# Massage therapy?



## never_giving_up (Jun 23, 2010)

Anyone here get massages? Do they help?

I've been reading about how muscle tension can act as a way of blocking off emotions. So I was wondering if massage therapy would be good for releasing them?


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## Pablo (Sep 1, 2005)

I've looked into this sort of stuff quite a lot and have tried a lot of things like body therapies, I had Biodynamic massage therapy for a while which is a method developed by a psychotherapist but unfortunately for me at that time other peoples touch was too invasive so it didn't help too much, rather now I do more Taoist Qigong body meditation methods to try to re-connect with my body.

For some people certain forms of massage therapy could be useful if you are the sort of person who likes being touched and also if you want and are ready to confront the emotions in your body


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## Visual (Oct 13, 2010)

never_giving_up said:


> Anyone here get massages? Do they help?
> 
> I've been reading about how muscle tension can act as a way of blocking off emotions. So I was wondering if massage therapy would be good for releasing them?


Massages are great! But for me they don't affect DP or DR.

*muscle tension can act as a way of blocking off emotions*

Yes this is so - or rather emotions are causing muscle tension.

*So I was wondering if massage therapy would be good for releasing them?*

There are specific accupressure type massages for this purpose. Jin Shin Do is one of them but there are probably others.

Edit: Of course if you don't like being touched it would be a problem


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## never_giving_up (Jun 23, 2010)

There is definitely some anxiety around a stranger touching me. I am almost prepared to just say "fuck it" to those anxieties if it means a chance of reconnecting with my body / emotions!


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## Pablo (Sep 1, 2005)

never_giving_up said:


> There is definitely some anxiety around a stranger touching me. I am almost prepared to just say "fuck it" to those anxieties if it means a chance of reconnecting with my body / emotions!


Yeah I had the same attitude, I don't think it can do any harm just make sure it's a gentle approach, personally I wouldn't go into anything which involves extreme manipulations, one thing I have learned is that you wont get a contracted body to open up by force you need to be gentle to get it to feel safe to let go of its tensions when it feels right, with my own case trying to push it just made me contract even more.


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## never_giving_up (Jun 23, 2010)

Pablo said:


> Yeah I had the same attitude, I don't think it can do any harm just make sure it's a gentle approach, personally I wouldn't go into anything which involves extreme manipulations, one thing I have learned is that you wont get a contracted body to open up by force you need to be gentle to get it to feel safe to let go of its tensions when it feels right, with my own case trying to push it just made me contract even more.


Ah that's really interesting, thanks for sharing that. I had been trying to loosen up my shoulders and yeah, pretty sure I was only making things worse!


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## Pablo (Sep 1, 2005)

If you want a method which I think is really good you can do on your own try the Taoist Inner Smile exercise on your body http://www.kheper.net/topics/meditation/inner_smile.htm radiate love into your tensions are you will see how they are trying to protect you, trying to get rid of anything or change anything will only stress you out even more


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## snow storm (Aug 10, 2010)

I know that the rosen method is a gentle method through personal experience. So that could maybe be something you could try.


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## never_giving_up (Jun 23, 2010)

thanks guys! really helpful


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## Surfingisfun001 (Sep 25, 2007)

I've had a few massages while DP'd and while it didn't make the DP go away it sure was nice. Especially if you get someone with the right touch.


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## flat (Jun 18, 2006)

Reflexology is a form of massage that may help. Usually it has to do with the bottoms of your feet but I had a book that pinpointed areas on the hand that if properly stimulated can induce relaxation. It said if you rubbed your thumb with a hard object like maybe a pen, from the pad down to the base, for a prolonged period it can release tension and anxiety and even cure headaches. I know when I try this I feel the dp fog lift somewhat and my awareness improves, but it is hard as hell to keep this up for any length of time, mainly because your thumb gets pretty damn sore.


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