I’m not quite sure how to call this, but the closest thing I can think of is coping mechanisms. The purpose is to help you feel better in times of distress right ? Well, taking a look at that concept I was curious if anyone had some coping skills that physically manifest and seem to help. I have three — I wouldn’t call them “weird” but one I’m particular is a bit different I think:

Playing with my hands — I find myself squeezing my fingers together and rubbing my hands in a motion similar to washing them. The more upset I am the more I realize I do it and the harder I tend to squeeze.

Rocking — I process a lot by saying it out loud as if someone was there to listen. I notice a lot of the times I’ll start rocking myself as I talk about these things. I may even play with my hands at the same time:

Sleeping on the floor — this one I can’t really figure out when it started but I’ve done it for a long time. When I get really upset, especially when I feel the situation cannot be resolved no matter what I do, I tend to curl up in a ball on the floor and sleep.

So there are a few of my physical manifestations of trying to relieve distress. They are kind of personal to me, as in I feel a bit naked exposing them to you all but wanted to pose the question anyway.

If you’re comfortable sharing, do you have any physical things you do unconsciously or consciously when feeling distressed ? I’m curious to know.

[Mountaindewed]

I play with my hands.

I do this weird thing with my foot where I move it around suddenly when I feel a strong emotion

I need to sleep fully clothed except for shoes. I take naps with my shoes on though. Like I need to sleep in jeans. I’ve been doing it since I was 6 and I don’t sleep well if I’m not wearing pants, a T shirt, and in the winter, a hoodie. I’ve even slept wearing a belt before.

I go through phases where I’m obsessed with eating odd foods. Then I suddenly stop. Currently it’s skittles.

[bpcyclist]

Sleeping on the floor when psychotic. No idea why.

[convalescence]

Pacing. Pacing all day. Idk if it helps relieves distress, or if it helps me calm my mind & think stuff through.

Originally Posted by convalescence

Pacing. Pacing all day. Idk if it helps relieves distress, or if it helps me calm my mind & think stuff through.

I’m a pacer too.

[Jmayfair]

Pacing is something I always do. Especially when troubled.

break stuff that belongs to me

it takes the harm away from me, and though it can be quite distressing sometimes when an item I like gets broken, it is also strangely calming and satisfying seeing it in little peaces

make kissing sounds with my lips. it just feels good to me

sing songs I used to sing as a child.

mainly nursery rymes

[*Beth*]

I also rock, gently. It feels comforting to me.

[fern46]

The floor makes a lot of sense to me. You're churning a ton of extra electrochemical energy when psychotic. By sleeping on the floor you're essentially grounding yourself the same way your house does in a lightning storm except the lightning is pulsing through your body.

Your thoughts generate electric pulses that move in transverse waves like light and lightning travel. Your emotions generate chemical waves that move like sound waves the same way thunder travels. They move through you and out of your body. Grounding helps siphon off the excess.

You can also... Hug a tree. Sit at the base of a tree. Walk barefoot in the grass. Put your hands in the dirt. Eat earthy foods that grow in the ground like beets and potatoes. Get some sand and place it in a bucket or tray and play with it. Play with a rock collection. Etc...

[fern46]

Originally Posted by BethRags

I also rock, gently. It feels comforting to me.

This makes sense to me for the same reason as the grounding. Motion in the form we would want our thoughts and emotions to move in. Slow and gentle waves. A lot of psych patients rock. I personally believe this is why.

[cashart10]

I pace and rock also. And, I have a very specific way of rubbing my hands using a coping skill called havening.

[Soupe du jour]

So many of mine yield negative things, unfortunately. I guess one that isn't that bad is talking to myself and repeating phrases, as long as I don't do it in public.

make animal noises

[Rick7892]

I sometimes focus my attention on slowly circularly massaging the palm of one hand with the thumb of the other hand. I find this calming, in part because by focusing on my body, it gets me out of my head. But it also feels good to me.

Several decades ago, I found I became calmer when I slowly rocked in a rocking chair (A Chair That Can Help You Heal?). I now have 2 rocking chairs, one in my front room and one in my bedroom. I use the one in the bedroom to sit and rock if I wake up up and my mind is churning. I might not fall asleep in the rocker, but I at least get some rest that helps the next day. Other times the slow rocking will be relaxing enough that I can go back to bed and fall asleep.

