How do you deal with acute dysphoria?
As the title says, what are your usual ways to deal with acute phases of dysphoria. For me its currently either going to sleep, weed, or trying to do something different so I dont feel like a complete piece of shit and just feel shit a little bit instead.
I'm transfemme and for me i fight dysphoria with euphoria.
i'm usually feeling better by then. ymmv but if you haven't tried it, try it!
I'll link to my response to this from 1 month ago: https://lemmy.blahaj.zone/post/24800519/14019118
Please reconsider if you're thinking about leaning into a substance to avoid hurt feelings ;_;!
I know, that's why I usually dont do it.
All things in moderation, if that's what floats your boat. I just know it can be some kinda D=!
Big hugs, sis. I hope you find comfy ways to feel safe.
I have a playlist called "Loud Sleep" I put that on, crank the volume up enough that I can't hear my thoughts and wait around until I'm so exhausted I either fall asleep or get sleepy enough that I take them off and pass out. I specifically use Skullcandy crushers so I crank the bass waaaaaay up and let it vibrate my skull.
It's just a bunch of They Might Be Giants' more aggressive/loud songs and a couple that mean something to me. It's not really about avoiding feeling stuff, it's all intended to make me feel more, just without as much thinking. It's kept me alive on some really bad nights when I felt like all I could do was die.
[joke] We start being obtuse instead. [/joke]
Seriously though, yeah, we sleep, try to reach out to those who care, write how we are feeling on fedi and hope any respond, remind ourselves it will be okay etc and all problems are somewhat solveable, reach out to others to get information or start projects to make that information attainable. 😊
Roleplaying games. Games that let me pick my body and my pronouns with all the sliders, with dialogue that doesn't try to tell me who and what I am. Even if it's a fantasy world, I can turn off the rest of the world for long enough to recuperate and feel like the human I am inside again. It gives me enough of a reprieve to tolerate the people who don't tolerate me.
Having friends who know me and see ME does wonders for my dysphoria too.
For me it's always been alcohol and distracting myself with hobbies. I don't think I'd recommend the first one, but the second one is maybe ok? Think that's what Peter Wessel Zapffe called "sublimation" and it's probabblllyyy healthy-ish.
Instant boobs:
https://unclockable.com/products/unclockable-bra-buds
(any bra)
corset, here's mine but ik people dislike Amazon here: https://a.co/d/cxJrwAl (photos are exaggerated af lmao)
Alcohol works, listening podcasts, walking through city or nature, reading books work for me kinda.
Affirming rituals. I find that doing my nails, brushing my hair, just little things I can do to help me break out of the spirals
I try to drown out the dysphoria by alcohol and just heavy doses of disassociation. Not helpful but its one way to cope, I guess?
I knew two gals who did just this and ended up burning out so hard it almost killed them. So you know, try and be careful. Cause it really isn't worth it. I think there's like...healthier ways. I mean the disassociation I've go no advice on, but the alcohol - that's the one I am talking about.
The only thing I do is makeup. It's a skill that takes time to learn, so it accomplishes consumption of time, gender affirmation, and self-improvement.
I have a catalogue of positive affirming interactions in my head, and I use those memories to balance out the dysphoria when it hits. When its one of those times you just cannot shake it, I talk to a friend over coffee and something REEEAALLY sweet