#Coping Strategies

[structuredsucc]

So... what exactly are executive functioning supports...?

Planners, checklists, and reminders are definitely executive function supports, but they aren't the only things that are available. ...so, I've made a list of some examples. A thread (🧵)

Executive functioning includes so much, so executive function supports can be SO MANY things. Executive functions include decision making, working memory, task initiation, planning, prioritizing, many forms of self-regulation, and more.

So let's talk in broad categories

Category 1: Decisionmaking

Avoiding a decision altogether,

Choosing randomly,

Reducing the number of options to decide between,

Always doing the same decision (such as having a uniform for yourself),

Outsourcing decisions,

Having outside structure/expectations

Category 2: Working memory

Keeping things visible,

Reminders,

Collaborators who gently remind you of things,

Writing it down (i.e., notebooks, post-its, to-do lists, etc.),

External structure such as lunch hours,

Understanding why and how working memory fails

Category 3: Information processing

Avoiding weak processing areas (eg. reading for dyslexics like me)

Have information in multiple forms,

Make information processing context relevant,

Reduce incoming information or competing demands

Category 4: Task Management

Body doubling,

Transition time,

To-do lists,

Breaking tasks down (including people to help with that),

External structure for identify the next step,

clear, explicit instructions,

Schedules, planners, itineraries.

Category 5: Organization

Mind maps,

Labels, 

Notetaking templates,

Physical organizers,

Organizing methods (Kondo, Only 4 Things, etc.),

House cleaners, professional organizer, etc.

Clear bins,

An ability to toggle visibility

Category 6: Cognitive Flexibility

Transition time,

Pre-change warnings,

External support for identifying and reminding the new direction,

Context-based exemplars of similar change,

Visual schedules,

Reminders of when structure will start again

I've listed a lot of things here, but there are just so, so, so many more options.

Executive function supports can be ways that we think or approach situations (internal) or structures imposed on us by others (external). They can be physical tools that we can touch and interact with (tangible) or completely abstract ideas or approaches (intangible)

The big takeaways are that executive function supports can be any tool, structure, or communication that supports any of our executive functions.

Executive functioning struggles are core to the ADHD and autistic experiences (and secondary to other ND conditions). This means executive functioning takes a lot of energy for ADHD and/or autistic people, and the more support we have the more energy we can use for other things

So, yeah, planners, checklists, and reminders are definitely executive function supports, but so is a highschool bell schedule, hobby-related groups, professional services, and colleagues (consensually) harassing you to remember to send that email.

There are a lot of options!

[bearwizzard999]

Abstract 01

June 2023

[psychotic-tbh]

Huh, I don’t think I ever posted about the color-related coping mechanism I use

Basically I give myself three options for colors, one bright (orange, red, etc.), one easily found in nature (green, brown, etc.), and one neutral (white, black, grey). It’s okay if you need someone to help you choose!

Once I pick a color I look around wherever I am in that moment and try to list off things of the color I chose

You don’t have to count unless you want to, and it works almost anywhere!

If it doesn’t work the first time, that’s okay! You can do it a few more times (assuming it proves helpful for you. Everyone is different so it’s possible it won’t work for all)

I find it most helpful for anxiety, dissociation, and hallucinations

I also found this on my own, and outside of therapy

Sorry for the wall of text, I hope you’re all well!

[schizopositivity]

i don't know if that makes sense, but whenever i start holding specifically a paranoid belief, it helps me to make up a fake counter-fact.

it's a little dangerous because i am still making myself believe in things contrary to reality, but so far it's worked without me losing myself in them.

a little example and of course tw for unreality, hallucinations and potentially paranoia inducing thoughts:

i always was incredibly terrified about something unknown being in my apartment - chasing me, watching me sleep, etc - to the point i started hallucinating it. but then i gave the "thing" a name and some rules, and now i'm (mostly) okay!

if i hear something at night, especially auditory hallucinations i can simply blame my "thing" flatmate, Adrien. he KNOWS he's not supposed to come into my room at night! he can roam freely when i'm out of the house, but once i'm home he has to stay in the other room.

he's also not allowed in the bathroom, which has greatly alleviated my reflection induced hallucinations (i barely get them at all anymore!)

