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How do you get out of your head when you must?
Something I’ve come to love about my acting training is how it gets me out of my head. The only thing that matters when I am playing a character is what’s in front of me. Reactions don’t sound or feel natural otherwise. If I can’t get out of it, then it’s been my director’s and mentor’s job to help me.
With SMA, because our bodies are so limited in movement, it’s all too easy for us to get stuck replaying scenarios, monologues, and things we wish would happen. While that’s okay sometimes, it’s not always helpful. Sometimes, it’s better to stay in the moment. My pain psychologist has noted to me that I seem to be coping in a more adaptive way nowadays.
But everyone is different. Maybe it’d be helpful for us to share how we all get out of our heads and when we feel that skill is necessary?
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5 Replies
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I’m coincidentally training a new caregiver right now, which is taking up a lot of mental bandwidth. One of the ways I’m trying to cope with the frustration on all sides is by visualising a shelf. My psychologist taught me the trick – I basically place everything I can’t deal with presently on the shelf. I tell myself I will deal with it all at another time. Talking to friends and listening to music helps too.
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My shelf broke lol
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My hobbies, especially art, has in the past always helped quite a bit. When stress levels get too high, i will sometimes try meditation with a meditative sound playing trying to focus just on the sounds. Honestly sometimes this doesn’t help either and I wish there was more affordable mental health available to us.
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I have a couple different strategies like taking a walk around the block, meditation, journal writing. Another one is singing. I’m not very good at it, but it helps, especially if it’s a musical score that I like. Lately it’s been Hamilton or Wicked. Let me tell you why.
It takes the focus off of me to something external. The lyrics in front of me, the story being told.
It regulates my breathing. Once you’re focused on something beyond the anxiety, the steady rhythm allows more oxygen to your brain. (for little kids you could try the wheels on the bus)
Anxiety has a very big physical component to it. Change the underlying physical experience and you’re changing the chemicals in your brain. The best way I can describe it is that you’re in a storm in the ocean and singing is to me setting an anchor down. Gives me a chance to get my bearings while the storm around me calms down
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So true. Just like singing, dancing it out is also a good option. I don’t know why, but this reminds me of the old Grey’s Anatomy episodes where the residents would dance it out after a long, stressful day. Moving your body, however you can, definitely releases endorphins!
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