About HardAnxiety:
This is my online journal, a tool I can use to write about my progress through recovery. I have been diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder Type 2:Ultra-Radian Cycling and Panic Disorder with Agoraphobia and also Codependencey.
Below is the workbook I am curently using, it's a great workbook, and I
recommend getting the accompanying book, Facing Codependence, from the same
authors.
Want to cheer me up? You can buy me something off of my
My Amazon.com Wish List
.
What a shameless plug, eh?
Coping Skills I Use
Below are some of the common coping skills I use to cope with my daily anxiety, panic attacks, and depression.
Pause and take notice of my surroundings. What do I see? A chair? A tree?
Use a Mantra. For me, this is usually "One Voice. Speak with one voice." What this means to me is, using inner dialog, speak with the confidence that is within me, instead of listening to myself fret and worry and talk the scary talk of anxiety.
Take a deep breath, very slowly, and actually feel the air fill up my lungs, and then slowly let it out in a big sigh.
Tell myself, that this moment, right now, right here, is my moment. Use this moment to express what I am feeling.
Observe my thoughts. Don't think about what I'm thinking about, in a manner of speaking, just observe the thoughts as if I am another person listening.
Take action, if possible. If by observing my thoughts I can find out what is really bothering me, I then take action and/or voice my concerns if possible.
Play. Just let go and play. A game, get some toys, etc. to distract myself while at the same time reminding myself that there are things that I can enjoy in life.
Give someone a nice, long, genuinely affectionate hug.
Listen to the birds outside.
If my panic attack is severe, ask for help.
If I'm feeling disoriented, use a cold wash cloth to wipe my face.
Distract myself by using the anxious energy to do something, like cleaning the closets.
Try sleeping through the panic attack. I find if I can just get myself to lay down still for ten minutes, I'll usually fall asleep and wake up refreshed.
Scream into a pillow.
Hold a pillow as if I am holding myself as a baby, cradle it and love it.
Day-dream, go off on a flight of fancy, like when I was a child and I day-dreamed about becoming an astronaut.
Use a relaxation technique. There are very many kinds of relaxation techniques, but a simple one is to find a comfortable chair to sit in, hopefully in a quiet, safe place. Begin to breath slowly, breathing deeply in for four seconds, then hold it in for four seconds, then exhale for two seconds. Keep doing this for a few minutes and it will become natural. Then, beginning with your toes, tighten each muscle for a few seconds, and then release it, working your way up to your neck. This will relax your muscles. Keep your eyes closed, and imagine yourself slowly drifting down into the chair like a floating feeling. Let your mind wander, thinking of some pleasant thoughts, like a walk along the beach or flying through the clouds. Don't try to be a perfectionist, give yourself permission to relax and permission to take the time to do it.