I actually love this, it made me giggle. I'm such a fan of out-of-the-box coping strategies (as long as they aren't harmful of course). Especially with psychotic symptoms, they are usually nonsensical, so your own way of dealing with it can be kinda nonsensical too.

I myself have created similarly strange coping skills that have actually helped me a lot over the years. Like naming my cat Demon (what I called my old persistent hallucination). So now instead of being like "what's that noise at night??? Is it Demon??? >:0" I will be like "what's that noise at night? Is it my sweet baby boy Demon?! :D". I also love putting stuff like "creepy" dolls or a full size skeleton, and other Halloween decorations in my apartment, because that way the hallucinations can kinda just blend in, and I'm more desensitized to seeing random eyes staring at me in the dark lol.

[homicidal-awareness]

Coping Strategies for Homicidal Ideation

This is a list of things you can try when you're experiencing strong homicidal ideation.

Feel free to suggest more coping strategies! The ones here are compiled from things I've done myself, and things I've had recommended to me by other people. It's meant to be comprehensive, and to give you an idea of things to try when you're struggling, or if some methods aren't working.

Ordered roughly from most gentle to most violent.

Mindfulness

For easing it

Practice breathing exercises and meditation

Sit by yourself out in nature

Take a walk (conditional, only by yourself or if you feel safe passing by other people)

Vent (to friends, anonymously online, or in a private journal/notes app)

Take a cold shower

Exercise or practice martial arts

Listen to violent music

Write your homicidal thoughts out as they appear in your mind. If written digitally, you can delete the file. If written on paper, you can rip it up, throw it away, or burn it.

Draw violent art, or scribble on a page

Violent Methods

For getting it out of your system

Find an isolated space or room and scream out loud

Scream into a pillow

Rip paper or cheap fabric

Punch or 'choke' a pillow or plushie

Smash old plates with a hammer

Light paper on fire

Stab cardboard boxes

Stab a pillow or plushie (can additionally tape a picture of someone you hate to a pillow if you want/need)

Stab a cutting board

Cut meat

[my-autism-adhd-blog]

Coping Strategies

Neurodivergent_lou

[sensible-tips]

Mindful Monday

Tips for dealing with dysphoria when it reels its ugly head.

[positivelyqueer]

I learned the practice of letting my intrusive thoughts go on their way rather than fixating on them in therapy several years ago.

But it became much easier and more amusing when I incorporated the tumblr gained phrases “[what if there were two men on the moon and one of them killed the other with a rock] wouldn’t that be fucked up or what?” and “anyway I’m Rod Stirling.”

[healingpuppys]

How to cope with a trauma anniversary!

for some slight context, today is a very awful day for us, we have many trauma anniversaries, and though they seem to never get better throughout the years we have found a way to cope with some things!

Waking up

waking up the morning of a trauma anniversary can feel jarring, and sometimes at first you don’t realize it’s a trauma day, it’s different for everyone when they may realize! sometimes you can wake up and your body feels heavier, you may feel fuzzy, and gross; although these feelings are awful it’s very important to ground yourself, it’s ok to let yourself feel those feelings but don’t let it overcome you and cause you to spiral. A few grounding tips we have are:

find a comfort item, it can be anything! just something that brings you joy and comfort.

play a song or video that helps you calm down, focus on the beat and try to tap your fingers along with it

wrap yourself in a big blanket, for us personally it gives us a sense of safety when we most need it and it can be you’re safe space

these are just a few and of course there are plenty more you can use!

