New coping skills...

Hi guys!!

Today I went to see my therapist.. Had a good visit.
She shared some more coping skills for when my anxiety and moods kick in.

*It's ok to worry about things but time your worries. Allow 10 to 15 minutes to worry a day...not more than that.

*Ask yourself "can anything be done with what I'm worrying about at the time?" if not just try to find a positive from it.

*Challenge your thoughts.

helpful post.

thanks for sharing what is working for you currently

I have decided to worry about the "now" and not the future. It's extra hard but if necessary I talk myself into not worrying for what he's s not happened.

I have decide to remove any negativity of my plate, people included.

Its a work in progress.

I'm a worrier. I've had to learn to take things a day at a time; often a moment at a time. Worrying about the future is the worst. Unless I can actually do something to fix whatever is worrying me, I've learned not to get caught up in worrying about it. HARD to do, but it has improved my mood and well-being immensely.

This might not interest the irreligious, but I read a sign at a cash register today, "Hello this is God and I'm going to take care of all problems today. I don't need any help. Have a nice day."

Not saying at all that such a message should serve as an answer for anyone, but the sentiment made me smile.

The idea of allotting short daily time for worrying is clever. I wonder what time of day would be best...morning to get it done with?

When I was in primary school, my teacher told us about an advisor to the king in the 16th-17th century, who would associate a worry with each item of clothing he took of in the evening. He'd concentrate on his worries while undressing, and as he folded each piece of clothing and put it away, he would stop thinking about that particular worry.

I thought that was a brilliant idea, and started using that strategy immediately. And I still do. It helps me sleep better.

One technique I've used occasionally in the classroom is to have students take a minute to jot down whatever is distracting them in their mind and then give them a few minutes to share with other kids in their group (if they wish). Then I have them set that card aside and we begin the task at hand. Actually works remarkably well.

My T has told me to set aside a time (not too close to bedtime) to jot down my worries and then set them aside. It does help with sleep when I remember to do it.

LindaLu's little emoticon is reminding me of another coping skill for anxiety. Reducing caffeine, eliminating coffee and practicing meditation.

The pains in my chest have subsided and I'm more aware of when i begin to cycle into worried thoughts, I call it 'snowballing'. I can step outside of it more easily.

I wonder if your 'five minutes' might be followed by mindfulness mediation to clear your thoughts?

Thanks for sharing! Ashing myself the second question has always helped me.

Not new but my T had me practice deep breathing. I don't like it. Seems so foreign to me. Not used to it but it did work in session. This does not come
naturally to me, nor does it come to mind in times when I probably could use it. I would need my T there to coach me along.

I like the idea of writing down the worries and putting them aside. I'll have to give that a try. Thank you.

I haven't learned any coping skills, and neither has DD1. She has a few tricks to stop a panic attack in its tracks, such as submerging hands in ice water or breathing through a straw, not practical in class but they do work.

I already had one tiny coping skill to stop the endless negative thought loop. Yelling "stop!" at myself (not aloud) and redirecting my mind to something else, counting by 13 or reciting the multiplication tables or conjugating verbs, just long enough to break the loop. My T is all about perception and reframing and a few other CBT-ish catch-phrases. Maybe the skills come in a later stage :shrug: or I'm too dense to grasp them.

Thanks SimplyDee for sharing yours, do you mind if I borrow them?

This is brilliant, thanks. My job is toxic and I have started taking my shoes off as I return home after work, pretending it doesnt smear work junk on my floor

Another good tip, thanks!

I was getting distracted at work by random thoughts to surf the internet or phone someone socially. So I started jotting thoughts down and looking at them end of the day. Most were patently dumb and I didnt need to do them. Gradually it taught me to ignore/forget at least some impulses.

Are there self help books on these topics of managing worries or distractions?

I dont know what this means. Can you give an example?

Im excited by the practical advice in this thread. (Cant you tell) I dont get this from my therapist.

Hi, RubyRains. The deep breathing exercise takes a lot of practice. I, too, had trouble using it when I needed but once I managed it and found how much it helped my panic attacks, I started to use it more. It's now one of my main ways of controlling anxiety and I even use it to go to sleep. I use a a couple of different apps to help me. I use Buddhify and Relax. I just wanted to encourage you to keep trying.