Coping Strategies that Work

Last spring my anxiety jumped up and hijacked my life. It was a weird time. So in June I started seeing a therapist. At this point in my life, it just makes sense. If I had a severe asthma attack and my inhaler didn't fix it, I would see the doctor. Same thing with anxiety.
Anyway, I'm finally starting to get my groove back. So for Top 10 Tuesday, here are some coping mechanisms that actually work.
10. Stop doing stuff you dislike.
Seriously, if you can get away with not doing a task, then don't do it. If a task sucks energy out of you, and you are battling mental illness, then don't waste your precious energy on it. Obviously this doesn't apply to everything. But I bet there are a lot of things in your life you can let go of for a short time.

9. Take naps. Sleep is one of the best restorative activities out there. Take little naps, big naps, short naps, long naps. Give yourself an extra hour of sleep at night. Let your body and mind drink deep of the restoration of rest.

8. Pursue laughter. Watch TV shows and movies that make you laugh. Read funny books and comedy websites. Go out to a comedy club. Use the power of streaming TV to watch a show from your past that made you laugh like crazy. Give yourself permission to laugh a little each day.

7. Depend on other people. Yes, it just might be time to let go of the illusion of control and let other people run the show for a while. Let me tell you, I don't know anyone battling mental issues who doesn't also have control issues (and that includes me). Control is pretty much a universal desire. So let it go. Let your spouse be in charge of the household. I bet it won't fall apart.

6. Get help. Find a therapist or a counselor. If that's not your thing, find someone you can talk to. Get some Reiki sessions, or schedule a few massage therapy sessions. Even a regular time with your hair stylist or a manicurist can be helpful. The point is to get a captive audience where you can talk and not have to listen. A one way street.

5. Eat healthy foods. I'm not saying you can't eat comfort foods! But everyone likes at least one healthy food. Maybe it's a fruit or vegetable. Maybe it's lean meat. Maybe it's salad, or yogurt. But find one healthy food and eat a little of it whenever you can. Making healthy food choices will keep your body in good working order, which does benefit your emotional moods. You can't eat your way out of mental illness, but you can make tiny healthy choices for yourself along the path to wellness.

4. Keep your hands busy. This is one reason that I cross stitch - to keep my hands busy. It's not mentally challenging, but it does give me a tiny win for each day. And tiny wins are really huge wins when you're battling depression or anxiety. You can cross stitch, knit, crochet, play cat's cradle, braid your hair, pet a cat or dog, etc. If nothing else, get a bowl and fill it with small objects: pebbles, buttons, rice, marbles, dried beans, beads, etc. Then run your hands through it.

3. Volunteer. I know this is a challenge. It's so hard to motivate yourself to do ANYTHING. But find a volunteer job that suits your personality and is inside your comfort zone. There are millions of volunteer activities out there, and doing something to help others, even just once a month, is a positive distraction from your own feelings.

2. Stop consuming news media. It doesn't matter whether you read Fox News or Jezebel, it's all written to create anxiety and fear. But really, when was the last time you actually did something or changed a decision based on a news story? Get a trusted friend to keep you informed about any important news stories and ignore all the rest. Worried about missing something vital? Here's what you'll be missing:

• Trump said something stupid and inflammatory
• Congress is considering a bill that will harm you
• People are killing other people. 
• Weather is happening
• Traffic is bad, usually during rush hour

1. Create a ritual for yourself. Just one small daily thing that you control entirely. A glass of wine on your porch after dinner. A cup of hot tea or coffee in the morning. One entry in a gratitude journal when you go to bed. Three yoga poses before you put on pajamas. Creating a ritual gives you something that you DO have control over. It also gives you another tiny win for your day. 

I'm doing better. I don't know why my anxiety peaked. But it doesn't matter. These are the coping strategies I used, and I'm coming out of it. I hope something here helps you!