Flashbacks

Flashbacks are again a horrible and very painful experience. We also have things called ptsd induced hallucinations, where sometimes a flashback can trigger hallucinations and make life in the moment so much worse. if you experience these as well we have a few tips! even if you don’t experience these you can still use the tips!

reality check your self but not in a negative way, say things like “nothing can hurt me in this moment” “i am safe” etc.

distractions!! I know some people say “distractions won’t help you process through things” no, and a lot of people on a day like this don’t want or need to process anything, we are put in the mindset of trauma responses and are simply trying to survive the day, it’s important to have things that can ease our mind in those moments

comfort food, comfort food or drinks can always help and bring you away from a certain memory into another

calming or nice smells, candles or anything that has a nice sent can help distract the mind and sometimes put you in a different mind set

Eating

eating or getting hungry can be a struggle, for some they feel nauseous or sick at times during the day, which is completely normal! It is important to try to eat, and again if you can’t that’s completely ok there’s no need to feel shame in it just remember to hydrate and eat when you feel better! some tips to help one feel hungry or eat

Comfort food again!! comfort food can bring one out of a memory sometimes and into a happier or calmer one! and who doesn’t love comfort food!!

watching people cooking! it can sometimes be helpful for someone to regain hunger by watching others cook and plate some delicious looking food

Sleeping

sleeping can be hard on these days, for us we don’t get much sleep the night of our trauma date, but trust me it’ll make you feel much better.

Water/rain/forrest/wind sounds, they can be very calming and helpful to sleep, for us the forrest is one of our favorite places to be so we can sleep very soundly with noises of the forrest

youtube videos, something calming or funny as background noise can help someone’s mind relax enough to fall asleep

melatonin/prescribed sleeping meds, for some simple distractions won’t be enough so if you’re able we recommend taking something that can help you sleep

breathing/meditation! meditating is known to relax your body and mind also helping you clear tension built up in your body, we highly recommend this strategy!

though some of these things may not be helpful for some we hope to give people ideas and what personally helps us! remember lovely’s you’re valid, you’re strong, and you are all amazing! please remember to stay safe!!

[us-being-us2]

Dopamine Seeking

Do any other ADHDers or autistic folks find that they try to wring every last drop of dopamine out of every activity that actually gives a registerable amount of dopamine, to the point that they're wildly overstimulated/feeling ill/ no longer having and enjoyable time by the time they stop? Does anyone have trouble recognizing when to stop/ a stopping point not dictated by these uncomfortable feelings that persist after stopping? Suggestions/hacks/coping strategies? Trouble with transitions and task switching doesn't help.

[schizodiaries]

ten ways I cope with psychosis

Grounding techniques — Make use of the five senses: Listen to your favorite song. Run your hands under cold water. Taste your favorite snack. Smell your favorite candle. Look at beautiful artwork. Be mindful about the sensations you feel while engaging in these activities.

Listening to music — My go-to way to deal with auditory hallucinations. I recommend listening to instrumental music, if you are prone to ideas of reference.

Creating art — A good creative outlet takes the focus away from my psychosis and towards whatever it is I’m creating. Plus I can make something that symbolizes how I feel while psychotic.

Taking a walk — This can be hard to do if I’m psychotic, as the paranoia makes me think people outside are watching or following me. So what I like to do is pace the hallway in my house. It helps me keep my mind off things.

Journaling — Writing out what I’m feeling can be an immense relief, especially when I’m experiencing delusions. Also I can also look back at these thoughts and reflect on them.

Identifying triggers — Discovering what makes you psychotic can help to prevent future episodes. (Be mindful about who you share this info with as others could use it against you.)

Breathing exercises — When I’m psychotic my stress and anxiety levels ramp up. Just one minute of deep, steady breathing helps to keep those levels under control.

Spend time with pets — Pets don’t judge you for being psychotic. They’re perfect for snuggles, and running your hands through their fur reduces stress and anxiety, and makes for a good grounding exercise.

Asking for reality checks — Sometimes I have trouble telling what’s real and what’s not. When in doubt, asking a trusted person for a reality check can be very helpful in dispelling delusions or paranoia. If you’re alone, recording with your phone can help to verify if you’re hallucinating.

Finding a community online — One if the worst parts of psychosis is feeling like you’re completely alone in this. But you’re not. I found communities of psychotic people on Tumblr, Reddit, Youtube, and more. I find that being around people like me helps me feel less alone in my mental health journey.

[kittycommitte]

[madfishmonger]

Triaging Emotions

I have the big feelings, and it can end up being a problem when I am over reactive and make things worse, so I've started doing a thing I call triaging my emotions.

