Share your most successful coping strategies

[Paisleegreen]

Posted July 14, 2010 02:05 PM Hide Post
I used to use distraction but that was only short term relief. What has gotten me feeling better the past three years is countering my thoughts in the TEA form exercise in the CBT book by Sam Obitz. Really simple and I just spend five minutes on them a day and I have totally turned around my thinking so it does not make me anxious all the time anymore

I like what you had to add WW. Is that you use to use distraction, but found you needed the TEA forms or CBT that helped. This is just what my Psychologist talked to me about at my last visit.

He said that you find ways to cope w/ what is bothering and never quite get down to the my own words, "brass tacks" so each new situation you think that is the problem, but there is something else underlying that isn't resolved.

So partly that is true, sometimes if I go do my gardening or something else to distract me, I might get in some good thinking processes. But I can't always go and garden so I know I probably need to do some pencil work.

[egriff]

Great points paisleegreen and I totally relate. I also agree with Tina about exercising helping a lot too. The more coping mechanisms we have at our disposal the better. So I have My TEA forms, exercise and may have to add in some gardening now too/

Merry Christmas everyone!

[lmcece]

Just like what others are saying. Try and get up and move whether that is walking outside, cleaning house, sweeping, or walking the dog. At the same time, take deep breaths. Find something that takes your mind off your feelings of being uptight. Once you have worked through it, go back and see what cause it. What were you thinking...etc? And then develop something to change those thoughts.

[Molly77]

Even though I am on my last day of session 1..I find that using positive thinking affirmations when I go into negative thinking really helps me to be able to breathe through the anxiety attack at the same time. Then the anxiety attack is over and I feel a bit better about myself at the same time. Although there are a few times that it doesn't work as well as the time before it but I think we have to remember that we are perfectionists and we won't perfectly be able to get rid of feeling anxiety permanently. That feeling uncomfortable feelings will happen often in life and we need to learn to accept that. Atleast, that awareness helps me to learn to stay where I am and ride the wave of the feeling better...

[Paisleegreen]

Molly77--You're so right, we are perfectionist and we probably won't get rid of feeling the anxiety symptoms "perfectly", ain't that the truth! That is why it is so hard...I have to talk to myself and tell myself that I'm getting older, I do not have the same body I had last year or 5 years ago, or 10.

I'm a different person and have experienced different things which add up to the way I think about things. I'm just not going to have the less populated city I use to have or the same abilities or skills. My vision is not going to be the same, it is changing as I age.

So of course, that is going to affect the way I feel about things also. Life is always changing... :p My dear husband always says to me that eventually your mind is going to get more forgetful and you won't know what you are missing or care.

So of course, that gets me worrying!
I'm glad I have this forum to go to, so that I don't go insane! Yikes! Paislee

[smallyfish]

It looks like it's a pretty nice excise,I like to try some different stuff now and then.

[Vain Weather]

Thank you all for the ideas! I can relate to many of the statements.

I personally start writing music, playing my guitar, and I even found myself in a very peaceful state when I was painting with my 3 little kids...making a huge mess on our wood floors and loving it!

Life is so much less complicated than what I have made it to be! Thank you all so much! Just the fact that you are willing to share and willing to be brave is so empowering and inspiring to me!

[egriff]

Welcomer and happy New year to all the new people
Countering your thoughts in a TEA form everyday for just a couple minutes a day will lead to much less worry and anxiety. It takes a few weeks to start feeling the effects but it has gotten better and better for me since I started using them.

[WW]

Originally posted by Paisleegreen:

Posted July 14, 2010 02:05 PM Hide Post
I used to use distraction but that was only short term relief. What has gotten me feeling better the past three years is countering my thoughts in the TEA form exercise in the CBT book by Sam Obitz. Really simple and I just spend five minutes on them a day and I have totally turned around my thinking so it does not make me anxious all the time anymore

I like what you had to add WW. Is that you use to use distraction, but found you needed the TEA forms or CBT that helped. This is just what my Psychologist talked to me about at my last visit.

He said that you find ways to cope w/ what is bothering and never quite get down to the my own words, "brass tacks" so each new situation you think that is the problem, but there is something else underlying that isn't resolved.

So partly that is true, sometimes if I go do my gardening or something else to distract me, I might get in some good thinking processes. But I can't always go and garden so I know I probably need to do some pencil work.

Thanks Paislee
So how's that pencil work coming along for you now? I certainly hope you are seeing an impact!!

[WW]

Welcome smally and Vain!