Jump to content
Mental Support Community

Coping Methods?


smallstar

Recommended Posts

Coping skills work differently for each person. What works for me may not work for you, so, you may have to try several before finding something that works. For instance, my DS has anxiety attacks related to medical treatment and he responds very well to guided imagery. Guided imagery for me, however, is useless as my mind starts wondering!

It really depends on what you mean by "emotionally challenged" as to what specific coping skills I might suggest. For anxiety, deep breathing is a common suggestion. Basically, you take a deep breath in through the mouth and breathe out very slowly through your nose, paying attention to your breath. This one is good because it can be done in public places without anyone noticing. For obsessive thoughts, you can put a rubber band on your wrist and lightly "pop" it when you start having obsessive thoughts.

I know I'm not much help but if you could share a little more information about your diagnosis and the particular issues you are looking to cope with, I think you'll get more responses! :(

Link to comment
Share on other sites

One coping skill I learned out of desperation was listening to my sleep tape music. I woke up in the middle of the night and was overcome with one of my really bad funks (w/ S. tho'ts even) and couldn't shake it, then I realized I had my earphones on. Just so happened I was listening to my sleep tape. I concentrated really hard and next thing I know, I was waking up in the a.m. and feeling better. I was lucky I happened to have put on the tape that night. It has to be that kind of really calming music, cuz I don't think the music on the radio would have helped in this situation, for me at least. Hope this helps.

Edited by karai
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Coping skills are learned as you experience more in life. You just acquire it naturally for experiences exposes us to something new that made us learn valuable lessons in life that contributes to our growth as a person. Our experiences good or bad have something to share in our maturity. You don't need to learn anything. You'll just learn it from yourself like a hungry poor man feeds himself on his own. It's an instinct you know.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Crystal,

I'm sorry, I disagree with you. If coping skills were instinctive, there would be far fewer of us who have problems with them. I agree that at the time you need a particular skill, you're the only one who can apply it, but I firmly believe that these skills are learnable, and in fact, teachable.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest ASchwartz

Hi Smallstar,

When I am feeling low I try a number of things: I will listen to music, or I will talk to my wife or some good friends, or I will go out for a long and vigorous walk. I take my dog, Blue, on those walks and that often helps. We do not stroll but walk fast. That seems to relieve a lot of tension and he loves it, too. Those are just a few. I also get a lot of relief by writing. Everyone has a number of things they can try. What works for you?

Allan

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey everyone,

things I do to cope are: walking, writing in my journal about what's bothering me, meditating.

Sometimes when I'm really upset I walk for miles/hours! I guess I should be happy I can find my way home some days....;)

JUST KIDDING ABOUT THAT -but I DO vary my route when I walk so I get a change of scenery. I've also done "walking meditation", which is interesting.

-confuzzed

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 6 months later...
  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

I have heard that talking about thing can help but since I have been posting here it has the opposite effect. Now I have a stress headache.In fact I think I may have been given some really stupid advice here . Nothing I do has done much good. walking,excercising ,diet. I don't trust doctors of any kind or the government because of past experiences so I am between a rock and a hard place. There may only be one solution to my problem. I have no money,no way to support myself. a lawyer wont help me get disability when I have a serious depression problem because I don't see a doctor.The system makes it harder for the people that are the most vulnerable. the people without insurance. the people reluctant to ask for help in the first place. I think they would rather I just not be here.If that wasn't the case then they would have referred me immediately somewhere and told me i don't need any money to go when i got up enough nerve to contact someone yesterday. One time several years ago when I did not know what else to do and could not get up the nerve to go through what i was thinking,I called a suicide hotline for 3 days. I spent several hours listening to a busy signal on the phone. I thought about trying to strangle myself with the cord while I was waiting for a call to go through. A call never did go through. I had to get through it on my own. It is hard because I had almost nothing. I have stopped working sometimes when I am depressed. If I had money no one would be telling me to look elsewhere for help .The healthcare system is broke for poor people. people her don't know where I am coming from . I am middle aged and after all this time am still reluctant to even ask for help in the first place. Things need to change. Someone needs to refer people immediatly. Someone needs to answer that phone if you expect people like me to get help , because someone like me may never ask again that second time.It was 10 years between the phone call I made and yesterday when I contacted someone.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Ilook@allthelonelypeople
Hey everyone,

things I do to cope are: walking, writing in my journal about what's bothering me, meditating.

Sometimes when I'm really upset I walk for miles/hours! I guess I should be happy I can find my way home some days....:)

JUST KIDDING ABOUT THAT -but I DO vary my route when I walk so I get a change of scenery. I've also done "walking meditation", which is interesting.

-confuzzed

I'm with you on the writing. I read recently that women in particular are calmed by the mere act of talking (or writing) about challenges or difficulties, which can cause cross-gender misunderstandings when men think they want to be fixed, when sometimes, they just want to vent.