When you go to an emergency room, the EMTs or nurses assess the problem and then decide what order you will be seen in. That list is made in order of severity - the patient having a heart attack who will be dead within minutes goes before the person who broke their ankle. Both are serious problems and require medical help, but a short wait for a broken ankle will not result in death, so the heart attack goes first.

Visualizing the problem as a patient arriving in my emergency room, I have to now get the whole story* out of the patient before deciding where to triage the problem to. Is it a heart-attack level problem? Does it require quick, decisive action? Can it wait a moment while I prepare other resources or information? Do I need to get the results from a specialist before I can move forward?

What's the state of my emergency room? If I'm overwhelmed and stuffing patients in hallways, things aren't working out and I probably need help. If things are proceeding smoothly, can I take a moment and really examine my thoughts on this one patient's case?

Doing this visualization has provided two benefits: one, I see the problem as separate from my emotions. It's the patient, I'm the triage nurse. Two, it's like taking a deep breath, but in my brain. I'm pausing to go through the visualization, which helps me break the habitual immediate high-intensity reaction I tend to have.

It takes practice, like all coping methods, but I have found it useful, I hope others do too.

*If you've ever heard horror stories from the ER, patients will often not reveal important details either because of embarrassment, shock, or not realizing its relevancy. I remember this when something happens that makes me immediately emotional - do I have the whole story? Is this being done to elicit this reaction in me? Has the information I received been redacted? Ask questions first.

[giftofgabber]

This is under the most stress I’ve ever been, but it’s feasible I think if I keep doing what I’ve been doing -_-

[notimjustagirl]

How to Handle Emptiness When It Feels Overwhelming

Feeling empty can be tough—it’s like there’s nothing to hold onto. No clear thoughts, no direction, just a quiet heaviness. If you’re experiencing this, know that you’re not alone, and it’s okay to feel this way. Here’s a gentle guide to help you navigate through these moments.

1. Acknowledge Your Feelings

Instead of pushing the emptiness away, try to recognize it. Say to yourself:

“It’s okay to feel this.”

“Emotions don’t always need reasons.”

By acknowledging it, you allow yourself to face it rather than avoid it.

2. Let Your Thoughts Flow

Take some time to sit quietly and let your thoughts come without judgment. This can help you connect with what’s beneath the surface.

Find a quiet space.

Close your eyes and breathe deeply.

If you feel like it, jot down whatever comes to mind—it doesn’t need to make sense.

3. Look for Small Sparks

Even in emptiness, there might be flickers of something meaningful:

A memory that makes you smile.

A favorite song that brings comfort.

A small act of self-care, like making tea or wrapping yourself in a blanket.

These tiny sparks might not fix everything, but they can help you reconnect with yourself.

4. Be Kind to Yourself

Treat yourself as you would a close friend. Remind yourself:

“I’m allowed to feel this way.”

“This is temporary.”

Sometimes, self-compassion is the first step toward feeling better.

Even in silence, there’s something worth listening to.

Emptiness isn’t easy to face, but it doesn’t define you. Take things one moment at a time, and trust that even in the quiet, you’ll find a way forward.

___

[positivelyqueer]

sometimes the recovery voice in my head is just me, and I believe firmly in autonomy and harm reduction so I’m going to pass on what it says to me:

You don’t actually Have to do anything. You don’t Have to do recovery. You don’t Have to better yourself in any way. There’s nothing and no one forcing you at the very end of the day. What you do have to do though, because of the inevitability of time and cause and effect, is experience the consequences of your actions.

So yeah. Maybe you don’t have to do recovery. But then you’ll be sick and in pain forever, and that doesn’t sound like a consequence I’d want to live with.

You don’t have to reach out to friends and avoid the desire to self isolate. But then you’d be alone. And being lonely is awful.

You don’t have to make an attempt to keep your self destructive habits in check and apply harm reduction techniques, but the consequences of that are dangerous and life threatening and upsetting, not just for yourself.

The point is, feeling like you Have to do these things, that you’re being forced, can make you feel like running away or giving up. So give yourself permission to do the thing. But realise there will be consequences whether you want them or not. And are those consequences things you actually want to deal with?