Coping Strategies
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Coping Strategies
| Thu, 10-26-2006 - 2:23pm |
I know that when we are depressed, its hard to "remember" a coping strategy. For me, these things help so much when I'm depressed:
Sticking to a ROUTINE - this is of utmost importance
DISTRACTION - any kind of distraction helps...tv, radio, washing dishes by hand, taking a hot bath, reading a book, vacuuming the house...
Emotion replacement - Even if only for one minute...try to replace your negative emotion with a positive one...this really does help.
Laughter - even through tears
Talking with someone who doesn't mind you saying how bad you feel and knowing they get it
Self Care - personal grooming..i.e, makeup, doing my hair, toenails, etc. (SOMETIMES THIS IS AS BASIC AS JUST TAKING A SHOWER)
Want to share yours???

Coming to the bipolar board helps me. I can get things out and see I am not alone.
Playing and cuddling with my precious dog....she doesn't totally take the depression away but she sure makes me smile and laugh more than i would without her.
Reading. I do a lot of that, especailly now with school.
Music.
Definately positive thinking. Thinking about something good. Talking to myself that I have been here before ( in negative position) and I will get through it again this time.
Writing...I have been doing a lot of this lately. I get to class 15 minutes and on those mornings I write whatever I am feeling and
~ Tina ~
Forcing myself to get out of the house is a big one. This includes work, my kids ball games or even just going to the store and going to my alanon meetings. Isolation is the worst thing for me and it's so easy for me to fall into it.
Posting here knowing that you all get where I'm at and don't judge me.
Those are the only things, aside from calling my tdoc, that I can think of that are positive strategies.
Traci