Coping mechanisms

I'm dealing with a lot right now and I'd appreciate any help. I'd like to thank Trippin2.0 for this idea. I'm trying to put together a list that'll help when I'm in these situations. Even if it's just one subject, I'd be grateful. So, does anyone have any coping mechanisms for these:

Panic attacks

Hallucinations

Hearing things

Paranoia

Psychosis maybe? Not sure

Dissociation

Suicidal thoughts (no plan or anything, just thoughts)

I can't answer this right now but I will try to see all angels and have solid facts later.

Hello jtassar93: Perhaps what you're experiencing is to involved for what I have to suggest. However I use a technique referred to as "compassionate abiding". Here is a link to a nice description of the practice:

https://mindsetdoc.wordpress.com/201...e-abiding-101/

Hope you find it useful...

I usually just ride through hallucinations, including audio. This includes Dissociation too- just ride through them. I then blog about them later when they are over.

Suicidal thoughts- hard to say. The last time I had them, they were insistant and I did end up having a plan. It just sort of happened. Hard to explain.

When I'm paranoid, its harder for me to realize what's going on so I usually spend a lot of time in that state thinking someone is after me- real or imagined.

Panic attacks- my pdoc discontinued my ativan so I'm devoid of any anti-anxiety meds. I dunno what their deal is but I'm beginning to feel like they think I'm addicted or something. Dunno. So if I have a panic attack, I have to try to listen to music or watch tv to distract myself or something.

I read some of it and not sure if it's for me lol. I'll read the rest later and try it out. Thank you!

That sounds somewhat like what I'm experiencing. Thanks for the post!

1) I like to use this to help slow my breathing and calm me.
https://31.media.tumblr.com/b1406ea4...v5xlo1_500.gif

2) The more you know about your disorder the less power it has over you. I highly recommend PsychEducation | Treating the Mood Spectrum to learn about it (it's more about BP2 but still has TONS of good information from a pdoc).

3) When I get suicidal I make a list of things I have to do before I can do anything to myself. That list tends to get pretty long and there is always more to add to it. It disracts me. This does not work for times I am seriously suicidal but when I am just having intrusive thoughts it helps a lot.

4) Adult coloring books. Or kids' one but the pictures aren't as interesting or as intricate which decreases the focus needed to work on them.

5) Aromatherapy. I like essential oils but find that even soap scented in a calming scent (for me citrus which is stimulating to a lot of people) helps me calm down.

I interpret the hallucinations (I get movie-like hallucinations), which helps me. I try to answer the question "why?" and use psychotic symptoms as a key to my subconscious.

Thank you so much <3

That's a good idea, thank you.

My friend is a big fan of 'reality checks' which I do with my husband when I'm experiencing hallucinations such as did you hear that noise too or is it just me?

Then for panic attacks I play music to head them off when they are beginning and remind myself that they'll be over soon.

You're welcome JT




Panic attacks (beginning stages): I sing at the top of my lungs because it forces me to breath properly.


Orrr Breathing exercises (example inhale through my nose, hold, count to 10, and exhale through my mouth). Sometimes its helpful to have someone do it with me.


Full blown panic attack: Breath into a brown paper bag, why? Physically all that's really happening is I am choking on oxygen, so the increase in carbon dioxide helps relieve it almost instantly.


Hallucinations: Depends... If I'm not sure I fact check, using my rational mind. For example, how likely is it that a building is dancing? Result: Hahaha funnya*s building and BP!

Same goes for auditory hallucinations.

Paranoia: Admittedly I don't suffer this one much at all, but fact checking on pen and paper and then again with a trusted third party has helped a friend of mine on more than one occasion.


Psychosis: Mini coma. My brain needs to reset. In fact I'm dead sure the French pdocs did a study proving we need to be knocked the eff out when this happens so our brains have the opportunity to hit the reset button.

I think its why they drug you to your eyeballs IP sometimes....

Disclaimer: I am not advocating the abuse of psych meds


Dissociation: Sorry I got nothing, I don't have a handle on mine yet and I'm not sure pills even help.

Panic attacks - just what sort of thing is triggering these? I obsess about things and when they aren't going the way they ought to be I begin to panic. I tend to jump to negative conclusions. I think catastrophically. I get so wound up by the negativity I panic. For me I turn to my CBT tool box. De-catasrophizing really helps to deconstruct a situation I worry excessively before it happens. I just gave this link to a great worksheet on another thread.

De-catasrophizing worksheet

https://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&sourc...fybI_Ofm_wxUVw

I wish I have my sister to do reality checks with but it doesn't always work.

