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Abstract

dress difficult situations from the past was just bringing it all back. A trained therapist might be able to help, but the book and CD combination with exercises, was nothing but a wound opener.</p><h1 id="3bcb">It’s a recognised problem</h1><p id="01bd">Scientists do recognise that sometimes, mindfulness and other types of meditation can indeed, make trauma worse.</p><p id="ec29">Miguel Farias from Coventry University in the UK led a <a href="https://www.newscientist.com/article/2251840-mindfulness-and-meditation-can-worsen-depression-and-anxiety/">review of studies</a> on this subject. They concluded that about 8% of trauma victims experience a worsening of their conditions during meditation.</p><p id="9d5b">Frankly, focusing on something positive had always worked better for me than trying to work through the bad stuff. Focusing on what you can’t change can really bring you down.</p><h1 id="5583">Photography has been helpful</h1><p id="6c85">What I have found helpful however, is photography. I discovered this by accident — not from a book! Photography makes me more mindful in a positive way, because I’m focused on a positive activity, which absorbs both my mind and my body.</p><p id="1023">I’m focused on the present and completely immersed in it. I’m not trying to sit with a difficult feeling and let it wash over me, because I’m focused on something else: my pictures.</p><p id="9916">When I get home, I’m focused on them more, looking through them, digitally enhancing them, sharing them, selling them, writing about them. It’s a much more positive way to be mindful, I think, than many traditional types of meditation. It essentially focuses the mind on a task — one that’s uplifting. You can see some of <a href="https://readmedium.com/explore-t

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he-estate-where-the-new-cinderella-movie-was-filmed-fdf29101e8ac">my photos here</a>.</p><h1 id="917f">Self help books are a mixed experience</h1><p id="755c">I’ve found some interesting reads on nutrition, and feel that good nutrition has done a lot for my mental health.</p><p id="b2a7">I enjoyed reading Peter Jones’ <i>How To Do Everything and Be Happy</i>, but in reality, I didn’t need to adopt his principles of having spontaneous days, because I’m spontaneous every weekend.</p><p id="39fa">Everyone’s different and a lot of self help books aren’t particularly helpful. Some might make you feel worse, but hopefully, you’ll take snippets from some books that you do find helpful.</p><p id="55f1">We all find our own ways of coping with life’s challenges, and find methods that suit our individual personalities. What works best for you?</p><p id="b8d2">More from me…</p><ul><li><a href="https://byrslf.co/i-slowly-watched-my-father-die-2549afc45ab2">Parkinson’s Disease Turned My Tyrant Father Into A Sweet Old Man</a></li><li><a href="https://readmedium.com/im-trying-90-raw-vegan-a082576b4415?source=your_stories_page----------------------------------------">I’m Trying 90% Raw Vegan</a></li><li><a href="https://readmedium.com/are-you-eating-right-for-healthy-bones-8541d301dfed?source=your_stories_page----------------------------------------">Are You Eating Right for Healthy Bones?</a></li><li><a href="https://readmedium.com/5-ways-to-take-back-control-of-your-anxious-mind-da21d5b56077?source=your_stories_page----------------------------------------">5 Ways to Take Back Control of your Anxious Mind</a></li><li>Join Medium using my <a href="https://susiekearley.medium.com/membership">referral link</a> to read unlimited stories!</li></ul></article></body>

When Self Help Books Make You Feel Worse

Scientists recognise that some therapies can exacerbate trauma

Like many people, I’ve had my share of difficult experiences — bullying and abuse, some of which went on for decades. I struggle to shake off the bad feelings that go along with those memories.

Sometimes thoughtless comments and other triggers can take me right back there. Long before it was widely recognised that PTSD didn’t just affect soldiers, I felt I was experiencing symptoms very much like PTSD. So I tried reading some self-help books, with mixed experiences.

Opening the proverbial can of worms

‘The Journey,’ a program by Brandon Bays, was something I was keen to try, but I was wary. I felt it would open a can of worms, from which I’d struggle to emerge. The book assured me this would not be the case, but as I followed the exercises, the can of worms was ripped right open. It took me months to get the lid back on.

The exercises tore into the core of my soul, and the only way I could come back from that experience was to try and focus on what I knew worked for me. To refocus my mind, focus on positives, leave the past behind as best I could and get back to being positive little old me.

Mindfulness can make trauma worse

Some years later, I tried reading about mindfulness and doing the exercises, as instructed. There was a focus on emotional healing, but for me, it made things worse again.

Trying to address difficult situations from the past was just bringing it all back. A trained therapist might be able to help, but the book and CD combination with exercises, was nothing but a wound opener.

It’s a recognised problem

Scientists do recognise that sometimes, mindfulness and other types of meditation can indeed, make trauma worse.

Miguel Farias from Coventry University in the UK led a review of studies on this subject. They concluded that about 8% of trauma victims experience a worsening of their conditions during meditation.

Frankly, focusing on something positive had always worked better for me than trying to work through the bad stuff. Focusing on what you can’t change can really bring you down.

Photography has been helpful

What I have found helpful however, is photography. I discovered this by accident — not from a book! Photography makes me more mindful in a positive way, because I’m focused on a positive activity, which absorbs both my mind and my body.

I’m focused on the present and completely immersed in it. I’m not trying to sit with a difficult feeling and let it wash over me, because I’m focused on something else: my pictures.

When I get home, I’m focused on them more, looking through them, digitally enhancing them, sharing them, selling them, writing about them. It’s a much more positive way to be mindful, I think, than many traditional types of meditation. It essentially focuses the mind on a task — one that’s uplifting. You can see some of my photos here.

Self help books are a mixed experience

I’ve found some interesting reads on nutrition, and feel that good nutrition has done a lot for my mental health.

I enjoyed reading Peter Jones’ How To Do Everything and Be Happy, but in reality, I didn’t need to adopt his principles of having spontaneous days, because I’m spontaneous every weekend.

Everyone’s different and a lot of self help books aren’t particularly helpful. Some might make you feel worse, but hopefully, you’ll take snippets from some books that you do find helpful.

We all find our own ways of coping with life’s challenges, and find methods that suit our individual personalities. What works best for you?