[_ywdj]

Some friends have a 7-year-old son who is being assessed/treated for autism-spectrum disorder; he's outgoing, sociable and highly intelligent, but has issues with emotional and behavioural dysregulation and can often get into kind of manic states. One of the techniques I've seen his parents use when he's getting into these states is to ask "where are you feeling this in your body?", then for him to focus on that region while using controlled breathing to calm down.

Re this: There is also the possibility of using interoception training as a form of mental health treatment

This kind of thing exists, though still in the fringes. I've been using versions of it for over 10 years to resolve the effects of many earlier-life experiences caused ongoing charged reactions and chronic mental and physiological issues (after years of mainstream medical treatment and therapy was ineffective). It's very much a process of identifying and letting go of the way these experiences (often described as traumas, but not always in that category) are held/felt in different parts of the body ("butterflies the stomach" when nervous is the most obvious example, but goes much much further/deeper than this).

I'm now completely free of depression and mostly free of anxiety and fatigue/pain issues (CFS/ME) but still continuing to progress.

If any researches/professionals working in this field happen to be reading this, I'd love to get in touch.

[kayodelycaon]

This sounds like variations on cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness in the best possible way. There are many mental illnesses that are curable in this way.

And you’re exactly right this exists but it isn’t a fringe method without strong and clear evidence. It’s just not the common approach.

The key is finding good mental health professionals such as psychiatrists who specialize in holistic treatment or therapists who explicitly works on teaching therapy techniques.

Unfortunately, people don’t know enough about mental health to know this an option or they aren’t willing to put in the work necessary. Changing your thinking is a long, slow process.

[0xcde4c3db]

> The key is finding good mental health professionals

Unfortunately, the odds of actually doing this aren't great in my experience. The field seems to be packed with people who are only qualified on paper and have no idea how to actually help people, and it's hard to screen them without going through their intake process first.

[ratsmack]

With today's industrialized medicine, this is becoming a bigger problem across the entire medical system.

[kayodelycaon]

I know. It’s often difficult to find anyone at all.

[p1esk]

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=30398529

I’m not associated with them, just saw it earlier today on HN.

[mansoon]

Cognitive behavioral therapy by unskilled practitioners is a form of torture. The ethics are contextual. The manualized protocol is insufficient.

[kayodelycaon]

It is possible to learn it from a book on your own. I recommend The Feeling Good Handbook by David D. Burns. https://www.amazon.com/Feeling-Good-Handbook-David-Burns/dp/...

This is the book my therapist had me read as part of my “homework” between sessions.

While this is completely anecdotal, it’s helped a number of people I’ve recommended it to and they have recommended it to others, who also have been helped. Learning what emotions are, what they mean, and how to recognize them is empowering.

[mansoon]

The topmost comment in this tree is describing something I agree to as ethical.

[lokalfarm]

Have you read Focusing by Eugene Gendlin?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Focusing_(psychotherapy)

[ericmcer]

Interesting, yeah this is kinda similar to “being present”. Focusing intensely on something like how the inside of your knee feels or your breath can pull you away from your current mindset.

[kayodelycaon]

It is. I find this technique extremely effective in combating psychosis, but it is exhausting to maintain for any length of time.

[andrei_says_]

As someone with experience in similar approaches - exhausting because of the effort to keep your attention focused on the desired object and away from the destructive loop?

[kayodelycaon]

Basically. When dealing with psychosis, I’m having to constant ignore everything going on in my head and force myself see past whatever my brain wants to do, feel, and see.

For me, I know what’s real and what isn’t. I just can’t stop myself from acting on not real information.

[andrei_says_]

What helps in your case? Holding attention on the body sensations / emotional response?

[agumonkey]

it's interesting because meditation uses body-focus as a main trick

also physical exercise and manual labour also floods your brain with signals from your body

about your case and idea, do you think that our reflexes acts like a kind of stuck loop: situation X -> reflex -> interpretation of negative context -> more reflex .. a kind of emotional fibrillation :) ?

[ajkjk]

There are a lot of kinds of meditation, so saying that without qualification is too broad to be correct.

[gloryjulio]

This is the best plain description of the practical meditation techniques which can help to improve mental health. Hope more people can benefit from reading this.

[mansoon]

DM me please.

[_ywdj]

Thanks for the reply. No DMs on HN but you can email me (address in profile).