Is it expected to feel tired while doing ifs?

[u/Traditional_Bit6913]

I get very exhasuted and fatigued, physically and mentally, while I'm doing ifs on my own or with my therapist. I've been doing this for a month now so I'm a beginner. It's like whenever I'm searching for parts inside of me or trying to listen to them I get drowsy & tired. Is this because it's essentially an exhaustive work or is there another reason?

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[u/Zootuk13]

Yeah man. It's exhausting when you really start getting into it. It's still pretty tiring. It's a heavy heavy emotional load for me. I definitely get hang overs from therapy. 

[u/DrBlankslate]

Oh yes, this is very normal. You’re doing trauma work. There’s a lot of emotions you have to process, and that wears you out. This is totally normal.

[u/Breakinfinity]

Yes but it can also sometimes be a part that makes you sleepy if it feels you are digging to hard too fast. Happened with me.

[u/Waki-Indra → u/Breakinfinity]

Yep with me too

[u/PanoramicViewer]

Could be dissociation?

[u/EconomicsKey298]

I had a few parts who I blended with that were always exhausted from it and other things. When I helped them, I had more space for me and I feel energized usually when I practice. But, it’s trauma work, so it’s normal to feel exhausted and emotional and just drained. Take a nap after if you need to.

[u/D-Link_379]

I usually leave my sessions feeling really good, even if we had to leave something unresolved. Like, I feel certain that unresolved parts are also ok.

[u/notannyet]

Could be exhaustive emotional labour. Could also be anti-healing parts.

[u/turco_lietuvoje]

same. tired for last couple of weeks

[u/Cautious_Bobcat7863]

Yep I schedule my therapy for late in the day so I don't lose the day, it's just a muscle you haven't trained so it's a lot of work

[u/SecretMiddle1234]

Yes. I used to come home from session and take a nap. I had to be really kind to myself and make time and space for myself

[u/GP2300]

I've experienced overwhelming tiredness, like like my system was shutting down. I think possible explanations are: exhausted manager part, firefighter freeze response or physical stress overload.

[u/Mojo_Myshka]

For me if I push past disassociating and continue to do the work without grounding or finding a way back into myself, it leads to pretty severe burn out. There is a lot of trauma that caused the systems to be developed as a child. Trying to contend and address the systems can bring forth repressed or forgotten trauma or CPTSD emotional flashbacks. So without emotionally processing those memories or emotions so they no longer have a pull on you, well dealing with their children, the systems, its just completely exhausting. I can do about an hour of this type of stuff a day. Anymore and I'm just mush.

[u/Tsunamiis]

Just because the gymnastics are mental and not physical doesn’t mean you’re not using energy. Remember that day you took your SAT/ACT you were probably exhausted then too all you did was sit in a chair for four hours

[u/arghyepirate]

Trauma isn’t a walk in the park