#Coping mechanism

[vroomvroomwee]

Do you want to comfort your fav fictional character because you love them and don't want them to be alone or do you want to do it because you see yourself in them and you project onto them and comforting them is the only way you can comfort yourself since you've always had to manage and take care of your own feelings and had to suffer alone and be the only one there for yourself? Hmm?

[lavender-gloom]

if something bad happens in my life, just know that my characters will be going through the exact same thing

[agere-guide]

How to regress (AGERE)?

🧸 1. Create a Safe Space

Find a private, quiet, and comfortable place.

Use soft lighting, cozy blankets, and items that feel safe.

If you have a caregiver (CG), let them know you're regressing. (If possible! some littles may be nonverbal <3)

🎨 2. Gather Comfort Items (Optional but Helpful)

Stuffies/plushies

Blankets or pacifiers

Sippy cups or bottles

Snacks (like applesauce, juice boxes, goldfish crackers)

Toys, coloring books, or sensory items

🎧 3. Choose Comforting Activities

Watch cartoons or kids’ movies

Color or play with toys

Listen to lullabies or soft music

Nap or cuddle with a stuffed animal

Use kids' apps or games

Talk in a childlike voice if it helps

🫧 4. Let Go of Adult Worries

Try to mentally "put away" responsibilities

Use affirmations like: "I am safe." "I don’t have to worry right now." "It’s okay to be small."

🛑 5. Set Limits

Set a timer if you have things to do later

Avoid regressing in unsafe or inappropriate environments

Practice self-care after regressing — drink water, reflect gently, and ease back into your usual mindset

Optional: Journaling or Memory Triggers

Some find it helpful to keep a regression journal or make a playlist of comforting songs, shows, or smells that help trigger the regressed mindset.

⚠️ Important Notes

Please keep an eye on yourself; keep safe when regressing.

Remind yourself: “It’s okay to need comfort.” There’s no shame in wanting to feel little or cared for.

You don’t have to “act like a child” — regression is about your internal experience, not outward behavior.

Everyone's regression looks different; there is no wrong or right way to regress.

[mindfulstudyquest]

❥﹒♡﹒☕﹒ 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗮 𝗯𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗼𝘂𝘁; this is my personal way of coping with burnout, it may not work for you, but feel free to share in the comments the things that make you feel better when you feel this way ( blogger's note at the end of the post ).

𝟭. recognize the signs ( 🏳️ )

the moment of denial is over. i know, burnouts always come at the worst times when you have upcoming exams and a thousand things to do, but ignoring it won't get you anywhere, on the contrary, it will only prolong the worst, so recognizing and accepting the signs of burnout is the first step to getting out of it. if you don't end it, it'll end you, right? some common symptoms of burnout are exhaustion, excessive irritability, hormonal imbalances, change in appetite (too much or too little), sleep irregularities, increase in nervous tics.

𝟮. take time off ( 🫧 )

allow yourself to rest and recharge by taking a break from work or other stressors. depending on the severity of the burnout you may need an afternoon, or perhaps a couple of days to recover, it's not important, the important thing is that you reserve some deep rest that can really recharge you to start studying/working again. put off all non-essential tasks, put your phone on do not disturb mode and allow your brain to rest. if you have slept little in the previous days, taking a nap will not be bad.

𝟯. set boundaries + practice self care ( 🌱 )

establish clear boundaries between work and personal life to prevent burnout from reoccurring. prioritize activities that promote physical and mental well-being, such as exercise, meditation, and hobbies. i personally love taking care of my body doing beauty treatments that make me feel better about myself. i also deep clean my room and change my bedsheets, if it's true that the mess in our room is a reflection of the mess in our mind i can't see why it can't go both ways: removing the mess from my room is like cleaning my head from the stress in it.

𝟰. rearrange priorities ( 🐝 )

delegate everything you can delegate, you can't do everything alone and it's normal to seek support from colleagues and family. reorganize yourself so you have a plan to follow as soon as you recharge your batteries. ask yourself what led to burnout, was it the workload? in that case breaking it into smaller tasks could make it less onerous. maybe it was it's difficulty? maybe asking for help or using some time for additional research might work. in short, prepare a realistic scheme to follow to tackle the task.

𝟱. seek support ( ❣️ )

talk to friends, family, or a therapist about your feelings and experiences to gain perspective and emotional support.

𝗯𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗴𝗲𝗿'𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗲 hi everyone, it's no secret that i've posted very little in the last week, but unfortunately i experienced a bad burnout that incapacitated me for a few days. family circumstances, academic stress and the arrival of spring have added up to take away the strength to do anything from me, but i'm here to recover and here is a simple guide that i always follow when i find myself in these situations. on the one hand i'm happy tho, it's my first burnout since i started university, eight months ago now, i remember that when i was in high school they were much more frequent and long, i feel i've become much more stable.

