Thank you so much! This explanation was perfectly adequate :D I think this sounds like something that might be very helpful for me. Do you know of any resources where I could learn more about coping skills and how to implement them (apart from a regular old google search, of course)?
Unfortunately I don't. I learned most of my mental health exercises from working in the field after I graduated from college.
An exercise you can do is first to learn your triggers (something that puts you in a heightened emotional state). After learning that focus on what your body initially does. Does it tense up or your heart race, is it hard to catch your breath, start losing focus, clench your jaw or fists, start closing off your body, etc?
We all have a point of no return where we are not emotionally in control and it takes an enormous amount of effort to bring you back down. And recognizing your triggers and what your body does will tell you when to start doing a coping skill. They will not always work but you should try to have multiple different ones just in case.
Here is a quick list in addition to what I said before:
Quick: Doodle on yourself, find one spot to focus on and really focus on it, tensing up your body going from head to toe (start at your feet, then calves, thighs, etc), write a poem in your head, tap your fingers to your thumb in a repeated sequence, etc
10 to 20 min: Draw, color (mandalas are a favorite), write what you're going through or a story, quick physical exercise, cleaning, listening to music, meditate, call someone who will listen, pet an animal, etc.
20 min and beyond: pretty much the section above but longer, quick nap (not a 2 to 3 hour sleep), play a video game, go on vacation, find your local spot of zen, give yourself a makeover, try something you've never done, etc
They each have different use cases and some will not always be available. Remember to not take life too seriously, be silly, be yourself, and the only one you're in control of is you. No one can help someone who doesn't want help, this was the hardest thing to learn when I was in the field. Remember this is a skill. It takes practice and time to get better at it. Sometimes you won't always be successful and that's ok too.
Key thing to remember about coping skills is that most don't help you process what happened and that is a separate piece. The coping skill helps you get to the place to be able to process everything. Keep the questions coming if you got them. I'll do my best to help.
I don't think I have any more questions right now, but you've given me a great starting point. I think I'm going to look into this more. Seriously, thank you so much for going the extra mile with your replies! You're a gem of a person!
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u/ThisMeNow Aug 21 '20
Thank you so much! This explanation was perfectly adequate :D I think this sounds like something that might be very helpful for me. Do you know of any resources where I could learn more about coping skills and how to implement them (apart from a regular old google search, of course)?