I struggle with pretty bad anxiety and depression. I am currently having an episode that's lasted about 3 or more days. Some advice I have received is to "try and get out of my own head a bit". I am not sure how to do that, because when I am in these episodes it is almost all that I can think about. The feelings grip and its really difficult to think about anything other than how miserable I am and how long it'll last. This particular time around, it has been after I had to leave an IOP and I am struggling with the fact that this is happening again even after I've seeked help and that it will happen again in the future.
How have people been able to get out of their own heads? I feel like my options are a bit limited because I am not driving at the moment (that could change soon). But also, the things I normally enjoy doing are not doing anything for me. This has contributed to how hard it is to think about anything other than how bad I feel.
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WaterMyMind
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Thank you for the advice! I’ve tried to do things like that but typically they only give me brief respites from what I’m thinking. I suppose that anything is better than just laying down and doing nothing about it though!
Hang in there WatwrMyMind. It takes practice and constant application of strategies. Don’t be too hard on yourself. You can try to engage in an activity like cleaning or walking briskly, painting or cooking. Any activity really. Mindfulness, identify things around you and describe them as you notice them. For example the chair is made of wood, the television is on channel 5, the dishwasher is making a rumble sound, etc. just keep going until the thoughts pass. Also try deep breathing and just doing sets of inhaling deep through your nose and exhaling through your nose. Thing positive mantras; I’ve got this, this too shall pass, etc. lifting you in prayer. 🙏🏻
This may seem counter-intuitive, but it works. Find someone who is worse off than you are and help them out. It's the best advice I ever received. And yes, you can - there is ALWAYS someone who is worse off than you or I are. Once you find that person and start considering how you might be able to help them, your mind will stop centering on your own problems.
I'm at a point right now the things that keep from thinking is not working either, so I come here for support. I sometimes sound like a broken record complaining about the same things over and over but everyone here is gracious. Just talking about it to people who aren't involved in the problem helps me.
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