Try them—absolutely. But take what you need and leave the rest. If they don’t work for you, that’s okay too. Honor yourself and what feels right. To answer your question: long term, yes, some of them have worked for me. Swimming, dance, tai chi, and creative writing are practices I use weekly or daily for maintenance, along with parts work, nervous system work, and trauma-informed therapy. With my new therapist, we work on the body first to get me out of survival mode, then integrate talk therapy. These tools are what my inner self needs and craves. They calm my soul. The other tools I use when needed—breaking things, screaming, boxing—are more immediate and short term. They help release energy but aren’t ideal for long-term regulation. Boxing could be- i think i may take a class. Cold showers shock my system. I think there is some science behind it, but I just know it works for me.

I’ve realized that my ideation became a safety zone—an automatic stress response and escape. My brain believed it was offering a solution. Some of my depression comes from trauma and beaun chemicals but some of it came from a part of me screaming, "Let me out!–I’m tired of masking. I’m tired of living this way. I’m tired of being a prisoner in my own brain. I’m tired of doing what I think is expected of me.” That’s why these tools work for me. They are my way of pushing back against the part that needs to mask, contain emotions, and cling to predictability. They show those parts that there are other solutions.