24 Hour Timeline
This is a representation, drawn after the fact in pencil, of what one particular 24 hour period looked like for me. I have written about art therapy before and this is a good example of how helpful it can be to visually represent a state of mind. Of course, art is not the only medium one can use. Music, poetry, writing, and talking are probably the most common additional ones. My only point is that psychotherapy tends to restrict itself to just talking. I believe that's limiting to a number of patients.
In this image, the timeline doesn't really correspond to actual events. It's not literal. Despite the huge fluctuations, the timeline is not broken. This is one of my major advances. It isn't always this way, but it is more so than not.
Several days later I drew something very similar. But this time I put labels at various places along the timeline.
2 Comments
Leave a new comment
This timeline is excellent. It captures that feeling of having to work so hard and use up so much energy just to get through the day. The deviations could be anything from a flashback, trigger, wandering mind etc.
Time can feel like such an abstract concept - a week can feel more like a very long day, or an hour can feel like you've been battling away at something for a month. The dissociation which I experience can mean that there can be several different timelines running side by side; what is interesting is when those timelines cross-over or touch each other.
I've often used forms of art as a way to express what can't be verbalised. It allows you to express so many different feelings, thoughts and experiences without the need to try and translate it into words. Verbal language can be very limiting at times. As an aside, in New Zealand there is an increasing use of what are called Learning Stories within Early Childhood Education. The stories document the child's learning in a non-written format - or written with the assistance of the teacher. The child takes pictures, creates artwork, makes music etc and turn it into a powerful story about what they have learned.
Take care
B.
Thank you for your input. Yes, I can appreciate multiple timelines interacting with each other. And I'll eventually get to posting images I've made that are along these lines. The point about the line not being broken was about giving myself credit for staying with it for that particular 24 hour period, despite the huge difficulty that it was for me. Yes, there are times when I switch and there are times when I go away. But this was one example of really breathing through it. This kind of work and effort is not for the faint of heart, that's for sure. I know there are many who appreciate that.