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Healthy coping mechanisms and how well they work for me
Former Member
Posts: 3 Newbie
Coping mechanisms are something I’ve found I’m constantly searching for. It’s important to be able to identify the difference between healthy and unhealthy coping mechanisms. Healthy coping mechanisms will leave you feeling better for longer, unhealthy coping mechanisms could put you in danger and make you feel worse in the long run.
I have created a list of healthy coping mechanisms that I, someone who genuinely suffers with mental health, have found useful!
Video Games
Within reason, video games can be a great way to deal with high levels of anxiety. Relaxing and simple games like animal crossing, minecraft and the sims allow an element of escapism and a chance to allow your body to calm down until you are ready to process your emotions. I find after a gaming session I am able to reevaluate what has been on my mind and deal with it better
Art and creativity
Self expression can seem like an impossible task but breaking it down within simple creative tasks can help you process what’s going on in your mind. You don’t have to be good at art for this to benefit you, just putting a pencil to paper and letting your hand free flow across your page can create abstract art which you can colour as a form of distressing! But if, like me, you like to be more actively creative tasks like creating characters based on emotions, doing a study of something that makes you happy or finding quotes/lyrics that you like and writing them in calligraphy or interpreting them as a scene or still life is also helpful!
Music
Personally, I’m not musically talented and can’t play any instruments, though I’ve heard that can be a great coping mechanism too! Music as a coping mechanism for me involves finding songs and artists that I can relate to, helping me understand that what I experience is experienced by others too. Sometimes music that matches my mood can feel validating, other times I prefer music that’s the mood I want to be in such as happier songs. Creating playlists based on emotions has been really helpful for me and is something I’d recommend.
Pets and animals
Pets are renowned for loving their humans unconditionally. It’s easy to find comfort in your pet by just hanging out with them! Some days, the energy to take them out just isn’t there but throwing a ball from the chair or scratching behind their ears seems a lot more manageable and can still be beneficial. But not everyone has a pet and that’s ok! Animals live amongst us! Watch the birds, visit the ducks, track down the bugs or find a field of sheep! Watching animals and appreciating them can put things into perspective and improve wellbeing.
I hope this collection of healthy coping mechanisms has given you some inspiration to check in with yourself and start to process those feelings we keep bottled up!
Feel free to reply to this discussion with methods you’ve found useful or your experience with the ones I have mentioned
I have created a list of healthy coping mechanisms that I, someone who genuinely suffers with mental health, have found useful!
Video Games
Within reason, video games can be a great way to deal with high levels of anxiety. Relaxing and simple games like animal crossing, minecraft and the sims allow an element of escapism and a chance to allow your body to calm down until you are ready to process your emotions. I find after a gaming session I am able to reevaluate what has been on my mind and deal with it better
Art and creativity
Self expression can seem like an impossible task but breaking it down within simple creative tasks can help you process what’s going on in your mind. You don’t have to be good at art for this to benefit you, just putting a pencil to paper and letting your hand free flow across your page can create abstract art which you can colour as a form of distressing! But if, like me, you like to be more actively creative tasks like creating characters based on emotions, doing a study of something that makes you happy or finding quotes/lyrics that you like and writing them in calligraphy or interpreting them as a scene or still life is also helpful!
Music
Personally, I’m not musically talented and can’t play any instruments, though I’ve heard that can be a great coping mechanism too! Music as a coping mechanism for me involves finding songs and artists that I can relate to, helping me understand that what I experience is experienced by others too. Sometimes music that matches my mood can feel validating, other times I prefer music that’s the mood I want to be in such as happier songs. Creating playlists based on emotions has been really helpful for me and is something I’d recommend.
Pets and animals
Pets are renowned for loving their humans unconditionally. It’s easy to find comfort in your pet by just hanging out with them! Some days, the energy to take them out just isn’t there but throwing a ball from the chair or scratching behind their ears seems a lot more manageable and can still be beneficial. But not everyone has a pet and that’s ok! Animals live amongst us! Watch the birds, visit the ducks, track down the bugs or find a field of sheep! Watching animals and appreciating them can put things into perspective and improve wellbeing.
I hope this collection of healthy coping mechanisms has given you some inspiration to check in with yourself and start to process those feelings we keep bottled up!
Feel free to reply to this discussion with methods you’ve found useful or your experience with the ones I have mentioned
3
Comments
The one thing I’d add to this list that works for me is being with / in nature.
Just being among trees, grass, near water, or even just paying attention to / looking after my plants at home I find helps me to connect with the world again after feeling disconnected. And fresh air too is very grounding.