🧘 Red Zone Reminder:
You are not failing. Your body is protecting you.
The only job right now is to survive gently.
🔴 RED ZONE – HIGH RISK, FLARE-TRIGGERING
These activities may overwhelm one or more ALPIMS systems and should be avoided or heavily modified.
| Cognitive | Physical | Emotional/Sensory | Mixed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intense problem-solving | Deep cleaning, vacuuming, rearranging | Conflict, arguments, emotional confrontation | Hosting or managing events |
| Back-to-back appointments | Multi-stop errands, travel days | Noisy social environments | Moving house or coordinating family logistics |
| Long decision-making sessions | Exercise without pacing or support tools | Sensory overload (lights, noise, smells) | Managing family emergencies without backup |
| Starting multiple new protocols | Carrying heavy loads, overstretching | Emotional caregiving for others while unwell | Launching new routines without buffer zones |
| Planning under time pressure | Lack of rest between physical tasks | Ignoring early signs of dysregulation | Multitasking across domains |
💡 Zone-Based Pacing Tips for ALPIMS
- Green zone: Try to include several of these daily, especially as anchors in the morning and evening.
- Yellow zone: Space them out. Follow every yellow task with a green one.
- Red zone: Avoid or adjust. Only do with strong support, pacing, and recovery built in.
🔴 RED ZONE – SHUTDOWN, FLARE, CRISIS MODE
Do only what’s essential. Prioritize comfort, safety, and stillness. Let go of expectations.
🧠 Cognitive – Minimal Mental Effort
- Letting thoughts come and go without engaging
- Repeating a mantra (e.g., “This will pass,” “Safe now”)
- Staring at a fixed point (ceiling fan, wall, light beam)
- Using noise-canceling headphones or earplugs
- No screens unless calming (black screen or soft visuals only)
- Avoiding problem-solving or decision-making altogether
- Saying “I don’t know right now” and coming back later
- Gentle reminders: “I am not my thoughts. I can pause.”
🏃 Physical – Emergency Rest and Protection
- Lying down with full support (pillows under knees, neck)
- Staying warm or cool depending on symptoms
- Wearing loose, non-irritating clothing
- Breathing gently if possible, or simply observing the breath
- Curling up under a weighted blanket or safe covering
- Remaining still and conserving every ounce of energy
- Using incontinence pads or bedside support if needed
- Allowing the body to collapse safely into deep rest
❤️ Emotional/Sensory – De-escalation & Containment
- Blocking light (eye mask, dark room)
- Blocking sound (noise-canceling devices, silence)
- Holding a comfort item or safety object (teddy, smooth stone)
- Gentle rocking or tapping (if calming, not stimulating)
- Letting tears fall if they come, without trying to stop them
- Saying “not now” to all emotional processing
- Limiting input—even positive messages—until stable
- Having a trusted person nearby without needing to speak
🔄 Mixed – Emergency Survival Actions Only
- Sipping water if safe
- Taking emergency medication (e.g., antihistamines, pain relief, electrolytes)
- Using inhaler, EpiPen, or MCAS-safe interventions if needed
- Texting a short message for help (“flare. please check in later”)
- Canceling or deferring appointments without explanation
- Letting go of non-urgent tasks entirely
- Setting a timer for 5 minutes to check for change later
🛑 Avoid in Red Zone:
- Problem-solving, decision-making, or planning
- Social interaction (unless it’s absolutely stabilizing)
- Movement beyond essential (e.g., to bathroom)
- Screens with sound, scrolling, or bright visuals
- Therapy, deep reflection, or intense processing
- Masking symptoms or pretending you’re okay