my coping space

angelic212 · Post by **angelic212** » Wed May 02, 2007 12:44 am

not coping well at the moment,
having a really tough time right now
feeling reallyy stressed out ,
i feel like doing something destructive right now.

i feel angryy right now.
i feel depressed.
i feel tired.
i feel.....
i feeell.....

angelic212 · Post by **angelic212** » Sun May 27, 2007 11:59 pm

okay, i havent been here for a while.
i have been struggling quite a bit, and havent been using my coping skills.

but today i have done almost all o f my therapy assignments for tomorrow.

im doing the last one right now.

i have to create a small book with safe pictures to look at when i feel triggered.
and i also need to put affirmations to my ipod.
im going to download some affirmations using limewire to download spoken affirmations,
im sure i have a cd with affirmations i have downloaded before.
but i cant find it.

it feels good to be working on positive things again. im proud of myself right now for working on my therapy assignments, i havent done any therapy assignments in a long time. i ve been doing lots of negative things lately.
i thought today maybe i would give it a try to work on my assignments cause i was feeling really triggered earlier

Candy · Post by **Candy** » Mon May 28, 2007 1:34 am

I am glad to see that you are back and I am sorry that you are having a rough time. I have missed you alot,my friend. I am here for you and I always be here. Just wanted to say hi and that I care about you.

angelic212 · Post by **angelic212** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 6:49 am

here are some pictures i have uploaded.
im trying to distract myself tonight.
i was feeling bored and when im feeling bored , feeling bored is a major trigger for me so i did this instead of negative ed behaviors.

<a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb24 ... bows-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a> <a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb24 ... eIwish.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb24 ... ainbow.gif" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb24 ... 7222_2.gif" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb249/edanamia/c.gif" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a><a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb24 ... onmoon.gif" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb24 ... arlove.gif" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a> <a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb24 ... ia/7-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a> <a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb24 ... ypride.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a> <a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb24 ... ebears.gif" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a> <a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb24 ... eBears.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb24 ... lowers.jpg" border="0" alt="Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket"></a>

these are just some pictures i searched for tonight to distract myself and i uploaded them in my photobucket album.

angelic212 · Post by **angelic212** » Tue Jul 03, 2007 3:22 am

Grounding Methods

Ideas for when you feel out of control, are having a flashback and/or need grounding...

• Remind yourself "I'm going to be ok" and "I'm not
crazy"... this is a normal part of the recovery process

• Plant your feet firmly on the ground
• Count up 1 to 10 then back 10 to 1
• Say outloud things you see and smell
• Touch the wall, the floor and objects close to you
• Call someone on the phone
• Walk around and watch your own feet - listen to
the sound

• Listen to yourself breathe - Do deep breathing
• Listen to music and count the beats
• Don't be afraid to ask for help
• Hug someone safe
• Hold someone's hand (someone safe)
• Tear up paper, throw ice, chew ice chips
• Visualize the memory as an object and put it "away"
(for example, the memory is a blue rubber ball and you put it in a toybox)

• Focus on details... leaves on trees, blades of grass,
fibers in carpet

• Call your therapist
• Call a Hotline
• Hold and/or talk to a stuffed animal
• Fight the voices - change the negatives to positives
• Play an instrument
• Gently wash your face, hands or hair
• Do gardening, shovel snow or mow the lawn
• Color in a coloring book
• Rock in a rocking chair
• Touch a familiar object that you carry with you
(keys, a necklace) or listen to your watch ticking

• Hold and pet your cat or dog
• Make a list of things to do or shopping list
• Write down who and where you are
• Pray, talk yourself down or yell
• Say what you feel outloud, even if you have to yell
or cry!

• Change your environment... walk out of the room,
touch something different, change the sounds around you

(put on music, turn on the tv, etc.), eat something different

and "safe", smell something different (perfume, flowers, food, grass, etc.)

• Visualize a stop sign
• Dance to music
• Say outloud "I am here right now"... assure yourself
that this is a normal process for you

• Do self-affirmation... read books, listen to tapes and
write down good things about yourself

• Identify your triggers (things that make you feel
badly or have bad memories or flashbacks)

angelic212 · Post by **angelic212** » Tue Sep 25, 2007 6:23 am

okay im struggling pretty badly at the moment .

going to give tomorrow to my therapist all of the pro ed info i have,

i havent done anythhing negative today,
i cant sleep right now, i slept from 4pm till 10 pm so i will be awake most of the night tonight.

my plan is the following:

watch a movie

go through my coping stuff

play with play doh

color

sleep and if i cant sleep watch another movie

Candy · Post by **Candy** » Tue Sep 25, 2007 7:36 pm

I just wanted to say Hi to you and it is glad to see you back. I love the pictures that you put on your coping space,is there any way that you can put some on my coping thread. I am doing alright. I just happy to see you and I hope you are doing alright. take care of yourself and be good to yourself.ok

angelic212 · Post by **angelic212** » Wed Oct 17, 2007 6:10 am

something i need to be reminded of right now. and something i need right now,
i found this in my coping space.

