What do you do???? I am really running out of instead ideas to keep myself from harm!

[pegasus]

Try and remember all the good coping strategies that you have been taught and be safe!

[autotelica]

I do what you're doing. I create threads on message boards asking for ideas.

I turn to my art. I lose myself in it until I have no sense of self.

Or I write a short email to my therapist, informing her that my thoughts hurt and I'm feeling hopeless.

Then I go to sleep (with clonazepam) and wake up feeling better.

I email T. Or listen to music and try to lose myself in it. Or eat a lot of junk food to try and squash the feelings down. I don't recommend the latter...

I listen to stuff on youtube sometimes and that helps. I'm sorry you're feeling bad.

Originally Posted by button30

What do you do???? I am really running out of instead ideas to keep myself from harm!

go on a hike or a long walk.

[BonnieJean]

I didn't think I could make it thrum emotional pain this afternoon. I had no help or support or distraction so I got in thecar and drove. I drove for two hours. Did some crying and imaginary talking to t. I got lost a few times and it was enough of a distraction to carry me til the episode was over.

So my long about answer is driving around

Originally Posted by button30

What do you do???? I am really running out of instead ideas to keep myself from harm!

mmmmm...wanna call me? or chat on skype?

[beauflow]

((button))

for me it differs....

some times looking a nature really helps or cute animals (they really touch a soft spot in my heart).....

Painting, music, looking at pictures of my cat at work, when at home petting my cat.. talking to my S/O (when he is up to it/me up to it)....

driving around used be a pass time, taking a walk is a great one when I can't just think of anything or sit down to do anything.....

everyone has given so great suggestions.. I hope that you find some useful too....

Please be safe,

(some times i hug one of my bears that i made, it has two sentiments, one an accomplishment, another just a bear to hold for comfort)....

I am sorry you are having a hard time. I am just learning how to self soothe, so if I can I take a bath, write, cook because doing that is really mindful, email T...write some more, music, meditation exercises ....

Originally Posted by BonnieJean

I didn't think I could make it thrum emotional pain this afternoon. I had no help or support or distraction so I got in thecar and drove. I drove for two hours. Did some crying and imaginary talking to t. I got lost a few times and it was enough of a distraction to carry me til the episode was over.

So my long about answer is driving around

I cant do this. I get upset and want to intentionally crash my car by driving off a cliff. If I'm upset my car has to be off, if I'm in it but preferably not in it so as to reduce temptation.

[BonnieJean]

Tentative - oh yes, driving would definitely not be a good distraction for you!

[funkygirl]

Hey there take a sec and take a deep breath I know it sounds stupid but sometimes it can help then take a look at the website get.gg/distresstolerance.htm and see if there is anything that you can do. there are over 100 options of things to do. I want you to know that your situation and the cause of your feelings is unique but that the feelings themselves are not unique and that I have felt the way you do before. know that tomorrow will be better and if when you wake up its not then call your dr's offfice and ask for help. if you dont think that you can make it until tomorrow then call for help now

[Perna]

Throw up your hands and laugh. Say something out loud like, "How the heck could anyone cope with all this sh#@ going on?"

Then take a pen and piece of paper (I always have a clipboard with lined school paper next to me) and make a list of the 7-10 biggest problems you have. Consolidate and eliminate them down to the 5 biggest. Rank order those and think of one thing to try to help with number 1 on the list.

Just the exercise and getting them out of your head to where you can see them instead of their swarming around looking like twice their number and getting tangled with each other, etc. might help. Then, thinking of one thing to do and working on doing it will help make you feel like things might be possible, like you have a plan/something you can do!

When you get tired; have a plan for doing something you enjoy. I would snuggle up somewhere and read, for example, or go to a farm market (it's a nice sunny, Sunday here, cool but not cold temps, etc.) and get more apples :-) plan a good dinner and go get those ingredients, etc. I'd do something that would give me a rest from thinking about my problems for a bit; I'd relegate them to 9-5/Monday-to-Friday sort of "job" instead of giving them top billing.

