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i have spent tonight trying to wrangle my Creeping Dread and since we are living thru a Literal Fucking Plague and im sure a lot of you are similarly huge disasters rn, lemme share some of my top coping skills starting with "you feel like shit" https://philome.la/jace_harr/you-feel-like-shit-an-interactive-self-care-guide/play/index.html
that link takes you to an interactive walkthrough to jump start your brain back into being okay. i originally found it on tumblr years ago and it has helped me thru so much cos it gently guides u through troubleshooting your immediate right then flipout to help ease u thru it
by asking a lot of really important questions like have you eaten recently? did you get enough sleep? are you hydrated? are you anxious? do you need company? etc, and then itll give you specific instructions on things to do to help you feel less like shit
this site helps when you cant identify why you feel like shit or when you dont know how to feel less like shit (or both!! like me!!) & in times of great emotional imbalance, visiting it repeatedly helps you learn to recognize why you feel terrible and what you need to do about it
next up, @habitica !! ive been using their system since it was launched and has def helped me keep a routine. its a fun take on a daily checklist and turning chores int a game means im more likely to check my to do list daily which means im more likely to DO stuff daily
its super customizable too!! there are different types of tasks with different features for the way they complete, plus the ability to include checklists, difficulty ratings, and deadlines for each task
not to mention you can choose a class to "play" as & each class has special skills to boost what you gain from completing tasks, + there are things like equipment & pets you can collect, seasonal events, the ability to create a party w ur friends & a whole dang community of users
everything else is just various skills ive picked up from various places that help me not flip out so hard or are otherwise grounding or calming or distracting or whathaveyou
the number one thing i do when my brain is Extremely Dumb is some classic escapism lol. escapism (in moderation) is useful because when youre highkey flipping out, focusing on smth else, especially something you have to actively think about like reading or video games
gives your brain time to cool off so you can look at your emotions and really process them without feeling overwhelmed. escapism into something i enjoy is my first stop in what the dbt workbook teaches as the REST strategy: relax, evaluate, set an intention, take action
which is simple and straightforward but something really hard to keep in mind when youre actively going thru emotional trauma. anyway, escapism: read a book, watch a movie, play a game, etc. something that has your attention that you can get lost in so you can breathe
i like the libby library app for books (they also have comics and audio books!!). its free, easy to use, and helps support your local libraries and thus authors (if i find u pirating books imma fite u >:C )
my favourite things to watch when i am high key stressed are actually documentaries. they usually have narrators with calm, even voices and are interesting enough to pay attention to but dont (often) require a whole lot of going back to rewatch bits if u dissociate
for documentaries, i REALLY like @CuriosityStream . theyre like 4 bucks a month and they have documentaries on EVERYTHING, including a lot of brand new ones on really recent discoveries
NEXT!!! if you have a pet, love on them. im sure they are fully aware that youre a disaster rn and have been loving on you so im sure they wont mind extra attention back. take a moment for sum cuddles, actively play with them til theyre worn out, teach them new tricks, etc
for a lot of us quarantined, our pets may be the only real physical contact we get for quite a while. take advantage of it. ime nothing is more calming than gently resting your head on ur pet, listening to them breathe while you give them good scritches
love on your friends too!! everyone is flipping out currently so be sure to check on the people you care about. offer to listen to them vent if you have the spoons. ask if they have the spoons to listen to you in turn
combine brainpower to figure out strategies for coping that best suit you. humans are a social species and we will only get thru this if we help each other, in whatever way we can manage. to quote the 90s, lean on me when youre not strong ill be ur friend ill help u carry on
also, if you are at all capable do voice/video chats when you can. do activities. play dnd or animal crossing together. stream movies for each other. take queues from the peeps with experience in long distance interpersonal relationships. spend time together with peeps online
even if you just talk on the phone for an hour about nothing, that little bit of contact will help the world feel less overwhelmingly shitty.
change sensory input! light a candle or take a hot bath or drink some tasty tea or put on your softest clothes. take inspo from us asd peeps and just delight in good sensory input for a bit. slime, asmr, worry beads, and so on. goes back to the R of the REST strategy. REST yo
do something active! yes im telling u to exercise lol. lots of exercise apps are doing promos plus you can find youtube videos for lots of stuff. it doesnt even need to be traditional exercise. put on loud music and have a solo dance party. play ddr or beatswords, etc
engage with your hobby! you dont have to have lofty goals about making something marketable, now is not the time for that, now is the time for having fun and enjoying the little things so draw! write! sing! cook! play dress up! learn a monologue and record you doing it! have FUN
find a routine!! we are in the midst of mass global upheaval. everything has changed & ur probably struggling to cope. keeping a schedule will give your days stuck at home structure & when you have structure youre less likely to descend into the pit of madness
finally, take care of yourself. rest and relax as much as you can. dont beat yourself up over what youre suddenly unable to do. youre traumatized. we all are. all we can do is focus on what we CAN do and go out there (or rather, stay in to) kick ass at doing it
with love,
someone who has struggled with keeping it together all their life, through trauma and anxiety and isolation
someone who has struggled with keeping it together all their life, through trauma and anxiety and isolation