Things that Can Help To Bring Hope and Relief, and Keep Yourself Living:

• Wait before you do anything that might hurt you. Since you can kill yourself at any time, why not wait a bit longer—a day, or a few days, before you act. And while you wait, try to reach out to others, and to listen to what you need. You may find the relief or comfort that you are seeking—but you have to be alive to feel it;

• Remember that the desire to die may be an emotional memory from childhood or trauma. Most likely it is a feeling from the past, not the present;

• If you’ve got something you need to hear from a friend, therapist, or someone you love, ask for it. No one can read your mind, know exactly what you most need to hear, or know what would best help you. This may be the best way to get what you need—by asking. And you deserve to be able to ask for, and to receive support;

• Ask yourself what will help you, and what you need—and really listen to the answers;

• Remember that as strong as a suicidal feeling or thought is, it is just a feeling or thought. You do not have to act on it—and it is important not to. Do other things to help yourself get through the moment. Distract yourself, express the emotion, reach out for help, hold on just a little bit longer, and then just a little bit longer still, until you feel better. The good feelings will come back;

• Express the emotion and thoughts through writing, art, dance, safe expression, etc.;

• Write out some reasons to live. If you can't think of reasons for yourself, think of someone you love, and write out the reasons for them. Then read those reasons over, thinking of yourself. You may also want to read the poster: Reasons Not To Kill Yourself by Mari Collings (You can purchase the beautiful poster from www.survivorship.org);
•

• Remind yourself that you have the right to be here on this earth, to be alive, and to be happy;

• Read articles, poems, or phrases that help you see that you have the right to live, and that you are okay as you are. Some poems and articles that may help are: Desiderata by Max Ehrmann (ignore the religious content if that is triggering); My Declaration of Self-Esteem by Virginia Satir; Reasons Not To Kill Yourself by Mari Collings; Our Deepest Fear by Marianne Williamson; and two good articles on suicide: "If You're Thinking About Suicide, Read This First"; and "10 Reasons Not to Commit Suicide". If there is a poem or article that particularly touches you, you may want to put a copy of it on your wall or computer, or keep a copy with you in your bag, wallet, or pocket, or near where you work;
•
• Listen to music that makes you feel good or safe. Music is powerful, and can help change your mood. (Don't forget kids' music; there is some delightful, great-energy kids music out there with feel-good messages, as well as soothing or validating songs that can help you to feel less alone.) Some ideas are: Kids’ Music: “It’s OK,” “We’ll Fill The World With Love,” “These Are The Questions,” “Happy Place,” and “What a Wonderful World,” by Rosenshontz; “Proud of Me,” “Believe In Yourself,” “Someday, Little Children,” “Nearly Missed a Rainbow,” “My Furry Little Shadow,” “But I Like You,” “Count Ten,” by Sesame Street; “It’s OK to Cry,” “Growing Up Song,” Eric Nagler. Adult music: “How Could Anyone?” Libby Roderick; “Let It Go,” Luba; “Ooh Child,” Dino or Nina Simone; “Hands,” Jewel (religious content, may be triggering); “Touch a Hand, Make a Friend,” The Staple Singers; “Believe in You,” Amanda Marshall; “By Your Side,” Sade; “On a Day Like Today,” Bryan Adams; “Shout” Tears For Fears (to get out the emotion or get in touch with anger); “Affirmation” and “So Strong,” Justina & Joyce (resistance, saying no, getting in touch with anger); “Reach Out and Touch Somebody’s Hand,” Diana Ross; “Animal Song,” Savage Garden);

• Distract yourself. Involve yourself in an art project or craft, watch a movie, read a book, write in your diary; write an email to a friend; take a walk in nature and really notice the detail; use your senses to distract—notice textures, tastes, smells, sights, sounds, etc.;

• Think of a time where you felt happy, comforted, or loved. Remind yourself that you can feel this way again, in the future. It might be doing something else, or feeling this with someone else, but it will happen;
•
• Know that you have the right to be here on this earth, to live, to find happiness and comfort and joy; and/or
•
• Know that if you kill yourself, the people in your life will be deeply affected and will feel great pain. You matter to many people, even if you don't believe you do.
•
You deserve to live. You deserve to take up space. And you deserve to be happy. You have the right to live and to be on this planet, as much as any tree or plant or animal or person. Don’t let anyone or anything take that away from you.

