|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2014 2:40 pm
Hello, here I'd like to explore my own personal understanding of coping skills and anything regarding them that might be useful or helpful to others.
Firstly, at some point in my treatment / road to recovery, a mental health professional explained to me that when it comes to my mental illness and symptoms and problems, everything needs a particular amount of attention and a particular amount of diversion (distraction from such).
Attention techniques, as implied, involve direct attention or participation in the particular problem at hand, be it a difficult situation, a symptom, or something else. Attention techniques, generally speaking, are stressful but productive.
Diversion techniques, on the other hand, involve diversion, or distraction from the said problem, symptom, etc. Diversion/distraction techniques, generally speaking, tend to be unproductive, but also relieve stress.
I have all my coping skills boiled down into one of these two categories, attention and diversion..
As sufferers, it is in our best interests to find the best balance between these two types of coping techniques. Keep in mind as well that that balance will vary greatly from person to person, and will change over time.
Think of your own treatment right now (if you are in treatment; if not, think of your own self-treatment, so to speak): can you identify what diversion techniques you use to distract yourself, and what attention techniques you use to try and solve your problems?
In my personal experience, it is too easy to get stuck on distraction techniques. I'm currently struggling with too much distraction. I use distractions such as art, music, gaming, watching movies, etc. Of course, there are healthier distraction techniques that I SHOULD be using more often, such as exercise, esp. yoga because of my anxiety issues.
Attention techniques are a bit harder to describe. For me, it is pushing myself to be more social; to combat my social phobia. It just feels natural to isolate myself, and I have major trust issues. So I push myself in this regard by attending my local psychiatric rehabilitation program as well as a weekly group therapy called DBT (dialectical behavioral therapy). An attention technique I have acquired over a long time is mindfulness. I have become more and more aware of when I'm at my limits, when I should take a break, if I should keep pushing myself and for how long, etc.
Looking forward to seeing some answers soon here. God bless y'all. smile
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Mar 28, 2014 4:08 pm
For all the searching, and studying, and attempts to medicate, etc, there has only ever been one thing that can touch the pain for me: Love. The worse I feel the more I try to seek out someone, anyone, that will listen, just to not be alone with it. I don't even need answers or advice, I always find them when I'm not having an anxiety/panic attack. All I need in that moment is just someone to say "I'm right here, we're going to get through this."
|
|
|
|
|
|
Whisper the Lightbringer Captain
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Apr 02, 2014 11:15 am
Yume Kara Sasayaku For all the searching, and studying, and attempts to medicate, etc, there has only ever been one thing that can touch the pain for me: Love. The worse I feel the more I try to seek out someone, anyone, that will listen, just to not be alone with it. I don't even need answers or advice, I always find them when I'm not having an anxiety/panic attack. All I need in that moment is just someone to say "I'm right here, we're going to get through this." And is there usually someone there for you when that happens? Hope so, you're a really nice person. My problem is I have a gripping, undeniable instinct to basically 'fend for myself'... I don't feel comfortable telling people about my problems in detail, even if they are willing. That's what's holding me back. But I don't think I can ever overcome that, really. I'll have to find other ways to cope.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