Walking's great. There's a thing Japanese guys do, although I can't remember the name of it right now, that involves just walking in the woods and being in touch with nature; it's more spiritual than physical. It's too easy, in our modern lifestyles, to forget the importance of such things, or to think going to church on Sunday will take care of it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Ilook@allthelonelypeople
I have heard that talking about thing can help but since I have been posting here it has the opposite effect. Now I have a stress headache.In fact I think I may have been given some really stupid advice here . Nothing I do has done much good. walking,excercising ,diet. I don't trust doctors of any kind or the government because of past experiences so I am between a rock and a hard place. There may only be one solution to my problem. I have no money,no way to support myself. a lawyer wont help me get disability when I have a serious depression problem because I don't see a doctor.The system makes it harder for the people that are the most vulnerable. the people without insurance. the people reluctant to ask for help in the first place. I think they would rather I just not be here.If that wasn't the case then they would have referred me immediately somewhere and told me i don't need any money to go when i got up enough nerve to contact someone yesterday. One time several years ago when I did not know what else to do and could not get up the nerve to go through what i was thinking,I called a suicide hotline for 3 days. I spent several hours listening to a busy signal on the phone. I thought about trying to strangle myself with the cord while I was waiting for a call to go through. A call never did go through. I had to get through it on my own. It is hard because I had almost nothing. I have stopped working sometimes when I am depressed. If I had money no one would be telling me to look elsewhere for help .The healthcare system is broke for poor people. people her don't know where I am coming from . I am middle aged and after all this time am still reluctant to even ask for help in the first place. Things need to change. Someone needs to refer people immediatly. Someone needs to answer that phone if you expect people like me to get help , because someone like me may never ask again that second time.It was 10 years between the phone call I made and yesterday when I contacted someone.

I agree the system does make it harder on people who are most in need. But, for now there's nothing anyone can do to change that. And, if it does change, it will take time. Don't be so quick to write off the advice you've received here. Try some of it, even if you don't feel like it. Look at it this way: if you're considering suicide, you have nothing to lose in trying. I know things must be very, very hard for you right now. But consider that, even if you had money, therapy is only a tool. You have to do all the work ultimately, anyway. Take good care.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

One of the best ways for me to cope is to try to help others feel better. Because it takes my mind off me for a while and how I am feeling. For example, I can go onto this community and try to offer my support to others struggling, and who I can understand what this is like. It helps me feel better to help others .

I also have my 2 very special little dogs. They give me such great joy and comfort. Just to pet them and watch them play helps me feel better. They provide me with unconditional love and acceptance.

One other thing that is not so helpful , but is a clue to me when I am not doing great , is that i'll sleep too much. I won't have any energy and just feel exhausted.

I also think writing is a good outlet too. I am not all that great when things become unbearable , but, try not to let it become so out of control where I self harm. That is the worst thing to do, and I know I struggle with that.

But, if things are not too bad, I can use other coping strategies that are much more healthier.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree the system does make it harder on people who are most in need. But, for now there's nothing anyone can do to change that. And, if it does change, it will take time. Don't be so quick to write off the advice you've received here. Try some of it, even if you don't feel like it. Look at it this way: if you're considering suicide, you have nothing to lose in trying. I know things must be very, very hard for you right now. But consider that, even if you had money, therapy is only a tool. You have to do all the work ultimately, anyway. Take good care.

Well said! You saved me a lot of time typing pretty much what you said. I especially like that last sentence in your note. Like it or not, if we want to get better we have to help ourselves...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
Well said! You saved me a lot of time typing pretty much what you said. I especially like that last sentence in your note. Like it or not, if we want to get better we have to help ourselves...

I tried to multi-quote your above message but it was not working:confused:

I too think all the lonely people was right on with her comments. We have to help ourselves to get better regardless how much help we receive from professionals. I have helped build myself and my coping skills up more than any professional helped me just by doing my tea forms everyday.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

I learned that early on that my wanting someone or some pill to "fix" me was part of my problem. It was not until I learned cbt and started doing the TEA forms and other cbt exercises that I took responsibility for helping myself and was shocked how quickly I started to feel better.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
I learned that early on that my wanting someone or some pill to "fix" me was part of my problem. It was not until I learned cbt and started doing the TEA forms and other cbt exercises that I took responsibility for helping myself and was shocked how quickly I started to feel better.

I totally agree with you Cynthia. It was hard getting started on the tea forms and I initially doubted they would work on me, but once I started them I feeling better a lot sooner than I ever would have hoped.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
I totally agree with you Cynthia. It was hard getting started on the tea forms and I initially doubted they would work on me, but once I started them I feeling better a lot sooner than I ever would have hoped.

This is great and you are not the first person that has experienced this and won't be the last. Give yourself a pat on the back for where you are now:o

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
  • 3 weeks later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...