Grief, pain, despair, depression—they all will pass. Comfort and safety can come. Playfulness and delight and joy are yours to find. And you will find them. So stay alive. Reach for happiness, friendship, dreams. And keep believing in yourself. Good things can still happen—but only if you are around to experience them.

© Cheryl Rainfield, 2005.

plantt · Post by **plantt** » Fri Oct 19, 2007 5:21 am

had wondered where you'd disappeared to

Candy · Post by **Candy** » Fri Oct 19, 2007 5:52 am

I hope you are doing alright,and I am here if you need someone to talk to. take care of yourself

angelic212 · Post by **angelic212** » Sat Apr 26, 2008 7:56 pm

im back , but reallly struggling rigght now.

i have i have relapsed so badly into my eating disorder and im hurting myself in many ways, im scared of myself.

i have chose my eating disorder to hurt myself .

i dont si anymore, but i hurt myself with my eating disorder in many ways. please read post on main board. or in my place thread for an update

angelic212 · Post by **angelic212** » Tue May 20, 2008 5:08 am

Grounding

Run cool or warm water over your hands
Grab tightly on your chair as hard as you can
Touch various objects around you: a pen, keys, your clothing, the table, and the walls. Notice textures, colours, materials, weight, temperature, compare objects you touch: is one colder? Lighter?
Dig your heels into the floor – literally “grounding” them! Notice the tension center in your heel as you do this. Remind yourself that you are connected to the ground
Carry around a grounding object in your pocket – s small object ( a small rock, clay, a ring, a piece of cloth or yarn) that you can touch whenever you are triggered
Jump up and down
Notice your body: the weight of your body in the chair; wiggling your toes in your socks; the feel of your back against the chair. You are connected to the world.
Stretch. Extent your fingers, arms or legs as far as you can; roll your head around
Clench and release your fists
Walk slowly, noticing each footstep. Saying left or right with each step
Eat something, describing the flavors in detail to yourself
Focus on your breathing, noticing each inhale and exhale. Repeat a pleasant word to yourself on each inhale ( e.g., a favourite colour, or a soothing word such as “safe” or “easy”)

Soothing
Say kind statements, as if you were talking to a small child – for example, “ you are a good person going through a hard time. You’ll get through this”
Think of favourites. Think of your favourite colour, animal. Season, food, time of day, TV show
Picture people you care about (e.g., your children, friends families) and look at photographs of them
Remember the words of an inspiring song, quotation, or poem that makes you feel better (e.g., the AA serenity Prayer)
Remember a safe place. Describe a place that you find very soothing (perhaps the beach or mountains or a favourite room, somewhere in the trails); focus on everything about that place, the sounds, colours, shapes, objects texture.
Say a coping statement “ I can handle this, This feeling will pass”
Plan a safe treat for yourself, such as a piece of candy, a nice dinner, or a warm bath
Think of things you are looking forward to in the next week – perhaps time with a friend, going to a movie or going on a hike

angelic212 · Post by **angelic212** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 12:52 am

havent posted in a really long time. i havent been doing that well lately, i have been relapsing, but i have had 2 good days in a row. i guess.

things are starting to clear up again.

recovery is so hard. and it takes a lot of work.

sometimes i just want to give up on recovery.

i feel that sometimes im not doing enough work in my recovery at all. actually i stopped working on positive things, and started to do negative things again.

im trying to get back on track.

im in college again, im going to art school again, and i have to take an english class, we are using the book called the artist way , and its really helpful , its actually helping,

we have to do something called morning pages. we have to get up 10 minutes earlier than we get up and write 3 pages about anything, and we cant look back at the pages that we have written, its a journal .

my teacher said to me i could do written and visual journal. and it has helped me to bring back my creativity.

i started to draw just for fun again, and i did a collage today which i havent done in such a long time.

i will try to post here every day from now on , instead of going to pro eating disorder websites. they are so triggering. and they completely suck you in to negativity.

i want to get back on track, but on the right track, and i think by posting here its the first step.

angelic212 · Post by **angelic212** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 12:56 am

Develop a wellness toolbox

Come up with a list of things that you can do for a quick mood boost. Include any strategies, activities, or skills that have helped in the past. The more “tools” for coping with depression, the better. Try and implement a few of these ideas each day, even if you’re feeling good.

