#coping techniques

[blondebrainpowered]

The artist: https://www.instagram.com/gottehamham/

[serenityquest]

[schizopositivity]

Hey, could I ask what coping skills you use to help with hallucinations and such?

I’m not diagnosed with anything yet so I’m not on any meds. And my coping skills aren’t very good.

I usually just use music and try to ignore things to the best of my ability. That helps with a lot of the more usual auditory hallucinations. Walls and floors moving are…hard. But I typically just reach out to feel them (and hope I’m not having tactile hallucinations too and don’t feel that move)

But things like feeling bugs on my skin. Or hearing disturbing things (screaming, loud extremely negative internal voices / intrusive thoughts, etc) I don’t really know how to deal with? And I was wondering you’d have any tips? The internet isn’t very helpful and I was wondering if someone else who experiences this stuff too might have some better suggestions!

Thanks!

My biggest coping skills are distracting myself from the hallucinations, and trying to ease my emotional reactions to them.

Music is great, but it can't really drown out the auditory hallucinations. In my experience listening to a YouTube video, watching a show/movie, listening to an audiobook or talking to someone is more helpful. These things require my attention, and for me to think about what I'm hearing, that way I'm not focusing on or thinking about the hallucinations.

I am a fan of the "putting your hands on the walls to feel that they are actually steady" trick. I've talked about it a long time ago on this blog, since I have experienced moving walls and floors a lot. I think it also is a very grounding experience. If you are hallucinating it can be very helpful to use a fidget toy or something else that is pleasing to touch (dry rice, sand, rocks, soft blankets, etc). It shifts your focus to something that is real, that you can feel and be comforted by.

For the other, maybe more distressing hallucinations, it can be very helpful to distract yourself. Consciously shifting your focus away from the hallucinations and onto something you enjoy. This can be a hobby like drawing or crocheting. Or something relaxing like watching your favorite TV show, or going on a walk. This won't actually stop the hallucinations themselves, but it will keep you engaged with something else, which can help you ignore the hallucinations.

In my experience, spending a lot of time focusing on and thinking about the hallucinations can make things worse (as in feel more severe, not change the amount of hallucinations). Luckily I have spent years coping with the hallucinations, to the point where now I can experience them and immediately move on, which is way less stressful for me. And that was a skill I learned after a lot of practice, and I'm glad I did. It won't be easy at first, but I do believe that it is possible to eventually ignore hallucinations to the point that they are just mildly annoying.

Also since you aren't getting treatment for the root of the issue (the hallucinations), the best thing you can do is try and treat your emotional reaction to them at home. This can be any self care activity that works for you. This will be personalized to you but it can be things like cuddling your pet, taking a bath, reading a book, applying makeup, baking your favorite sweets, making a cup of tea, calling a friend, etc. If you want more ideas you can turn to the internet but look for "self care ideas" or "ways to destress at home". Because hallucinations can be very distressing, and it's important to care for yourself during and after the experience. These things can overlap with the distraction techniques, either way it's getting your mind off of the hallucinations and onto things you enjoy.

I hope you find a way to make the hallucinations more manageable, and take care of yourself. Your comfort is the most important thing when it comes to hallucinations. It is always worth it to invest your time into self care and relaxation.

[ineffectualdemon]

When in doubt make mushrooms

[spoonie-girl-next-door]

[papermint-airplane]

I haven't had an intrusive thought that has caused actual panic in a long time. I've gotten really good at facing my intrusive thoughts and being like "you're an intrusive thought and I'd like you to go ahead and shut the fuck up". That sounds unhinged af but that's an actual legitimate strategy that therapists tell people with OCD and anxiety (like me) to use. And it works well after a certain point (getting to that point is its own battle though). Now I can shut them down fairly quickly so they don't cause as much distress as they used to.

Sometimes, though, some of them slip through my defenses and make me have A Very Bad Time™. This is one of those times.

Hit the cut if you're interested in how I combat these.

Last night, as I was laying in my bed trying to sleep, my OCDemon was like, "I'm going to ruin this bitch's whole life". I knew, I just knew that a car or low flying plane or something was going to crash through my bedroom window and game-end me right then and there. That is extremely unlikely to happen for multiple reasons I don't think I even need to enumerate to people whose brains don't hate them, but I was so sure it was going to happen and I was going to die.

