What is YOUR mental health TOOLBOX?

[Dreamie]

Let’s make a “toolbox”/ list of what helps us manage our mental health. I think this might be helpful for a lot of us, especially those who are newly diagnosed. I’ll start.

Outdoor activity/ walking at the riverfront/ camping

Being with uplifting people/friends and family

Getting in the pool, lake or ocean

Taking a backroad drive listening to music

YOGA

Church

Reading a good book

Planting flowers

Doing something to help another person

Laughter!! Funny movies, books, comedians

Working doing something I believe in

Getting fully dressed and doing all I can to look my best..........

[Kat63]

I’m working a 12 Step program, and that’s a huge help.

Meditation and breathing exercises.

Self-help books.

Therapy.

This website.

[Magicdreamer]

Dancing

Listening to music

Being around people

Taking walks

Yoga

Writing a children's book (fantasy)

Walking dogs and brushing cats at an animal shelter

Cannabis 😁

Enjoying the Sun

Gardening

Poetry

[Dolphin14]

Yoga

Meditation

Down time by myself

My granddaughter

Music

Our summer cottage

Coffee with my good friends

[Hidden]

my toolbox might not be very healthy. if I'm really upset I'll knock myself out with an ambien. If I'm out of ambien I'll take a melatonin and aleve pm with vodka. If I'm just stressed I'll have a workout at the gym and or cuddle with my dogs. Sometimes i eat. Such as ice cream or pie. If I'm at work when i get stressed I'll take a walk around the property but usually i just pick my head until it bleeds then try to hide it. If I'm only a little stressed i go on this website and read posts or scroll through Facebook.

[Hidden]

Walking

Being creative

Volunteering

Therapy

Talking to my sisters

Googling "laughing" images

Googling anything positive - ducklings, flowers, my favorite color

[argh52]

One thing that helps me is posting supportive things here.

[mvillarreal]

Running

Spending time with animals

Prayer

Remembering the hard times I have had in the past and how I got through them

Lifting

Reading

Impractical Jokers

Music

Hydroxyzine

Getting plenty of rest

Cough drops

Showering with my personal favorite scented soap and deodorant

chamomile tea

lavender oil aromatherapy

meditation

Visualizing my "safe place"

Taking naps when tired during the day

Grounding by looking around the room and counting how much of a certain thing is present. For example, how many green objects are there?

[bluestars725]

Deep breathing exercises

Spending time with my dog

Exercise

Meditation

Healthy Diet

Adequate sleep

Music

Time alone to re-charge

Mindfulness

Therapy (although not in therapy at the moment for financial reasons)

Medication is going to be added to this list soon.