[animentality]

[unwelcome-ozian]

Children are especially likely to use dissociation to manage the inescapable pain of family problems that lead to complex, developmental and relational trauma. Such problems can include ongoing abuse, neglect or disorganized, avoidant or insecure attachment. Children must do something to endure experiences that make them feel unsafe. They cope by becoming disconnected to the memories, feelings and body sensations that are too much to bear. On the outside, they may look okay. But constant dissociation as a means of protection or survival for years then follows them into adult life, where it doesn’t work so well. As a coping mechanism, dissociation often interferes with the life a person wants to have, when the abuse is no longer ongoing in the present.

[ageremoji]

Cozy covers emoji!

Guys, it’s getting cold! Make sure you start bundling up and keeping warm! Maybe make yourself some hot chocolate or tea, and if you’re too little have your caregivers help!

[unidentifiedflyingpoet]

Yes - this is a quit smoking ad.

And YES im trying to be more active!!! Sorry dms xx

[lulusbinky]

♡ how to handle vent regression༅

⊹for littles⊹

♡ gentle grounding ──୨ৎ── hug a plushie, sip something warm, play with a soft texture, get a weighted blankie, or listen to quiet sounds to soothe yourself! a popular method is the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding method too! you name 5 things you see, 4 things you feel, 3 things you hear, 2 things you smell, and 1 thing you taste! you can also change it like just focusing on 5 things you can touch, or count how many soft things you can see, or start recalling your stuffies names, etc!༅

✂ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

♡ let yourself feel without guilt ──୨ৎ── if emotions are heavy, allow yourself to feel them!! it’s okay to have these feelings!! don't feel guilt, you have no reason to! you aren’t bad for struggling, and the only time it becomes harmful is if they lead to hurting yourself or others but even then, that doesn’t make you a bad person!༅

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♡ distractions ──୨ৎ── if allowing yourself to feel the heavy feelings isn't something you want or think is best, use fidgets, squish toys, color, or play with textures! you can play songs and sounds too! maybe even put a cartoon on and try to calm down with a little snack!༅

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⊹for caregivers⊹

♡ reassurance ──୨ৎ── simple phrases like “you’re safe/okay,” “i've got you,” "i understand," and loving nicknames can be a very biggg help!!༅

✂ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

♡ safe space ──୨ৎ── be patient with them!! and turn on soft lighting, get a warm blankie, get little items nearby!! make the space feel safe! and if they feel okay with it, hugs!!༅

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♡ assistance ──୨ৎ── if loud noises, sensory issues, etc. ar bothering them, help ground them and help get them what they need!༅

✂ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

♡ encouragement ──୨ৎ── encourage them to do things you know will help!! like watching a cartoon, counting, etc. and just be encouraging in any way you can!༅

i hope this was helpful to someone in some way!༅

[ancientdreamkdj]

I believe in love because they exist (points at 100% fictional couple)

[borderline-sanity]

GRWM as I ✨Wake Up with a Panic Attack✨

** None of this is medical advice, and is just a system I’ve worked on for myself. Everybody is different, everyone is in different circumstances.**

When it comes to the fight or flight instinct during panic attacks, I’m 100% a flight person.

I’ve dealt with panic attacks since high school and have been diagnosed with panic disorder. In high school I lived in constant fear of having an attack, which caused the attacks. It was all very cyclical. I have them less often now, but they still happen from time to time.

My go to method is to mix comforting and uncomfortable sensations and to overstimulate myself. I’ve tried deep breathing and relaxing music and the things that should logically help. But they always made me feel worse because I’m acknowledging the panic in such a head on fashion. I try to ground and overstimulate as many senses as I can, so I don’t have the energy or space to feel the panic anymore.

The initial terror, it’s going to happen. How fast you can pivot depends on the severity of the panic.

I tell myself I’m an expert in panic attack management. I have over 12 years of experience in the field and have worked tirelessly to perfect my methods. I have to convince myself I’m a pro at this, and have a 100% success rate of not imploding from anxiety. I narrate what I’m going to do and why it helps me specifically, basically what I’m doing here.

—-

My first stop is consistently my bathroom. I go through my bin of old lotions and pick a scent I have specially set aside for panic attacks. I use something that’s way too overpowering, but having something that smells bad to you is also an option. Sometimes I’ll use two different smells. The goal is to have a scent to ground you.

When I have a panic attack, my body fails at temperature regulation. Typically my feet are cold and clammy. So, I like to run some hot water in the tub and just stand in it for awhile. As I’m standing there, I apply whatever lotion or perfume I grabbed. Once my feet are warmed up, I get out of the tub and only sorta dry my feet. Then I put socks on my damp feet. Why? Because I hate the way it feels. And that harmless discomfort is going to distract me as I make my way to the next room.

