Coping Strategies

Emotional strategies can help promote good feelings that may help the negative feelings fade or seem less overwhelming. Many of the strategies are grounding techniques. Grounding is a way of connecting you to your body, your mind, your emotions and into the here and now. They are particularly good to use when you feel trapped in an intense physical, emotional or mental state and can help create space from the distress. For example, if you are experiencing high anxiety, a panic attack, a flashback or after a nightmare.

I am Safe – In times of anxiety, panic attacks and flashbacks. Saying the words “I am Safe” repeatedly will remind the part of the survival mind that it doesn’t have to produce all the feelings and sensations to keep you safe.

Music – Listen to music that you find soothing, or music that calms you. Focus on how the music makes you feel if it brings up emotions, that is okay, just notice them. Allow your body to do what it needs to do.

Imagine your safe place – Imagine a place that makes you feel safe and at peace. It could be a place you remember or a place you have made up in your mind. Picture every part of your happy place, the smells, the sounds, the temperature, the feeling of the ground beneath you.

5-4-3-2-1 Technique: This technique guides you to focus on your senses. You can do this in your head, out loud, or by writing it down, for example name:

5 things you can see

4 things you can hear

3 things you can feel

2 things you can smell

1 thing you can taste

Mental strategies use distractions to help redirect your thoughts away from distressing feelings.

Maths and numbers – You don’t have to be good at maths for this to help. Try counting backwards from a high number. Try counting backwards in 5’s. Going through your times tables in your head. Or you could think of a number and see how many different ways you can make that number, by using addition, subtracting, dividing etc.

Recite – Name as many things as you can, this can be in your head or written down. For example: how many types of dog can you list? How many types of vegetables can you list? How many colours can you list? How many countries can you list? What else can you list?

You –  It’s about you… Either say out loud, in your mind or write down:

My name is…

I live at .…

My birthday is…..and I am…..years old

The date today is…

List everything you have done today so far,” I got up and got dressed into my blue jeans and black top, I had my breakfast which was two pieces of toast”. And continue to repeat this until you feel calmer.

Physical strategies are practical things you can do to help you cope.

Exercise – We know that exercise can help produce chemicals that may relieve stress, anxiety and produce feel good hormones. You may find it easier to start with something simple and then build it up. Such as walk or run up some stairs a few times. It’s important to not put pressure on yourself, just moving your body by shaking out your arms and legs can help.

Diet – Sometimes people crave foods and drinks that have lots of sugar, caffeine, or chocolate, as they help give you an instant lift, which can feel good short term. You can try slowly cutting down and changing them for something healthier.

Making a note/writing it down – Write on a piece of paper how you feel, it may be something or someone you are struggling with. Be honest because no one is going to see it. Once you have done this, rip it up or bury it, get rid of it. You could keep a note pad to write down all your feelings in it. You may like to draw how you are feeling instead of writing.