Share your most successful coping strategies

[lilchrissy]

Thanks Tina. I feel so behind when I take classes. I took one just this past weekend and was a little embarrassed by how much individual attention the teacher gave me. I know it says go at your own pace and leave your ego at the door but sometimes my pride does get the best of me. I'm open for all suggestions and the ones you have already given are really helpful thanks

[tina martin]

My great wish would be for me to be next to you in your yoga class. I would reassure you that whatever you do is good. You are in competition with no-one. It is not easy to teach yoga. People come to class with different levels of experience and expectations. A teacher can do only so much. Some do too little, others try for too much. Some lack experience and so are learning as well. If you don't care for the attention, don't hesitate to say so. Say you like to go at your own pace or something like that.

I made yoga (and other exercise) my hobby starting many years ago. So, first, be patient with yourself (and teacher, ha ha). Second, try the library perhaps and get some books and DVD's. Slowly you can help the teacher by becoming a student. See if your library has "Babar's Yoga for Elephants" by Laurent de Brunhoff. It is an enchanting, teaching little book. But just about any book you find will get you started. With a bit of attention and effort, yoga can turn into a hobby like any other. Please don't get discouraged. Hope this helps.

[WW]

Hi Lynda again,
Just wanted to point out a couple slight differences in what I learned - We really are on the same page but these slight variations may be helpful to some- The changing of our thought patterns in essential but it is changing them to be more objective and realistic not positive that makes the difference imho. The other small variation is that while distraction is effective in the short run it works like a band-aid and can undercut treatment as the key for me was experiencing and confronting my moods and problems. I learned that avoiding them through distraction tends to reinforce their validity and make them stronger going forward and was told to avoid it. However, keeping busy is good in general and a valuable skill regardless of where you are in your life.

Really good points WW

Thanks! And you are very welcome Lynda

[egriff]

Hey WW,

Good to see you. How's life treating you? I'm doing great, but must admit I have lost my habit of doing yoga recently and gotta get back onto that. Still doing my TEA forms though. I hope you and all my other friends here are doing great!

[egriff]

Everyone must be doing great because I see few recent posts from all my friends who helped me get better on here. I hope everyone is well and would love to hear any updates?

[WW]

Hey egriff,

I am back. I have been doing really well, but stopped posting because the boards were so inactive. Now that I see my friends are back I will try and check in more often. BTW, how is everything going with you?

[LyndaLu]

Are coping strategies the same as coping skills ?

Some of the coping skills I have just recently started to implement in my life are:

Positive Self-Talk
Journaling
Art "therapy"
Music "therapy"
Socializing
Positive Affirmations
Making a gratitude list
Activity diversion
Mindfulness
Self-Soothing
Investing in relationships
Not isolating

LyndaLu

[mark167]

Hi Lynda,
Thank you for posting the coping skills that have been working for you. Thank you to everyone else on this forum for sharing their experiences, insight and wisdom in how to better deal with depression and anxiety. I need to implement a lot of those skills to get better, especially the positive self talk and not isolating myself, which I have done too much of lately. One way I will try is to reach out and post more regularly in these forums and in the chatroom, which also helps. I'm looking forward to hearing more from you.
Mark

[LyndaLu]

I am just entering what I call "recovery".
I am learning coping skills.
I know what to do, but sometimes I have a hard time doing it.
I feel successful some days, and then other days I feel like a failure.
I have a tendency to focus on the one failure of my week
instead of the many successes I have had that week.
One day I was thinking, gosh, I did not do anything worthwhile
this week ( this is how the end of my week usually ends up ).
But then I got a piece of paper and a pen and I started to write
down all of my accomplishments and achievements of the week
and I came up with many, many good things. These good things
were as small as just brushing my teeth, taking a shower, taking
out the trash, checking my mail, preparing food for myself,
making doctors appointments on the telephone, etc.
Some of those good things were going to classes and workshops
and support groups, being around people like me - - exchanging
experiences and stories of our lives-- and learning from these
exchanges and experiences. Some of those good things were
me being able to manage my symptoms in a healthy and
effective manner -- physical and emotional. Some of those
good things were taking care of my health by visiting my
doctors, maintaining my physical health. Some of those things
were going to the grocery store, the drug store, the gas station.
For folks who are really depressed and who also suffer from
anxiety, even accomplishing just one of the above is a really
great thing. So my suggestion for anyone, like me, who is having
a hard time figuring out their accomplishments and achievements
for the week, just write them down. List the big ones and the
small ones - - because they ALL count !

LyndaLu

PS: I just cannot stay away from that FONT COLOUR button !

[randy c.]

I found when my stress levels are high,Ilike to take a walk with my wife and concentrate on her feelings and just enjoy being together.Make the stress take the back seat.