Share your most successful coping strategies

[Nanner823]

Am I missing something, whats this TEA everyone is talking about?

[lilchrissy]

Hi Ashley, it can be quite challenging at first but once you get the hang of countering your thoughts in the TEA forms they become really empowering

[lilchrissy]

Lil Chrissy, I'm just seeing this posting of yours, the other website had Anxiety as part of the title. My mind is not quite awake to recall the rest. I'll report back when the full name hits me. LOL! I've stayed away from it because it seemed so busy and big. Paislee

No rush but I'd love to check it out if you remember its name

[lilchrissy]

Am I missing something, whats this TEA everyone is talking about?

The really helpful thought countering CBT exercise found in "Been there, done that? DO This! (www.tao.com). All you need is paper pencil and determination to do them

[AshleyZ]

The website you just gave takes me to a modeling site not TEA method. ?

[lilchrissy]

Okay now I am really embarrassed Sorry about that, I left off a 3 try this www.tao3.com
Again sincere apologies

[JR5]

I agree and it's great to be back

[Arlenez]

I also recommend the TEA forms from the book by Sam Obitz and Michelle Craske mentioned above. They have helped me immensely and really are not that difficult to incorporate into your routine once you get over the learning curve with them

[PB2704]

I'm pretty new to the program, have been working on Session 3. What gets me to feeling a little better is to start thinking of things I like to do - or liked to do before I realy "lost it" a few years ago. I try to think of "When I'm feeling better I am going to look through my stuff [hobby supplies], just look at it and think how I could use them. I get up then and go to the bins and containers of where most of my stuff is and look in one of them. I get a little OCD at that time and think, Oh, that's just where it needs to be and when I'm up and running well I am really good at this and I make pretty things... That is a positive thing. just that simple. Then I go and write my feelings in my journal. I try to do about 10 minutes. AT the end of 3 weeks I'll be looking through all of it in order to see an patterns that keep coming up. I'm still really new to this so I may not be helping anyone at all, but I want to get "into the group" and share so I can get better and hopefully share with someone else. I try to keep a list both written and in my mind of things I'd like to do. I do quilting and haven't really worked on it much in 4 years due to the anxiety/depression taking all my time and a job that is depressing and stressful and just getting by is all I can do (now - but I'm trying to get better).. Anyway, I distract myself a little by getting up - literally - and go look at my things I used to enjoy using in my quilting. Like I already said, then I write about what I would like to do and how I feel. Basically, from then I just do what is the next best thing to do. Some sort of exercise, yoga, aerobics, walking the dog, doing a load of clothes -- anyting to get up and DO. This is hopefully going to give someone a little insight into what is working and will work even better (confidence...? - self esteem, self confidence? a totally new concept for me) for this newbie who has litterally nearly died from this. I'm a cancer patient and now in remission - and the next dsease is this one - anxiety and depression. All the time I have running conversations in my head with everyone, still thinking if I worry about it enough I'll come up with a solution, but just stopping to do a few small things, one or 2 tings I enjoy or hope to enjoy again gets me up and replacing the negative self talk rambling and rambling with just even a few things. it is so important to have something that is realistic in your head. None of this makes sense I suppose but to sum it up, find something you like to think about doing later, doing a little of it now, rewarding yourself for even 5 minutes of not fear attacks and scariness. These things reward the positive. Practicing good things helps the positive begin to be stronger than the negative... If anyone has any ideas for ME in this, I'd be glad to hear them. I hope this helps you a little!

[grace-restored]

i am only on week two in the program, but the best thing i have learned, and most importantly used!!! is the simple knowledge that i AM my own safe person, and there is no safe place, because there is no need for a safe place. and secondly that used positively, our intellect can be focused outwardly and used to really take good care of ourselves this is simple but oh so powerful i love this program so far..