I fought it the way I've been taught. Facts and logic, baby. "My bedroom does not face the road". Check. "In order for a plane to hit my house, they'd have to be flying so low that I would hear it coming and have time to respond in some way". Check. "I need to sleep. I have work tomorrow and there's nowhere else for me to sleep. I have to be here." Check.

It didn't work right away. It never does. I had to keep going over and over it in my head while forcing my body to lie still. At this point, the fight or flight mode had already kicked in. I was shaking, feeling irritable, feeling scared, heart beating super fast and skipping beats, sweating, all your classic physical symptoms. I wanted to get up and get as far away from that bed as I could, but I held myself down. I kept repeating the facts. "You're not in any danger. Nothing is coming through that window."

Eventually, I relaxed enough to sleep but it must have been fitful. I don't remember anything because I was zonked out but I woke up to my sheets and pillows halfway on the floor so I must have thrashed around like a dying fish all night.

I am exhausted and I'm still feeling a heightened sense of anxiety, but it's way more manageable right now. I just keep wanting to check the news which is unfortunately an OCD compulsion of mine whenever I'm feeling anxious because I guess my brain wants a reason to be anxious. Wouldn't ya know it, this shitty world loves to give it those reasons. Lucky me. I am fighting it as much as I can. My rule is no checking more than twice a day (I will literally do it hundreds of times during a bad flareup) and if it gets too bad, I have to text my therapist. I'd rather not bother him off-hours so this means I'm fighting my existential dread with my fear of being a nuisance lmao.

This is rough and anyone else going through this, I am right there with you. It sucks not being able to trust your own thoughts. It sucks having to fight your own body. If I had a cure, we'd all be fucking cured right now. But all I have is an arsenal of techniques that work just barely at best and not at all at worst. All you can do is keep fighting.

I need a nap.

[rainytownturtle]

things???

one of my favorite things to do when I start getting overwhelmed or overstimulated or underestimated: anyways when something feels off and everything is becoming too much; is to try and deprive my senses as much as possible (low light, headphones, door closed) and put a comfortable hoodie or just wrap myself in a safe material (blanket; could be weighted) and just try and recharge. Put on a really good stim song with a lot of vocals and magical musical elements and just press the headphones against my ears to more fully submerge in the music; become the notes and waves and colors... pure ecstasy.

[serenityquest]

[communitycaringclinic]

Anger is a natural emotion that everyone experiences, but it can become problematic if not managed effectively. In the context of behavioral health in Roxbury, Massachusetts, individuals may encounter situations where anger feels overwhelming. Recognizing triggers and understanding emotional responses is crucial for healthily managing anger. Developing self-awareness can help individuals identify the early signs of anger and employ strategies to regain control before it escalates.

[primalpointllc]

Is stress weighing you down? It’s time to take back control and embrace a life of balance and tranquility.

[blueskymentalhealthclinic]

Coping skills are essential tools for anyone on a journey of recovery, especially for those seeking support from a mental health clinic in Silver Spring, Maryland. These skills help individuals manage stress, navigate challenges, and enhance their overall well-being.

[vo1d3dst4r]

10/29/2024 Weekly Coping Techniques To Practice:

- actually say out loud my affirmations

- affirm myself by saying phrases such as the following: “it’s going to be okay, (name)” “in the whole picture of your life, this is a small blip on the radar”

- notice which state of mind I’m in

- physically say which state of mind I’m in. for example, “(name), you’re in emotional state of mind right now”

- ask myself how I can bring myself back to wise mind, then follow through with my plan

- and most importantly, breathe.

[mental-mona]

[michaelkimballintegrativepsyc]

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), a panic attack is an abrupt surge of intense fear or discomfort. If you have anxiety or panic attacks, you may experience difficulty breathing, sweating profusely, trembling, and a pounding heart. Learn more about how you can deal with it below.

[serenityquest]

[favorhealthcareservicesllc]

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a debilitating mental health condition impacting millions of people worldwide. The journey toward recovery can often feel overwhelming, but various methods are available to help manage this disorder.