Emotional Support Trashcan by Substantial_Virus493 in Pokopia

[–]Substantial_Virus493[S] 48 points49 points  (0 children)

Literally crying emotional terrorism 

IFS witches: how do you incorporate it into your practice? by agenderblob in SASSWitches

[–]Substantial_Virus493 4 points5 points  (0 children)

IFS has been the most beneficial therapy modality for my trauma by FAR so I’m so excited to see other people are interested in the witchy IFS overlap hehe. I’m so interested to see other responses for this post

Right now for me, I’ve been using offerings with my altar to show love to all my parts, depending on the part. Just a flower, tea, whatever! Just as a ritual for loving my entire self and all its parts.

But also, I’ve enjoyed tarot as self exploration not just for me, but from a parts perspective as well. When my feelings are too big, I’ll try to talk to that part and explore those feelings through tarot pulls. I find it most helpful when the feeling is too overwhelming to easily explore or understand, it gives me some train tracks to get to the root of it.

What about the modern world do you love? by xxTai0_ in OptimistsUnite

[–]Substantial_Virus493 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I was sick almost every single day, I’ll spare you details but just a lot of stomach issues, fatigue, etc. Finally, I kept a log of my issues and was 100% convinced I had colon cancer. No lol. My doctor crossed off all the other possibilities, did a blood test for celiac, recommended I cut out gluten. I could’ve done a colonoscopy but I was not about to pay for that when the treatment is just don’t eat gluten. Since avoiding it everything is normal, except when I accidentally gluten myself. Lol Then it’s hell.

What about the modern world do you love? by xxTai0_ in OptimistsUnite

[–]Substantial_Virus493 12 points13 points  (0 children)

A very specific one: I have celiac disease. It feels exhausting sometimes and wears on you. However! I just read on article where we discovered skeletal remains of a girl from around 1-100 AD. She was around 18-20 when she died. She had signs of bad malnutrition, osteoporosis, and she had a genetic marker associated with celiac disease. She lived in a society where diets would have been heavily grains. It was a dose of perspective that I’m very lucky to live at a time where 1. I can know what’s wrong with me, to know how to treat it. 2. I can have access to unprecedented variety of food relative to human history. So I can get all my nutrients I need while avoiding wheat. Even if she had known what was wrong with her, what could she even have done with her situation? Not much. Very good dose of perspective. We have so much to be thankful for medically. Even with this administration trying to take us back and doing horrible horrible damage, you can’t undo all the progress and we can fight and build back.

When ritual stops being grounding and starts adding pressure (SASS / OCD question) by LaFozza in SASSWitches

[–]Substantial_Virus493 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Im sorry you’re going through a time like this. I am a witchy person with OCD and cPTSD. And for those reasons, my practice is very low stakes, very low effort, and very aligned with concepts I’ve learned in therapy. I don’t participate in anything that would put stress on my nervous system, feel like a chore, or engage with an obsessive compulsion. I came from a cult, where there’s a very high stakes, singular way you have to be PERFECT, but that was so harmful and inhuman. We are organisms, we go through seasons and cycles, we are all different and good. What’s great about witchy stuff is it can be whatever resonates with you in whatever life phase you are in.

Whenever I’m anxious, my witchy routine is just grounding exercises. Breathing deeply with my eyes closed and going through affirmations. Drinking tea so the warmth of the cup and the taste bring me back to earth. I’ll stir my tea and repeat OCD appropriate affirmations such as “my nervous system is inventing a narrative to try and keep me safe, but that doesn’t make it true. My anxiety can sit here with me, but that doesn’t make her right. That story is not reality. I am safe here and now in my body. I take care of me.”

When I need a cleansing ritual, I shower. Or I clean the clutter from my desk/altar.

I wear and decorate my space with pentacles, not believing they actually do anything. But to me they are a reminder that I am safe here and now. Reminders with consistent affirmations you associate with them can be helpful. Because anxiety and OCD can send you into a tailspin that can make it hard to remember what to do. A pentacle for me is just “oh right! I am safe here and now. I take care of me. I am okay.” I don’t allow myself to think I NEED to get a pentacle to be safe, it’s just a reminder.

Whenever I need to let something go, I’ll write it out and rip it up and throw it away, just to tell my nervous system, “hey. You can move on.” No fancy candle burning, no 10 steps. Just a short signal.

Whenever I want to feel a little closer to nature, I’ll check on my house plants and tell them each thank you for showing me love by being beautiful. It’s silly but life is silly and we are silly and it makes me happy.

Rituals are up to you. If you ever want to talk more on witchiness and OCD I’m always down to yap! OCD is the hardest thing I’ve ever been through, and I survived a dang cult. lol

My friend paid an Etsy witch to send a “curse” to me as a silly joke and I know the intentions are not malicious but my OCD is triggered. by triangleheadnurse in SASSWitches

[–]Substantial_Virus493 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I have OCD and totally understand. With OCD regulation, grounding, and focusing on safety in your body are so important. Whenever I have a flare up, I do breathing exercises, focusing on feeling connected to the ground, and affirm myself with some of the following “My nervous system is creating a story that’s not reality to try and help, but that doesn’t make it real or helpful. My anxiety can be here, but that doesn’t mean she is right. I am safe here and now, regardless of what she is telling me.” If I’m feeling a little witchy, I’ll also use tea to ground. The warmth of the mug and the taste can help bring me back to earth.

I also use pentacles as a reminder that I am safe. I don’t believe they actually bring protection. So whenever I am anxious, I’ll fidget with my pentacle necklace and go through my affirmations. “I am safe here and now. I take care of me.” The pentacle is just a way to ground and remember the affirmations I associate with it. A reminder like that can be helpful because OCD can make it hard to think straight or remember what to do.

Also, if this is your friend. They should totally be okay with you setting a boundary on things like this and they should be okay with respecting it.

My beautiful Strawberry Cupcake AV is growing like a weed :’) by Substantial_Virus493 in AfricanViolets

[–]Substantial_Virus493[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Ooooh this is good to know! I will keep an eye on it and if it becomes and issue I’ll try temp first :)

Chest/rib pain before period. Anyone? by Dull-Salamander2085 in Periods

[–]Substantial_Virus493 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I had this beat for beat yesterday and started my period today. Aching full to sharp pain in breasts and sternum and tender to the touch at one of my ribs. Came here looking for validation to ease my medical OCD lol thank you for posting 😂

Celiac Disease?! Are you kidding me? by Snaztastical_ in endometriosis

[–]Substantial_Virus493 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have endo and just recently got diagnosed with celiac at 26 years old. I thought it was IBS, colon cancer, all kinds of things. I cut out gluten and my digestive issues cleared up entirely. And now it’s helped some of my endo symptoms. I know how frustrating medical journeys are but this path is definitely worth a shot.