How to cope?

[stevielohel]

Hey, my doctor says speaking about my depression will help. So here i go, has any one any coping mechanisms or strategies that they would be willing to share?

[Hidden]

Hi

Well being on here help me. I was told that writing your thoughts down really helped and it has for me.

Also the support from people who know just how you feel, is priceless.

I also try to now think positively more and as the saying goes not cry over spilt milk, if it's a small thing.

Another thing I've learned, from having children really is, that controlling your breathing helps with stress and pain. Yoga does this well and you can go on u tube and see how to do it.

Hope something helps.

Good luck and best wishes. 👍😊

[stevielohel in reply to Hidden]

Thank you very much, sound advice. I really do need to adopt a more positive outlook instead of letting everything get to me

[Hidden in reply to stevielohel]

It's hard to do, but it does help if you can.

Take care 👍

[Maisie1]

I pretend I have a beach ball which I put all my anxious thoughts in. I then let it go into the air and it takes all those anxious thoughts with it

[stevielohel in reply to Maisie1]

I will try this for sure, as i struggle to let go of the negativity. Thank you very much

[Hidden]

Find a habit. The best way to break a habit is with another habit. When I feel particularly depressed I have a habit of tapping the tips of my fingers repeatedly against my thumb and I somehow manage to make a sound pattern out of it. In a matter of minutes I am too preoccupied with the pattern to fall further into depression. That being said - I'm no longer coping. But that is what used to help me.

[LoriMS61]

Hi Stevie,

Do you want to tell us all a bit more about yourself? No worries if you don't. I found taking the right medication, seeing a counsellor and being on here has had a really positive influence on my depression. I'm able to go days without lows now whereas back in Feb I could barely stand living through each second of the day. Just goes to show that time is an element of healing that doesn't get enough credit.

Lori

[Goldfish_]

Exercise is always good even though motivation is likely to be low. The dbt principles of opposite actions are worthwhile bipolarsjuk.se/pdf/Handbook...

And exercise has no bad side effects, can be fairly cheap and I believe always helps, whereas tablets only work about 1/3 of the time and almost always have side effects.