Thanks for the tip on panic attacks.

Thanks for everything on panic attacks. It was helpful. With the hallucinations I usually do that. But sometimes it's hard to tell , like when there are people standing near me so not sure what to do. I have my sister to help with the paranoia to a point but it doesn't always help. That sounds intense for psychosis lol. Pills don't help for my dissociation unfortunately

Thank you for the link!

Firstly, kudos to you, jtassar. Gathering coping strategies to put to use before something is happening is great! (Trying to come up with them in the midst of the issue can be very difficult at best!)

I'm compelled to talk about panic attack because I had a whopper last night (the magnitude of which hasn't happened in awhile), so it is fresh in mind. It started with a lightheadedness and a feeling that I was on the verge of losing consciousness, so I laid down. (Other than that, I'm not going to elaborate on the symptoms, just the coping.)

The main thing was to try to get a grip, right? But the act of "trying" can be counterproductive (at least I've found that so). So the key is grounding. To bring myself out of my reeling mind, and get tethered.*

* The word "tethered" came to mind from having somewhat recently having seen the movie Gravity. There is a scene where she becomes (literally) untethered. In space. So no gravity. Nothing to grab hold of. And she cannot get her bearings. I thought it was the ultimate example of abject terror. No spoilers. Point is that it all started with becoming untethered (like a panic attack). So the trick is to somehow get tethered, right?

It can be accessed in many ways. (See mindfulness.) The aim is to divert your focus. In this particular instance, some of the time I held my BF's hand in my hands while spooning, focusing on warmth and the feeling of safety. Focused on the comfort of the bed itself, etc. Then there was the breathing. I find stomach breathing helpful (where you rise and fall each breath at the stomach instead of up high where it feeds the tension). I also endeavor to relax muscles, including face. Being able to work with only a small area is ok. Do what you can, no matter how small. When it relaxes, try to go further. I image being ice cream melting on hot pavement (go figure, lol!).

Now that all seems a bit easy-peasy, must be nice to be able to do these things while freaking out, right? No. I DON'T have magical powers of self control. Far from it. Again and again and again and again I lost the focus to the terror. But again and again and again, I pulled the focus back. (Don't berate yourself for losing it, just bring it back without judgement). Really can't overstate how many times it took. But eventually, the balance shifts.

I do have a PRN and did avail myself of it. Incrementally (so as to use least amount necessary) and only after significant time had passed without improvement using the non-med techniques (as in, I didn't even take the first half before over 10 minutes in, when an average panic attack would be abating). I keep the bar quite high for using them for panic, and think that's important.

Sorry so long, but I hope you find it helpful.

Thank you! I did find it helpful

I use aromatherapy too. I take a bath in eucalyptus epsom salts and it smells so good and relaxing. I have hundreds of perfumes and select ones which suit my mood and spray my pillow with relaxing scents.

Panic attacks

Deep breathing, grabbing on some object with surface and feeling it and smelling my perfume (I used to wear heavy perfumes solely because it would ground me. They are complex enough to give me enough to focus on).

Hallucinations

I just ride it through. And reality check. Though sometimes in Prague, it's hard to tell. I mean, we have artist who because famous for his giant creepy babies and upside down dead horse. But usually when it's not moving, it's real.

Joking partly... but you get the gist of it.
Hearing things

Paranoia

Reality checking, though... for me it is a problem. Like I am 99% sure my phone is tapped and they (politicians from the other side of specter) at least occasionally read my Facebook. So I draw a line on what they cannot do or what would be too much bother, but my friends do not help.

Psychosis maybe? Not sure

Prayer, spirituality and guided imagery. If I have flashvision of bad ****, I created counter imagery of sprouting wings and having a protective shields.

Dissociation

Again, grounding by grabbing on rocks, items with feelable surface and stiffing on my whorish perfume.

Suicidal thoughts (no plan or anything, just thoughts)

focusing on the future and looking for good omens.

That's a good idea. I'll have to invest in those things!

Thanks for all of the advice! A lot of people have been saying reality check. I have my sister for that when I'm home since she goes through the same things I do. When I'm out in public though I don't know what to do. My friends don't really know too much about my illness. Maybe I should tell them? But I'm scared lol.

I'll have to try the perfume thing, never tried that before.

You don't always need someone else to reality check... If you still have logic available you can do it on your own.

Oh I didn't know that! I just figured it'd be easier with another person. I'll have to figure out how to do reality checks on my own.

You can't always reality check on your own. But with practice you can make progress and sometimes be foolproof perhaps.