Coping Skills,Questions and Strategies

What helps you to deal with your mental illness? How do you cope with mania? How do you deal with depression? What helps with your anxiety? What do you do if you can’t sleep? Do you tell people you’ve just met that you have bipolar? When do you share? Do you have a positive support system? How do you handle negative people in your life? How do you deal with the side effects of medication? What tools have you found helpful? What have you found unhelpful?

We all deal with things differently. There is no “correct” way. Everyone responds to things differently. I’m not a doctor. I just try to get through one day at a time. My tool box for survival is never too full to hear new ideas. My music playlist never complete. My literature list never full. If you’d like to share please do so respectfully.  Perhaps there is something I haven’t tried or even considered. Remember to follow your doctors recommendations and be safe. 

My list of coping skills

1. Listen to some music with my headphones on.
2. Watch a funny movie.
3. Color some geometric patterns, or other pictures.
4. Take a long bath, or shower.
5. Go for a walk.
6. Do a word search or other puzzle.
7. Bake or cook.
8. Sit in the quiet and spend time with my animals.
9. Call my mental health buddy
10. Make a talk therapy seesion appointment
11. Make sure I take my meds on time everyday.
12. Have good sleep habits
13. Take my camera out and take photos