So, we all know meds are personal to body chemistry -- what works and what doesn't and why. We also know that meds aren't always enough to keep us functioning. I was just curious, how many coping skills have you developed and/or learned through friends, forums, counselors etc. Have you learned any coping skills that may not be ideal, but are harmless in general?

For me, depressions are deep and long, and painful. Journaling is something I do in a Microsoft Word Document since I type much faster than I can write (although the physical motion of writing can be relieving). I do stream of consciousness writing everyday for at least 10 minutes a day. It is sometimes a hassle, but it's helpful -- I get a chance to let aspects I can't always express out. I would reccomend it for anyone. It's done a lot to help manage my depression.

One thing I do often that is not really ideal, but harmless is I pace and talk to myself, or talk to someone and pace my home. I can do this for hours on end. I don't mind it and I guess it is "exercise", but I find myself doing at my job and making some nervous.

Anyway, what tips and coping skills are you guys willing to share?

[Victoria'smom]

A hot shower saves my sanity at times. It grounds me.
Coloring helps me focus
I'm trying to use lotion in replace of negative coping skills

Originally Posted by Miguel'smom

A hot shower saves my sanity at times. It grounds me.
Coloring helps me focus
I'm trying to use lotion in replace of negative coping skills

Oh, like you I could color all day long! I enjoy that a lot.

[Guiness187055]

I need to start coloring. I have heard great things about it.

[Fuzzybear]

I also want to start colouring..

I like watching YouTube videos. I especially enjoy documentaries because they can be very intriguing and thought provoking. For example, I once watched I think 13 or 14 different prison documentaries? Most of the prisons were located in the U.S., but some were in the U.K.. There's a lot of interesting psychology in those videos, and some of the content deals with mental illness and culture.

There are also some cool ER and medical documentaries that deal with unusual or rare medical conditions. And the obesity documentaries are very interesting as well.

But yeah, I dunno. You can find all sorts of cool stuff on YouTube that absorb your attention. History ones are interesting as well, although you have to be careful because some of them are filled with conspiracy garbage.

Originally Posted by bluebicycle

I like watching YouTube videos. I especially enjoy documentaries because they can be very intriguing and thought provoking. For example, I once watched I think 13 or 14 different prison documentaries? Most of the prisons were located in the U.S., but some were in the U.K.. There's a lot of interesting psychology in those videos, and some of the content deals with mental illness and culture.

There are also some cool ER and medical documentaries that deal with unusual or rare medical conditions. And the obesity documentaries are very interesting as well.

But yeah, I dunno. You can find all sorts of cool stuff on YouTube that absorb your attention. History ones are interesting as well, although you have to be careful because some of them are filled with conspiracy garbage.

Oh I can't tell you how much time I've spent just watching documentaries on mental illness, drug addiction and prisons on YouTube! Some of my very favorite are on the heroin epidemic in the US. I live in that area so it's shocking to see how it all goes down.

I've learned many many coping skills through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT). I've had the coping skills pounded into my head so many times that I actually do use some without even making a conscious effort to do so. Grounding skills ended a period where I had a lot of depersonalization/derealization, exposure and visualization helped me get past mild phobias, including agoraphobia. And finally getting on board that "opposite to emotion action" and tools like a dysfunctional thought record can make what once seemed impossible more than possible.

I do have one negative coping habit (I'll call it a habit since it isn't a very good one) that I can't seem to stop. That's grinding my teeth and shifting my jaw during the daytime. It's sort of a comfort habit, but does harm to my teeth and really doesn't look that appealing to others who spot me doing it. Sometimes I stop for a while, but I come back to it. I don't think I used to do it way back when I used alcohol for self-medication.

I write a blog in rough time and share it on my FB. I think it helps my friends understand where I'm at and let's me get things out of my head.

I have a weighted blanket I named "tango". When I can't cope I get under tango and just breath.

I color as well in my harry potter coloring book.

I listen to music and dance my feelings out around my house.

I message my friends. I have amazing friends.

I commit to 10 minutes outside a day whether I want to or not.

[Tucson]

Originally Posted by BirdDancer

[snip]

I do have one negative coping habit (I'll call it a habit since it isn't a very good one) that I can't seem to stop. That's grinding my teeth and shifting my jaw during the daytime. It's sort of a comfort habit, but does harm to my teeth and really doesn't look that appealing to others who spot me doing it. Sometimes I stop for a while, but I come back to it. I don't think I used to do it way back when I used alcohol for self-medication.

I grind my teeth all day long. As a result, I have shattered two teeth and broke two crowns. This will be about $5,000 of repair. So now I try to catch myself doing it.

[DaisyCat3]

Originally Posted by Brentus

So, we all know meds are personal to body chemistry -- what works and what doesn't and why. We also know that meds aren't always enough to keep us functioning. I was just curious, how many coping skills have you developed and/or learned through friends, forums, counselors etc. Have you learned any coping skills that may not be ideal, but are harmless in general?

For me, depressions are deep and long, and painful. Journaling is something I do in a Microsoft Word Document since I type much faster than I can write (although the physical motion of writing can be relieving). I do stream of consciousness writing everyday for at least 10 minutes a day. It is sometimes a hassle, but it's helpful -- I get a chance to let aspects I can't always express out. I would reccomend it for anyone. It's done a lot to help manage my depression.

One thing I do often that is not really ideal, but harmless is I pace and talk to myself, or talk to someone and pace my home. I can do this for hours on end. I don't mind it and I guess it is "exercise", but I find myself doing at my job and making some nervous.

Anyway, what tips and coping skills are you guys willing to share?

Hi I'm new here and I hope I'm doing this right! I don't really get where I should do my "5 posts" before I can chat. Anyway, I just wanted to say that I think it's awesome that you are journaling. Very powerful. I saw a YouTube video recently about "Morning Pages." Have you heard of them?

[Pookyl]

30min outside every day.
A mindfulness exercise called ‘leaves on a stream’. It helps keep ideation and rumination moving out of my head.

Writing, reading (anything, lately, though I’m on a Pynchon kick and got into a Delillo...), watching movies and listening to music.

I was never able to adapt other types of coping skills.

[taybaby]

Like bird dancer said I too have the bad habit of clenching my teeth and jaw. Another probably bad habit is doing too much video games. When I am overly anxious I try to "escape" into World of Warcraft and will play for hours until my back hurting makes me stop. I've also been extremely itchy lately so I scratch myself raw, and my therapist thinks it might be a psychological thing but who knows.

As for positive coping methods, I regularly use breathing techniques. I also tell myself to "STOP" when I'm freaking out, and when I think something is wrong with me I list out my symptoms and then look at them and tell myself I'm fine. I read a lot of self help books and books on living with bipolar that seem to help me feel like I'm doing something to get better..

Since being medicated the one thing I keep struggling with is paranoia. No coping method seems to really help. I just choose not to outwardly react to it but on the inside I am freaking out.