This thread is for positive coping mechanisms, ways to unwind, pampering ideas... SAFE ways to calm your mood... PLEASE feel free to add to it!
Burn incense - I specifically love burning nag champa incense... lots of people find it calms the mood and I agree.
Be of service to others - AA and the other 12-step programs incorporate this by asking for people to moderate/chair meetings/read the steps and traditions and so on. Well even outside of AA and other 12-step programs, this can help drag a person back out of depression. Do something nice/positive/helpful for a stranger. And the cool thing is that by doing something positive for a stranger... you never know how you may be effecting that stranger... they might be having a really crappy day and you just never know how you might effect somebody else's life. An anorexic I know said that a stranger's random compliments on her doodles/notebook drawings... made her capable of EATING that day! I've heard of studies done showing that while it may be hard at first to do something for somebody else when you're in your own dark world... that if you keep doing it... it'll lift you out of that mess.
Bubble bath :) nice hot water... turn the lights down or off, maybe burn a candle for light.
Exercise - Exercise is a good idea for obvious reasons... but that great feeling afterwards is due to endorphines released by exercising. Exercise in moderation though... Exercise CAN become an addiction and CAN be overdone...
Some serious cardio exercise forces me out of my head. I have learned to find it relaxing and the benefits to my body are also good. I could never care about my body the way I drank and also chain smoked - To be fit is a huge hobby and gift for me. It's relatively safe though I take it overboard sometimes (it can become a new addiction).
I remember Dean suggesting exercise multiple times on here as a tool for improving mood and functioning. Naturally I poopooed it until I was ready to make that change. It wasn't until about 1 and a half years sober that I was able to quit smoking and make that lifestyle change too.
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Keep coming back. It works if you work it. So work it. You're worth it!
Amen to that sister. I burn incense quite often, that and aromatherapy oils. My favorite incense just happens to be nag champa as well. So it is a small world after all, isn't it.
Be of service to others - AA and the other 12-step programs incorporate this by asking for people to moderate/chair meetings/read the steps and traditions and so on. Well even outside of AA and other 12-step programs, this can help drag a person back out of depression.
Do something nice/positive/helpful for a stranger. And the cool thing is that by doing something positive for a stranger... you never know how you may be effecting that stranger... they might be having a really crappy day and you just never know how you might effect somebody else's life. An anorexic I know said that a stranger's random compliments on her doodles/notebook drawings... made her capable of EATING that day! I've heard of studies done showing that while it may be hard at first to do something for somebody else when you're in your own dark world... that if you keep doing it... it'll lift you out of that mess.
Compliments are great, especially for those who struggle. So make someones day by showing them some compassion, and what better way than through a compliment.
I would agree with you on this one, but the guys down at the meeting might start talking -not to mention Pappy's comments. So I'll leave it at that. I do like to read, though. That, and playing pool.
Exercise - Exercise is a good idea for obvious reasons... but that great feeling afterwards is due to endorphines released by exercising. Exercise in moderation though... Exercise CAN become an addiction and CAN be overdone...
Okay, I felt a little apprehensive answering this one, even though I walk about a mile every day. Exercise is great, but only if it doesn't infringe on my ice cream eating escapades -no comment Pappy. I like to lift free weights as well. Other than that, I live a really boring life. I like to see what Pappy has to say.
-- Edited by Mr_David on Monday 30th of July 2012 02:55:43 AM
I would agree with you on this one, but the guys down at the meeting might start talking -not to mention Pappy's comments. So I'll leave it at that. I do like to read, though. That, and playing pool.
Okay, I felt a little apprehensive answering this one, even though I walk about a mile every day. Exercise is great, but only if it doesn't infringe on my ice cream eating escapades -no comment Pappy. I like to lift free weights as well. Other than that, I live a really boring life. I like to see what Pappy has to say.
-- Edited by Mr_David on Monday 30th of July 2012 02:55:43 AM
I was hoping not to get dragged into this one ... ... ... Because following Mr. David's comments was 'Pinkchip's ... and 'Pinkchip's' method of relaxing kinda' ... uh ... uh ... well , his sponsor ... uh ... uh ... Man, I can't say what went through my head here ... and I can't get this outta my ... oh boy, .... ... ... ... ... how do I say this ??? .... .... ... do ya'll know 'Pinkchip' ? ... ... I mean ... uh ... uh .... ... ... ... ... sh!t, ... I can't can't say it ...
