Coping is such an important topic to discuss when it comes to PTSD, Anxiety, Depression and many other Mental Health issues. The thing is, it can be such a broad topic that it becomes overwhelming, and we may want to give up because we can’t focus in on the few specific ways that help us cope.
I’ll never forget the awkward moment when my counselor asked me “So, what do you like to do for fun? Something that is purely just for you?” And all I could do was sit in silence, trying to summon an answer out of thin air. I couldn’t honestly answer her. It sunk in just how much of my time was devoted to somebody or something else: school, work, church, friends, family, drama… none of what I was doing involved self care, fun, or even rest.
After I left that day, I started actively trying things to see what I liked to do in whatever free time I could find. I spent more time playing music and disappearing in it for a while. I began long boarding around my neighborhood to get some exercise and simply get out of my house for a while when I needed space. I decided to give painting a try, it turns out I wasn’t terrible at it, and it was very therapeutic for me to slip into whatever I wanted to create that day. Another thing I have started doing is consistency keeping my room clean. This may sound funny, or you may be thinking now that I’m a slob. Either way, I have been focusing on how to make the best use of my space. I cleaned off my desk, got rid of a lot of things I didn’t use, I organized my books and nail polish, I added some cool lights and hung up my paintings… all of these actions that I took started to accumulate, and I found myself becoming a more positive person more often because I was coping faster and healthier. With a clean space, I was comfortable in it. I felt organized, I didn’t feel claustrophobic, and it became a great place to escape to.
Coping is a huge part of handling PTSD, Anxiety, Depression, and Anger. These emotions can be so heavy it makes life impossible to live. Once you reach that point where you’re not sure it’s worth it anymore, you have to make yourself snap back into reality and reassess where you are at. If you don’t like your life, break it down. What don’t you like about it? Do you hate the fact that you feel stressed often? Find a solution to minimize or cope with your stress. Are you constantly anxious about what could happen tomorrow? Take a deep breath and ask yourself one question: Do I have control over it? If you do, then take steps to achieve your goal, and if you can’t control it, then that’s the only stop on that train. You have got to let it go, because you’re only doing yourself more harm.
Basically, coping is a much bigger conversation that just finding fun things to do. However, it is a huge step in relearning how to enjoy life again following a trauma. This entire blog is pretty much dedicated to coping and living with the aftermath of trauma. There are so many ways to cope and find healing, whether it’s through self defense classes, boxing, sports, writing, photography, painting, running, drawing, gardening, meditation, yoga, nutrition, long boarding, music, reading, learning… there are so many different ways to go about it.
What do you do to cope with things that seem or feel way too big?
Flourishing With PTSD 