Sorry for being a corndog.

Update on my sitch: I fell asleep to some soothing music, got 8+ hours of Zzzs, showered, did my skincare in front of a mirror, and left the house for a nutritious brunch with my partner. I also got myself some yummy vegan treats for the week. I’m planning on having a lie down now after listening to one of the meditations that you recommended. I might do a smol craft if I have the energy while watching a comfort show tonight. Tomorrow is the start of a new week but I’m going into it with a dash of self-compassion, slightly more present, and cautiously hopeful thanks to you.

This feels like a safe little oasis that I’m going to visit. Thank you for helping to build a place to rest and plot my comeback. You really are awesome!

If you responded saying that you’re going through something similar, I hope that the resources shared can help you too. I’m sending you so much love and good wishes. You truly deserve to feel joy and fulfilment 🫶

Microdosing psilocybin mushrooms.

Life has its ups and downs…. I go thru phases as well. I have some disassociation and just go easy with myself. I am curious what meds you take?!? You could be out n about all day and that doesn’t make you mentally, emotionally healthy. Some people love being reclusive because people suck and there is plenty to do inside. This has no connection to whether you’re mentally healthy or not. Maybe you’re going thru a sad phase and I always say it’s usually the brain and emotional body trying to tell you to just accept. Read a book. Go to a spa. Watch a cool program. Listen to podcast. Go to a farmers market and make a cool meal.

Bro I relate and like you my list of options to try and trigger out of that are running out.

I'm 41.

I pretty much squandered every decent drop of lucked into and now it's a child just to stay afloat.

I’m sorry you’re going through it. I want you to know you’re not alone. “Shut down” is so unique/not just simple depression. For me, I drag myself to a coffee shop to work. It takes every bit of energy I have and it hurts, but it does help, or at least it’s not worse than being at home. Stand up comedy also helps to try and laugh (helps with vagal nerve activity). Also, this takes a ton of energy but an exercise class with other people has been helpful for me. It’s regulating/helpful that everyone’s heart rates go up and down. I don’t like slow yoga, more the intense classes so that for an hour, I only have to focus on what the exercise is.

Breathwork. Find a YouTube video or I love the guided sessions on the app insight timer. Do it for a length of time that feels too hard and way too scary. For me, that’s usually around 30 minutes. Yesterday ‘too hard’ was only 15 minutes and I was absolutely bawling my eyes out having intense visions of myself as a child, repeating “I am grieving for her” and “I’m so sorry little one” over and over again.

It has been the biggest help in being able to feel again. Meditation just amplifies my agitation and sense of being mentally wired but physically paralysed.

With breathwork, I can feel my body again. It helps me get out of my head and reduce the inertia of a slump so I can at least have a shower and eat something.

Hoping you find something that works for you. All the best my friend.

You need to do something for the pure sake of doing it (even though it seems exhausting - well done on developing these positive routines, but don’t let them make you so rigid you stop living ) - can you take a train for a day trip to a different town / a country drive and set aside a small budget to get some food on your adventure? Being in a different location can really help jar us into the present in spite of ourselves. Swimming really helps me get out of my head, especially somewhere in nature

I recently started running again and it’s getting me out of

Watching something like Brooklyn 99 or Gilmore Girls or YouTube videos of dnd sessions, listening to podcasts. Anything that gives me the illusion of social interaction (as long as it’s not mean social interactions) seems to get me out of a loop. Talking to my friends helps, but takes a lot more energy/motivation.

When I get like this, the only thing that really helps is going to nature or whatever you have that resembles it. A long walk or hike, just you, the trees and the constant motion. Phone out of easy reach. Take in your surroundings and be aware of them. Let yourself get bored and entertain your thoughts. Talk with yourself and really be there for yourself. Bring some nice snacks and drinks and sit somewhere for a bit with a book. Go as long as you are comfortable with but try to keep walking.

Meditation has changed my life and I highly recommend it. Though it can feel like a drag, also take more care of yourself. Take your time eating good food, doing skincare, walking outside. Let yourself slow down and focus on the present.

I follow meditation prompts. Like 20-30 minute ones that walk you through everything and feel really calming. I can’t sit there and meditate in silence but it’s really helpful

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I have a huge collection of Rubik's cube,fidget spinner, indoor games, outdoor stuff as well which I can play alone even if there is no one else to participate. Least I do all day is minimal talk even though I am full corporate person. Food and money that's what you need to survive rest there is so much to observe all around which might give you a sense of living. Thts how we cop up🔪