1. Spend some time in nature.
2. List what you like about yourself.
3. Read a good book.
4. Watch a funny movie or TV show.
5. Take a long, hot bath.
1. Listen to music.
2. Take care of a few small tasks.
3. Play with a pet.
4. Write in your journal.
5. Do something spontaneous.

Push yourself to do things, even when you don’t feel like it. You might be surprised at how much better you feel once you’re out in the world. Even if your depression doesn’t lift immediately, you’ll gradually feel more upbeat and energetic as you make time for fun activities.

angelic212 · Post by **angelic212** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 1:01 am

Fight depression by managing stress

Not only does stress prolong and worsen depression, but it can also trigger it. In order to get over depression and stay well, it’s essential to learn how to minimize and cope with stress.

Identify your stressors. Figure out all the things in your life that are stressing you out. Examples include: work overload, unsupportive relationships, substance abuse, taking on too much, or health problems. Once you’ve identified your stressors, you can make a plan to avoid them or minimize their impact.

Go easy on yourself. Many depressed people are perfectionists, holding themselves to impossibly high standards and then beating themselves up when they fail to meet them. Battle this source of self-imposed stress by challenging your negative ways of thinking.

Plan ahead. If you know your stress triggers and limits, you will be able to identify and avoid many landmines. If you sense trouble ahead, protect yourself by dipping into your wellness toolbox and saying “no” to added responsibility.

angelic212 · Post by **angelic212** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 4:21 am

im gonna play with my nintendo ds in a little while and going to do another collage like i did earlier.

it helps me to do collages, i stopped doing them and i stopped working on postive things but now that i started i think i will continue to work on positive things.

i will make a list of coping alternatives and use them every day
it will be tough but i know it can be done, i have done it before.

angelic212 · Post by **angelic212** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 5:37 am

things to work on this weekend:

Coping alternatives
=====================
do some drawings and color them

work on my coping/book in a way that im actually going to use it.

reorganize my distraction box and use it

surf the internet and play computer games

watch movies
=================================

Daily/weekly activities to TAKE CARE of YOURSELF and STAY HEALTHY.
2. What to do to CREATE BOUNDARIES.
3. What to do to RELIEVE STRESS.
What to do COPE WITH CRISIS
=================================

bring a MP3 player, CD player, or walkman with you. Put together a mixture of music that you find soothing or uplifting, or that makes you feel strong, and bring that with you. Or you might want to bring along a tape made by your therapist, friend, lover, or yourself, that tells you the messages you need to hear, or a tape of your favourite book. You can also take along a relaxation tape.

****************************************

bring along a comfort book A comfort book is something you create for yourself, by pasting or drawing things onto the pages, and writing feel-good messages next to them. It’s a small notebook or sketchbook filled with things that make you feel good:
a letter from a friend;
photos of people you love;
images that make you feel good (you can make colour photocopies of a few pages out of a book, or scan them);
little cartoons that make you smile, etc.

For feel-good messages, you can write:
affirmations,
loving messages about yourself,
things that you like about yourself,
things that people you care about like about you,
or anything you need to hear when you're feeling vulnerable or frightened (like reminding yourself that you're safe).

angelic212 · Post by **angelic212** » Fri Feb 13, 2009 7:02 am

Feel Good Things

Breathing exercises

Drinking Tea

Have a bubble bath

Go for a nice walk

Listen to peaceful/relaxing music (make a playlist, and keep on ipod)

Write down how i'm feeling, save it, and delete it

Make something creative and pretty

Call someone who makes me feel good and talk about random things

Go out for a coffee/tea

Do the "5 things you can see, touch, feel, hear, smell"

angelic212 · Post by **angelic212** » Tue Apr 14, 2009 5:50 am

Why wait for maybe someday? You can live your dreams right now!  

 Do you limit yourself by thinking maybe someday?  Maybe someday I will be happy.  Maybe someday I will find true love.  Maybe someday I will make enough money.  Maybe someday I will have the energy to exercise.  Maybe someday I will know enough to write a book.
STOP waiting and wishing for "someday" to bring your dreams. All you have is today.   Be happy today. Do work that matters right now. Be healthier now. Write right now. Love your self and your life this minute.

angelic212 · Post by **angelic212** » Tue Apr 14, 2009 5:52 am

The Happy List

Write down on a piece of paper everything that makes you happy or smile. There should be 10-20 points at least. Carry the list around with you.

When you feel really down take it out and start from the top to do *everything* on the list- until you feel better. When you have reached the end start again at the top- as long as needed. 
 
Example:  1. reading funny comics
 2. eating creme caramel ice cream
 3. watching funny tv shows
 4. hugging my stuffie 
 6. writing an article 
7. drawing
 

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