Coping Skills

Coping skills help us get through difficult times - they can give us an important break from mental and emotional distress, and sometimes they are literally life-saving. Keep this list of coping skills handy for when you need it… folded up in your wallet or bag or post it up on the wall somewhere handy at home.

Distraction Conversation, listen to talk Pros Cons radio, read, do puzzles, TV, Absorb your Gives your heart & mind a Can’t do it for too long. mind in computer games, jigsaws, solve break. Doesn’t resolve any something else a problem, make a list, learn underlying issues. Meds something new, cleaning & Great for short term relief. can make it hard to tidying, gardening, arts & crafts. Great to get through a crisis. concentrate.

Grounding Use body & senses: smell Pros Cons

fragrances, slowly taste food, Sometimes it’s better to Get out of notice the colours around you. Helps slow or stop your head & ‘dissociation’ (feeling numb , stay a bit dissociated Walk on the grass barefoot, into your floaty or disconnected). (that’s how your mind body & the squeeze clay or mud, do yoga, protects you). world meditate, exercise. Reduces physicality of anxiety.

Yell, scream, run! Try a cold Pros Cons Emotional shower. Let yourself cry… and Release Great for anger and fear. Hard to do in every sob. Put on a funny DVD and situation. Feels odd. Releases the pressure of let yourself laugh! Try boxing, Some people might think Let it out! overwhelming emotion. popping balloons, or crank up you’re acting ‘crazier’ some music & dance crazy! (be selective with how & where you do this)

Massage hands with nice Pros Cons cream, manicure your nails, Self Become your own best friend, Sometimes can feel cook a special meal, clean your Love your own support worker. really hard to do, or feel house (or just make your bed), superficial (but it’s not). bubble bath or long shower, Great for guilt or shame. Be kind brush hair, buy a small treat. You deserve it! to yourself. Treat yourself Write down negative thoughts Pros Cons Thoughtlike a then list all the reasons they The more emotional you challengetreasure may not be true. Imagine Can help to shift long-term, d being. negative thinking habits. feel, the harder this is to someone you love had these do. In particular, thoughts – what advice would Trying to be more logical can feelings of shame can you give them? help reduce extreme emotion. make this very hard.

Help someone else, smile at Pros Cons Access strangers (see how many smiles your Reminds us that everyone has Don’t get stuck trying to you get back), pray, volunteer, value and that purpose can save everyone else and higher do randomly kind things for be found in small as well as forget about you! self others, pat dogs at the local large things.

park, join a cause Be kind to yourself. Treat Find out more online at www.indigodaya.com yourself like a

Your Personal Coping Skills List Use this page to write your own list of coping skills. You might take some from my list, some that you already know, and others may still be out there for you to discover…

Distraction

Absorb your mind in something else

Grounding

Get out of your head & into your body

Emotional Release

Let it out!

Self Love

Be kind to yourself. Treat yourself

Thoughtlike a anyone who may benefit from it. N it. benefitfrom may who anyone

d being. th toshare free feel Please 2013. Daya, Indigo

Access o t t your use. commercial for higher self with isflyer

Be kind to yourself. Treat yourself Find out more online at www.indigodaya.com like a treasured