Okay, ... ... ... for me ... to relax, I take my 'heart meds' cause I have too, i eat my ice cream, try to read a book, but my meds cause me to drift off to 'LaLa' land ... THERE, Pappy's land of 'peace and serenity' ... no alcohol ... Drugs? ... my meds are Lisinipril, Furosemide, Carvedilol, and Pravastatin ... ??? So I don't know pills from shin-o-la ... they just make me fatigued all the time ... therefore it's easy for me to nap, anywhere ... the 'ice cream' just puts an extra 'smile' on my face ...
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'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
I thought this was about 'relaxing' ... ... ... what you mentioned Deb is WORK ... AND it's too hot ... see how my 'excuse' machine just kicks right in ??? ...
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'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
I woke up today with another dream that had a strong effect on my emotions even after waking up. This one caused depression rather than rage though... this dream was way more...real... than my superhero powers dream (lol) because it was a dream ABOUT the issues I'm battling right now.
So I woke up... and oddly my FIRST thought was not to drink... probably because it's been several days since I've had a drink... but once the thought to grab a drink came to me, I had a fierce urge to start drinking... but I didn't. I didn't/don't WANT to drink!! I'm so sick of my mind/body needing to get drunk to numb all the shit in my life!!!!!!!!
So I just started crying.
After crying a while I came here to the thread I myself started to get ideas of things to do rather than drinking. I knew I'd be needing ideas... it's why I started this thread... heh, I'm greedy.
I read in the tub a lot, and also work in my yard quite a bit. My deceased grandmother loved hummingbirds, so I've been creating a hummingbird/butterfly garden in my yard. i also have a monster vegetable garden that is totally out of control. And I clean, clean, clean my house. I used to be a runner, until I fell in the tub and tore a ligament in my knee. LOL Running at night was addicting, not only because of the endorphin rush, but because of the interesting things you see through peoples windows.
How about cooking? I love to cook a great meal..I find the "prep" of chopping fresh veggies and spices very relaxing. I also find cleaning and organizing things relaxing. And..hello ladies? Shopping:)
I close my eyes and concentrate on my breathing. Soon I stop thinking and just be. After a while I either doze off or slowly come back to the world, but either way whatever was bugging me is either gone or so insignificant and far away that it doesn't matter.
I do that as well, Frodo..usually when I'm trying to fall asleep. As for David and pappy..I don't make ice cream soooo dunno if your still interested but I do make a mean dinner (years of stealing ideas from various restaurants I've worked in).. If I DO say so myself:) BUT I don't cook meat..pappy you strike me as a downhome meat n potatoes kinda guy
Yep Colleen, ... ... been a 'meat 'n potatoes' guy for years ... but I must say that the tastiest best food I've ever had comes from New Orleans ... ... down around that city and places like Baton Rouge ... My preferences have shifted over the years away from red meat, which I still like, more toward seafood and chicken ... I'm an ole farm boy born and raised, so I love all vegetables except one ... ... ... and that would be beets ... never thought much of beets ... ... ... as a kid, I pretty much hated tending to the 3 acres of garden we had each year, but now, I would give anything to have about a 1/2 acre veggie garden all to myself ... (contrary to an earlier post about being too hot to work outside)
Doggone it, I'm getting hungry, ... gotta go find something to munch on ... Ya know what,??? ... my weight was never a problem til I stopped smoking three months ago, what's up with that ???
Love 'ya and God Bless, Pappy
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'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
Did someone say New Orleans?? Lived there about 10 years back..BEST food I've had..worked in a great restaurant there and ate like a queen..learned how to make a jambalaya that blows people from up here in Yankee land away ! Haha and people said "hello" to me on the street??? You southerners are strange folk..being all friendly and stuff... Lol..I'm a Boston native and that freaked me out first couple of weeks..I'm all "WHAT do you want to hustle me for? Saying 'hi' like that" hahaha. Anyway, I agree, they have the best food and music scene down in new Orleans:)