I pick up a hoodie from the closet. Since I don’t know which way my temperature is going to flux, it’s nice to have on hand. I also have a big comfy shawl I use only during panic attacks.

I have to go down stairs to get to my kitchen. I take them really slow, especially with the damp sock situation. If I’m feeling too weak, I’ll just sit down and scoot down them. My instinct is flight, so staying in one room too long is no good. I usually feel safer being on the ground floor.

—-

Things might get messy in the kitchen, but that’s for future you to deal with. I used to keep a fresh lemon in the house at all times, but have moved away from that, opting for lemon juice. You can either bite into a lemon, or swish some lemon juice in your mouth and spit it out. A benefit of a fresh lemon is that it’s more messy. You’ll have lemon juice on your face and hands and that stickiness, at least for me, is an awful sensation.

You’re going to chase the lemon down with something else. I like to grab sour candy, like Warheads. But something like Pop Rocks also works. Picking an opposite flavor, like pudding or beef jerky is an option. You’re just trying to overload your tastebuds by making another harmless, but powerful distraction.

Alternatively, this step can be done when you’re in the bathroom. Swishing mouth wash and following it up with something sour is miserable. The face I make in the mirror is ridiculous and sometimes that’s enough to help soothe me.

—-

Like I said, I’m a flight person. So the next steps I either do pacing the house or on a treadmill. It just depends how steady my legs are feeling.

I grab my headphones, connected to my phone, and my tablet. I put the headphones on one ear and play music. The music is going to change every time. Sometimes you want something soothing, sometimes you want something loud. Sometimes you want music you love, sometimes you want music you hate. Having different playlists prepped helps you figure out what you’re in the mood for. I think one hit wonders are also a great option. There’s a familiarity and nostalgia that just hits the spot sometimes.

There are a few options for the tablet. You can put on a movie or tv show, and listen with your un-headphoned ear. I also like doing crossword puzzles or logic puzzles. It usually goes poorly, but I get so wrapped up in it. I’ve also found ‘Simon Says’ videos and follow those. Anything challenging and low stakes works here.

And this is where things usually begin to ease up. If my legs are too wobbly, I’ll just lie on the floor. Sometimes I go back to the lemon juice / sour candy. But eventually, my body is just exhausted and overstimulated. And there’s no more room for panic.

Once I feel myself winding down, I’ll get an electrolyte heavy drink. My go to is Pedialyte Zero Sugar packets but it doesn’t really matter what you use. I’ll have something light to eat if I feel up to it, usually just crackers.

When the panic has finally eases up and I feel safe again, I’m usually left exhausted. I fall asleep wherever I land, usually on the floor because it just feels nice and sturdy. When I wake up, I take care of any messes I left behind. And I drink more water.

—-

Important Notes and Additional Tactics:

Drink lots of water. Just have water dead drops everywhere.

Make it a point to keep yourself stocked up on supplies. Future you needs to restock supplies and put things back for next time.

Fidget toys are great and should also be in every room if possible. I like to use different ones depending on which room I’m in, just to keep up variety.

Ice cubes under the armpits or on the back of the neck are great. I guess anywhere works, I just find the cold distracting. As they melt, I’m left with water on my clothes. Similar to the damp socks, I hate this feeling.

My plant misting bottle stays in the kitchen and I’ll use it to spray my face or arms. Having glasses makes this more annoying, which is the goal.

I personally like to turn on as many lights as I can, but I understand this isn’t always possible.

Stepping outside can be helpful, just be mindful about it.

Reach out to people if that’s an option and you’re comfortable with it.

Walk through your routine when you aren’t in the middle of a panic attack. Developing this type of muscle memory helps you to be familiar and prepared. Remember, you’re the expert in panic attacks.

Take time to reflect on things. The day after a panic attack, I find a quiet place. I think back to everything I was feeling and who I was during the panic attack. And I talk to that past version of me and comfort her. Sometimes I find it easier to write it all out.

—-

I typed this while experiencing a panic attack. Usually I just narrate these things to myself. Recently, my older brother has started having attacks similar to mine. My hope is that sharing what I do to get myself through a panic attack will help at least one person. It is truly one of the most defeating and vulnerable experiences. I feel like I’ve lost so much time to my anxiety, I’d like to think I can help someone avoid the same struggles my younger self dealt with.

**None of this is medical advice, and is just a system I’ve worked on for myself. Everybody is different, everyone is in different circumstances.

[belovedapollo]

February 1st 🖋️ reblog is ok, don’t repost/use

[anim-ttrpgs]

Exerpt from the Patreon-only September 5th Eureka: Investigative Urban Fantasy rulebook version! Art by team artist @chaospyromancy! If you want to get a less updated version of the rulebook for free right now, the August 1st version is on itch.io!

[burntoutuserboxes]

[This user selfships as a coping mechanism.]

[liesandnights]

I’m surviving solely on day dreams and fantasies at this point.