COPING STRATEGIES

[startingnew]

hi everyone

so ive only been on these forums for about 2 months now and have come to realise alot of people are after coping strategies.

i have quite alot of coping strategies- not all of them work on me but i thought id share what i have and what i think of as it goes along and maybe itll help others.

please feel free to add your own coping strategies too 🙂 the more the better 🙂

[startingnew]

grounding exercises 3

If you can, step outside, notice the temperature of the air and how much it is different or similar to where you have just come from.
Stretch.
Notice five things you can see, five things you can hear, five things you can feel, taste, or smell.
If you have a pet, spend some time with them. Notice what is special and different about them.
Run your hands over something with an interesting texture.
Get a sultana, a nut, or some seeds, etc. Focus on how it looks, feels and smells. Put it in your mouth and notice how that feels, before chewing mindfully and noticing how it feels to swallow.
Put on a piece of instrumental music. Give it all of your attention.
If you have a garden or some plants, tend to them for a bit. Plants, and actual soil, can be an excellent “grounder

[startingnew]

eating mindfullness

before you choose what you will be eating, come to a place of mindfulness: Sense what your body needs. Notice whether saliva production increases as you look at the platter. Take your time to choose one thing.
Focus with clear awareness on each movement and each moment of the experience as you move your arm and hand and fingers towards the object and pick it up, place it on the palm of your hand or hold it between your fingers.
Imagine you have just come to Earth and awakened to this substance you have not encountered before. Explore it with all your senses as if you have never seen it before. Scan it; explore every part of it with your eyes as it sits on your palm or in your fingers. Turn it around.
Notice the texture, the light on it, its shape; whether it is soft, hard, coarse, smooth. Notice any thoughts that arise (like “why am I doing this?”) and see if you can just notice the thoughts and let them be… before bringing your awareness back to the object.
Take the object beneath your nose and carefully notice the smell of it. Bring the object to one ear and squeeze it, roll it, listen for any sound coming from it. Begin to slowly bring the object to your mouth, noticing that the arm knows exactly where to go and perhaps noticing your mouth watering. Gently place the object in your mouth, or take one bite if it is larger than one bite-size, but do not chew yet. Feel it on your tongue: its weight, temperature, size, texture. Explore the sensations of it in your mouth.
When you are ready, intentionally bite into it. Does it go automatically to one side of the mouth? Notice when the taste releases. Slowly, slowly chew, noticing the change in consistency, until you are conscious of the impulse to swallow. Sense the food moving down to your throat and into your oesophagus on its way to your stomach. Sit with the experience, noticing any vestiges remaining in your mouth, on your tongue, any taste, feelings… satisfaction, pleasure, aversion.
Take a moment to congratulate yourself for taking the time to experience Mindful Eating.

[startingnew]

self compassion mindfullness

Now, allow yourself to notice your breath. Don’t feel that you have to do anything to your breathing – just be aware, curious and attentive to the physical sensations of breathing in and breathing out.
Allow yourself now to bring your awareness and attention to that feeling of compassion, loving-kindness or deep and abiding care and concern. Bring to mind someone in your life who is dear and precious to you. Imagine yourself enfolding this person in that feeling.
Allow yourself to have the following thoughts towards this person:
May this person know a decrease in distress.
May this person know peace and tranquillity – at least for a while.
May this person know happiness and joy – at least for a while.
May this person be able to deal with their suffering.
Continue to imagine this person, holding them in your mind and sending to the image you hold these loving, kind and compassionate thoughts. Notice how this feels in your body.
What are the physical sensations that come to you when you connect with feelings of loving-kindness and compassion? What are the images and thoughts that come? Just notice these thoughts, physical sensations and emotions – note them with gentle curiosity, without judgement.
Now, if you can, see whether you can direct some of that loving-kindess, compassion and deep abiding care towards yourself. See whether you can have the following thoughts for yourself:
May I know a decrease in distress.
May I know some peace and tranquillity in my life – at least for a while.
May I know some happiness and joy – at least for a while.
May I be confident that I can deal with my own suffering.
Now bring your attention, mindfulness and awareness back to your breath. Notice your inward and outward breath for a few moments.

[startingnew]

walking mindfullness

Before you start, prepare the space. Removing your shoes is good, if that’s possible. Find a place where you can walk for about 12-14 steps before you have to turn.
Now first notice your body as you stand in stillness. Feeling the connection of the body to the ground, or the floor. Becoming aware of your surroundings, taking in any sights, smells, tastes, sounds or other sensations. Notice any thoughts or emotions and let them be. Notice your arms by your sides or if you prefer, hold your right hand in your left hand at the front, or clasp your hands at your back. Notice your breath, moving in and out of your body. No need to change it; just let it be.
Now shift your weight to the left leg and begin to lift your right foot up. Move it forward, place it back down on the ground. Mindfully shift the weight the right leg and begin to lift the left foot up, move it forward, place it back down on the ground.
And continue with this walking… walking mindfully, walking slowly, and paying attention to the sensations on the soles of your feet. As each part of the sole, from heel to toe, touches the ground. Lifting, moving, placing. Lifting, moving, placing. Notice how the body moves as you walk. Walk with awareness. One step at a time.
When it is time to turn, maintain the flow of mindfulness and bring your awareness to the intricate process of turning. Slowly, and with attention to each movement necessary to turn, begin to walk back to where you started. One step at a time. Lifting, moving, placing. Lifting, moving, placing.
Find a rhythm that suits you. That suits your body and your balance. As you move forward, notice your body, notice your head sitting on your shoulders, your arms & hands, your torso, your legs, moving you forward, step by step.
Notice any thoughts that arise and let them be. Returning your focus to the sensation of walking. Lifting, moving, placing. Notice your breath. Has it moved into a rhythm; a rhythm that fits with your pace of walking, step by step? There’s no need to change your breathing, but you might find that it has changed without you noticing it.
Continue walking, taking care to notice each intricate movement required at the turns. One step at a time. Practice this for a moment.

next time you return to your starting place, be still. Notice the sensations in your body; bring awareness to your breath. Notice the stillness when movement ceases.

