Coping Skills

The one aspect of having a mental illness is that a therapist or coach or whomever you will see or speak with will tell you, "You need to find new coping skills." In full disclosure, I am not good at this at all being at this moment that I am writing this blog post, I am slamming down mini Hershey chocolate bars. I had an interesting night at work.  Nonetheless, I am learning to use new coping skills to help me in times of stress, anger or just being down.  I have looked up coping skills, and I have found some helpful ones. For me, writing my feelings down on paper has helped, talking and being open for the first time to others about my cutting has kept me grounded this past year. 

The thing is coping skills that I (we) have had in the past probably have gotten us into trouble. For example, binge eating, cutting, drugs or alcohol. These are coping mechanism or things we use to make the anger, pain or hurt we feel inside go away. The issue with these, they do not add to our well being nor do they help take the pain away nor do they help us deal with our emotions.  I am learning this alongside everyone else. There are times that I get so angry I just want to punch someone. There are times that I hurt so much that I just want to cut the heck out of my arm. Does this make me feel better? Yes, but only for a moment, then I am back to hurting all over again, I have dealt with nothing.  The bottom line is that all of this healing process and reprograming your mind takes time.

I found a list of coping skills I will attach it below in a link below. This is one of many lists available online. 

In the meantime, breath in, breathe out and remember you are enough.

Cheers
Rachel



http://www.yourlifeyourvoice.org/JournalPages/99-Coping-Skills-Poster.pdf

http://www.marcandangel.com/2017/09/04/40-quotes-for-coping-with-things-you-cant-control/