Coping skills toolbox
Hello my darlings,
Days ago I got inspired by two people here in our community and I really can't remember their names but it got stuck in my head (and if you read this thank you so much :) )
The first one was a challenge to personify your anxiety/depression :
Here you basically just visualize what would your mental health problem was if it would have a shape and form of a person or a thing. By this excersize I helped myself realise that my thoughts are not defining me as a person and I found it much more managable to deal with.
Other one was an image of coping skills toolbox:
So I researched more about it online and I found out that you can make your own coping skills toolbox. I got so inspired that I emediately made my own from the things I got from my and my parents house.
I got a box and I was thinking what should I put inside that I know I love or I used to love when I was a kid.
First ones were sensory treats:
Smell: (think about what smell do you love and relaxes you) I put in: Lavander essential oil, lemongrass essential oil, some stress relief nasal inhalers that I've got from a friend, small perfume tester and scratch and smell testers from magazines and catallogue. As well as some little bags filled with herbs that you put in a warderobe.
Taste: (what does make you happy) I put lolipops, mints, and some vitamins that you mush in your mouth but they taste great, peanuts and a mason jar full of tea bags that I love.
Touch: (here I have alot :) ) I put in some quartz that I got years ago, some textured small rocks from the beach, a tennis ball, scrapes of soft baby clothes ( I got some from my sisters baby), a rolling dice, a keychain that can also be a figget, a bubble wrap and a little stuffed monkey.
Writing, reading and painting: I put in some cards with questions that help me realise what faulty thinking I might be facing, a thought record, a small notebook and a pen. (you can put anything that helpes you emediately snap back, mine is still in progress), a colloring sheets and pen and colors.
As a girl I also put inside some peeling off face masks (peeling off is low key very satisfactory for me) and a hand lotion that smells amazing.
On top of this I got a small very soft blanket and a stress relief pillow that I made ( I put in alot of rice so its weighted). And yes I forgot old fotos from days when I felt really happy as a child.
There are endless possibilities with this. But I know whenever I open this box I emediately feel more calm and centered. Please let me know what do you think and what would you put in your toolbox.
Lots of Love and hugs.
<3
@TheCatcherInTheRye93
Here's an Alphabet-of-Coping-Skills-Interventions.pdf
Alphabet of Stress Management and Coping Skills
A
Ask for help
Aromatherapy
Art
Attend an event of interest
Athletics
Ask to talk to a friend
Allow time to think
Apologize
Add numbers
Aerobics
Act out favorite actor/actress
Artistically express feelings
Act out feelings
Address the real issue
B
Bounce a stress ball
Breathe slowly
Baking
Basketball
Be attentive
C
Count to ten
Color a picture
Catch a ball
Call crisis line
Call a friend
Cookie decorating
Collect thoughts
Chat with friends
Calming techniques
D
Deep breathing
Drawing emotions/feelings
Dancing
Do push ups
Driving
Drink water
Dress up (play)
Discuss feelings
Demonstrate self-control
E
Eat a snack
Exercise
Escape the situation
F
Find a safe place
Finish house work
Fishing
Free weight
Find a book to read
Filter emotions
Find a puzzle to play
Find a friend
Free write feelings
Following directions
Fly a kite
Focus attention elsewhere
G
Go talk to an adult
Go to happy place
Golfing
Games
Going to a friends
Get help from teacher
Go outside
Go running
Go swimming
Going to the gym
Gather thoughts
Go to a different place
Grow a garden
Get help from others
H
Help someone else with a
problem
Hiking
Have a party
Hug a friend
High jumps
Hang out with friends
Have someone listen to your
problem
I
I statements
Identify triggers
Instagram pictures
Interact with friends
Initiate conversation
Imagine your safe place
Invite someone to play
Ignore people
J
Jogging in place
Jot down good behaviors
Jumping Jacks
Jumping rope
Journaling
K
Kick a soccer ball
Keep a journal
Knitting
Kickboxing
Keep calm by thinking
Kickball
Keep hands to yourself
L
Listen and discuss
Laugh
Long walks
Listen to music
Lay down
Lift weights
Letter writing
Look outside
Learn something new
Lay head down on desk
M
Make a plan
Make silly faces
Make food
Make a craft
Meditate
Make a book
Meet new people
N
Napping
Notes to self
Never give up
Name something positive
O
Offer assistance
Organize item of interest
Obstacle course
Open up
Observe a movie
Observe surroundings
P
Play a game
Paint a picture
Play instrument
Prepare healthy meal
Play at the park
Phone a friend
Play music
Practice sport
Play with PlayDough
Pretend you are in the other
persons shoes
Q
Quiet time
Quilting
Quickly remove stressor
Quiet down
Question feelings
R
Read
Run
Ride a bike
Relax
Rest
Request space
S
Sing
Sleep
Swim
Soak in tub
Soccer
Send a letter
Stretch muscles
Sit in a hammock
Sun bathing
Standing alone
Stop and think about
response
Shoot baskets
Separate self
Speak up
Stop and listen
T
Talk to a friend
Talk to an adult
Take time by yourself
Take a walk
Take a hot shower/bath
Take deep breaths
Take a break
Take a nap
Talk it out
U
Untie your shoes
Use a work out video
Undertake a project
Unite with family
Unwind
Utilize support system
Use a yoyo
Use tools
Utilize resources/coping skills
V
View TV
Visit a friend/family
Volunteer
Visualize calm space
Verbalize emotions
effectively
Visit counselor
Video games
Vent feelings
W
Watch a movie
Write poetry
Walking
Write in journal
Walk outside
Workout
Write feelings/thoughts
Walk away from situation
Write a letter
X
Xylophone playing
Xbox
X-ray your feelings
Y
Yell into a pillow
Yoga
Yodel
Yoyo
Z
Zigzag around room
Zumba
Zone out
@TheCatcherInTheRye93
This is the thread you might have stumbled upon that you mentioned above...