[startingnew]

body scan mindfullness

Sit or lie down in a comfortable position, making sure that you do not have any constriction. Loosen any tight clothing.
Starting with your feet, pay attention to the physical feelings in them: any pain, discomfort, coolness, warmth, tension, tightness, whatever. Simply pay attention to the physical feelings and sensations. Don’t judge them as good or bad, don’t try to change them, just be aware of them.
Slowly allow your awareness to drift up from your feet to your lower legs, again simply paying attention to any physical sensations in that part of your body, including any tightness, pain or discomfort. Then slowly let your awareness drift further up your body, doing the same gentle noticing for all of the parts of your body – your upper legs, hips, buttocks, pelvic region, stomach, chest, your lower back, upper back, fingers and hands, lower arms, upper arms, shoulders, neck, your head, forehead, temples, face – eyes, cheeks, nose, mouth, jaw line.
Then let your awareness drift gently and slowly back down your body, noticing any other places where there is pain, discomfort or tension and simply noticing this, until you awareness settles back at your feet.
Commence doing this exercise just for 5 minutes. It can be done sitting down in a chair or lying in bed. Over time, don’t worry about how long it takes – just allow yourself to pay attention to the sensations in your body. If, while doing this exercise, thoughts intrude, that’s okay – just notice the thoughts, notice yourself noticing the thoughts and gently guide your awareness back to your body.
Note: One variation on this is to focus on parts of your body that you don’t like – do this in front of a mirror, noticing your thoughts & feelings as you do the exercise.

[startingnew]

Mindfullness of thoughts

Start this activity with mindfulness of the breath. Allow yourself to notice any thoughts that come into your head as you are aware of your breathing. Notice, pay attention to and accept these thoughts, without judgement. Thoughts are not bad or good, positive or negative, they just are what they are – the thought that you happen to be having at this particular moment.
You may become aware that you are having difficulty thinking about your thoughts – so think about that. You may be thinking: “I can’t do this very well.” Well, that’s a thought too. Allow yourself to think about that.
Some people like the metaphor of allowing the thoughts to just float like leaves on a stream, or clouds in a sky, noticing each passing thought and then the one that comes after it, and then the one that comes after that. A Buddhist idea is to think of thoughts as pages written on water.
You may notice that just at the moment you become aware of a thought, it passes and is replaced by another thought. That’s what happens – thoughts come, and they go.
Finally, bring yourself back to awareness of the breath.

[startingnew]

54321 exercise

5,4,3,2,1 Exercises
These are exercises in noticing what is around us:
Sight: Look around you and name as you look at 5 different objects (variation: 5 blue/black/green objects), then do the same for 4 of those 5 objects, 3 of those 5 objects, etc.
Sight & Touch: Look at, name and touch 5 different objects, noticing their texture, temperature, mass and weight as you do so. Then do the same for 4 of those objects, 3 of those objects, etc.
Sight, Touch and Smell/Taste: Look at (in a garden or a kitchen), name, taste and smell 5 different objects, noticing their colours, texture, taste and aroma. Then do the same for 4 of those objects, 3, 2, and 1.
Hearing: Close your eyes and listen for 5 different sounds. Then 4, 3, 2, and 1.

[startingnew]

List of grounding exercises
Remind yourself of who you are now. Say your name. Say your age now. Say where you are now. Say what you have done today. Say what you will do next.
“My name is ________, and I am _ years old. I am in my living room, in my home, in street, town in state. I woke up early today. I had a shower and fed my dog. I just finished my coffee and toast. Soon I am going to walk to the train station and go in to work. I am going to walk down ______ street and then turn left at the bike shop. Then I am going to….”
Take ten slow breaths. Focus your attention fully on each breath, on the way in and on the way out. Say number of the breath to yourself as you exhale.
Splash some water on your face. Notice how it feels. Notice how the towel feels as you dry.
Sip a cool drink of water.
Hold a cold can or bottle of soft drink in your hands. Feel the coldness, and the wetness on the outside. Note the bubbles and taste as you drink.
If you wake during the night, remind yourself who you are, and where you are. Tell yourself who you are and where you are. What year is it, what age are you now? Look around the room and notice familiar objects and name them. Feel the bed you are lying on, the warmth or coolness of the air, and notice any sounds you hear.
Feel the clothes on your body, whether your arms and legs are covered or not, and the sensation of your clothes as you move in them. Notice how your feet feel to be encased in shoes or socks.
If you are with other people, and you feel comfortable with them, concentrate closely on what they are saying and doing, and remind yourself why you are with them.

[Peppermintbach]

Thanks SN for all the hard work you put in the thread. Don't forget to take care of you too 🙂

Pepper xo

[startingnew]

PROBLEMS SOLVING

1. Identify: What is the problem? What is it that you want to change or sort out?
What are the options or solutions as you see it? Consult with others in relation to the identified problem and what possible solutions.

What are benefits or consequences of each option?

2. Choose an option. This is not about being right or wrong, it is about choosing the best available option for this particular problem and giving it a try.

3. Put it into action. This is where the rubber hits the road; where you can make it happen.

4. Review. It is always worth taking time to review results. What is the learning? What if a similar problem presented itself? Would you do the same thing or are there other alternatives