[WePow]

Honestly? When things are too hard, I remember that I do have the power over whether or not I stay around. It is always MY choice to continue life each day.
Somehow, my knowing that, and my claiming of my right and freedom to make that choice for my own self... somehow that opens the door of the cage inside.
I walk through the fire because I make a daily (sometimes hourly) choice to do so.

[elliemay]

When I'm feeling that life is to hard and I'm just too tired, it's really really hard for me to reunite with what is good in my life.

I always give myself one day to kind of wallow in it - how sucky my life can be.

BUT, I make an effort, a list if I have to, of what is okay with me and my life. What is good.

I make that list as trivial or as profound as I need it to be. This exercise has really helped me to turn the corner sometimes. Grounds me back in my life and not in my problems.

Thank you all for your suggestions and answers ))))
I spent all day and all night crying because I feel so alone and helpless again. Everyday I am finding it harder to find a reason to live and to stay alive...After crying I felt a little better...I have waited a long time for things to get better, I had faith that things would get better but it hasn't I have changed my attitude and behavious for the better with my situation hasn't changed.

button , i find talking helps...if you ever need to talk you can PM me.

Originally Posted by LolaCabanna

button , i find talking helps...if you ever need to talk you can PM me.

Thank you Lola, there is no one I can talk to in RL about my problems only my T and I usually dont like to bother her outside of sessions- she says to email her but I can't bring myself to get too attached to her, like I was to t2

[mixedup_emotions]

Originally Posted by button30

Thank you all for your suggestions and answers ))))
I spent all day and all night crying because I feel so alone and helpless again. Everyday I am finding it harder to find a reason to live and to stay alive...After crying I felt a little better...I have waited a long time for things to get better, I had faith that things would get better but it hasn't I have changed my attitude and behavious for the better with my situation hasn't changed.

((( HUGS )))

I can relate to this. My T told me not long ago that there have been some people that he's seen who have done everything right, worked very hard to make their lives better, and bad things still happen. We can only hope to find our way out of the rut...and sometimes we are very low on that hope.

Originally Posted by mixedup_emotions

((( HUGS )))

I can relate to this. My T told me not long ago that there have been some people that he's seen who have done everything right, worked very hard to make their lives better, and bad things still happen. We can only hope to find our way out of the rut...and sometimes we are very low on that hope.

Did T say why bad things always happen to some people and not others?
What set me off this weekend was I seen a photo of my ex on facebook and she was smiling and looking happy- after all the hurt and pain she causes everyone else. Then I decided to get out of my house and I seen the girl she cheated on me with and I went home and felt terrible all over again.

[mixedup_emotions]

Originally Posted by button30

Did T say why bad things always happen to some people and not others?
What set me off this weekend was I seen a photo of my ex on facebook and she was smiling and looking happy- after all the hurt and pain she causes everyone else. Then I decided to get out of my house and I seen the girl she cheated on me with and I went home and felt terrible all over again.

Wow, that must be incredibly painful! I'm so sorry.

Earlier on in therapy, T and I talked about why bad things seem to happen to some people....For me, in particular, my dysfunctional childhood led me to being easy prey for unhealthy people. Now that I am an adult, I need to learn to create boundaries, work on my outlook and behaviors and redirect myself to accept healthier relationships in my life - and reject the unhealthy. It's difficult, because those red flags that many people have, I tend to not feel or see....so it's hard for me to know what may be unhealthy until I am immersed in it. Recognizing the signs is an important start, but only after I've learned how to accept being deserved of better. This is still my struggle. I don't feel that way many times, but I try to act as though I do feel deserved of better.

It's not easy navigating out of unhealthy and then finding healthy in life....

[~EnlightenMe~]

I take my sleep meds. and sleep, watch T.V. shows that absorb me, post really long posts. This has been my life for quite awhile now so I hope it gets better. I hope you feel better soon.

[Towanda]

I lose myself in funny stuff on youtube. Or I watch Josh Groban "sigh"