I have found that the speed of rocking in the chair makes a big difference. If I do about 2 or more times in 5 seconds, I get more wound up, not less. I have had 2 therapists who also have rockers they use for relaxing.

Pacing forward, turning around, and then pacing back does not work for me--it gets me wound up. Instead, I slowly walk forward, then straight backward without turning around. I do this where I can walk backward without falling or tripping over stuff. It seems to give an outlet to my nervous energy. I don't do this around people!

What works for one of us may not work for another.

[Pookyl]

I’ve noticed that when I sit down that I cross and uncross my ankles. Quite annoying.

Originally Posted by MarcusAurelius

I’m not quite sure how to call this, but the closest thing I can think of is coping mechanisms. The purpose is to help you feel better in times of distress right ? Well, taking a look at that concept I was curious if anyone had some coping skills that physically manifest and seem to help. I have three — I wouldn’t call them “weird” but one I’m particular is a bit different I think:

Playing with my hands — I find myself squeezing my fingers together and rubbing my hands in a motion similar to washing them. The more upset I am the more I realize I do it and the harder I tend to squeeze.

Rocking — I process a lot by saying it out loud as if someone was there to listen. I notice a lot of the times I’ll start rocking myself as I talk about these things. I may even play with my hands at the same time:

Sleeping on the floor — this one I can’t really figure out when it started but I’ve done it for a long time. When I get really upset, especially when I feel the situation cannot be resolved no matter what I do, I tend to curl up in a ball on the floor and sleep.

So there are a few of my physical manifestations of trying to relieve distress. They are kind of personal to me, as in I feel a bit naked exposing them to you all but wanted to pose the question anyway.

If you’re comfortable sharing, do you have any physical things you do unconsciously or consciously when feeling distressed ? I’m curious to know.

All of these are familiar territory. I tap out a number pattern out or trace the alphabet in my hand, all the more as anxiety increases. I do rock, but only when I'm doing quite badly. Sleeping on the floor... well, when I am severely depressed, I feel like the bed is "too high". (Like I'm not worthy??) I've also used a "hidey- hole" to curl up in. Also when I'm doing quite badly. This rather old body isn't cool with being on the floor for long though...

I wave my hands through the air

wiggle quite a bit. the movement makes me feel good (and helps any gas I have come out. lol)

[Miss Laura]

Mmmmm I don't really know....

I do pace alot

Wiggle my feet rapidly but mostly my right foot

Move about like walking up and down rather than pacing

Diddle my knees

Hide in corners

Play with my hands

Rub my neck i hold loads of tension up there

Spin sometimes

I have trained my alexa to sing round- and round the garden

so sometimes, I like to ask her to sing it and imagine her tickling my hand.

lol

start on a rant about everything wrong with me (to no one in particular, just myself)

you might think that this doesn't help, but trust me: their's so much wrong with me, that soon it becomes more of a commedy sketch and I laugh at just how weak I am

I know. weird one. but it works

I also sing a song about homework (which me and a friend made up at school). it lists all the possibilities why I might not be able to do it (no pen, no paper, no worksheet). it just makes me laugh.

do a big burp

the sound (and the after feeling of relief) makes me feel good

Originally Posted by raging vortex

start on a rant about everything wrong with me (to no one in particular, just myself)

you might think that this doesn't help, but trust me: their's so much wrong with me, that soon it becomes more of a commedy sketch and I laugh at just how weak I am

I know. weird one. but it works

I also sing a song about homework (which me and a friend made up at school). it lists all the possibilities why I might not be able to do it (no pen, no paper, no worksheet). it just makes me laugh.

I absolutely love that about the song. And I talk to myself about my issues too. It does help.

[Living in LaLa Land]

I'm a pacer and rocker.

Also, I talk to myself. Can't help it.

[FluffyDinosaur]

Compulsively cleaning myself, it's some sort of nervous/anxious thing. Even when I'm already sparkling clean. Sometimes I go on until my skin starts to bleed.

Cracking my joints a lot.

Getting impulses to punch holes in the walls or smash things up, although I generally control that.

Also, anybody else laugh out loud like a madman for no reason when getting hypomanic?