coping
Life presents variables; learning how to cope in order to master, minimize, or tolerate what has come to pass.
Cracked
At the time I was introduced to Kintsugi—a Japanese art form, in which broken pottery is repaired using lacquer mixed with powdered precious metals: silver, gold, and platinum—I could truly relate to broken pottery; I felt ugly and useless, irreparably damaged. I was, for what seemed to be the hundredth time, in an outpatient treatment program for adults struggling with mental illness after yet another stay in a psychiatric hospital. I felt depressed; I felt hopeless; I felt hideous from the inside out. I honestly believed myself to be truly, irrevocably broken, and I saw no end in sight to the emotional turmoil or mental torture. I could not see any light in my life, because I was being buried wholly by the innumerable shards of my own destroyed self—the bits and pieces of my dysfunctional existence that I was clinging to for dear life, despite the pain they were causing myself and those around me. I remained stuck in this deep, dark rut of familiar pain until I was given information about Kintsugi by a counselor in this treatment program. Upon discovering this practice, I came to the realization that being cracked could be a positive in my life; because I am cracked, I have the opportunity to become the person I am meant to be, full of unique traits and beautiful imperfections, and, through those cracks, light has the potential and opportunity to infiltrate my darkness.
Hannah EasopPublished 7 years ago in PsycheActing from the Neck Up
I begin this with my favourite caveat from drama school: "Ninety per cent of what we teach you is bullshit, darlings. You have to find the ten per cent that works for you, and it's different for everyone."
Amy SuttonPublished 7 years ago in PsycheCoping Mechanisms & Children
Some children very early on in their lives must come up with coping mechanisms, these are used to help the child process and be able to function while carrying the baggage that has been placed on them at such a delicate age. It’s no secret that some children have to deal with complex adult situations that they shouldn’t have to, but for some reason or another the universe found it fitting to throw them into an unwelcoming or harsh environment that the child did not choose. While unpleasant to think about and truly unfortunate that this happens, the best they can do is create their own coping mechanisms.
Cheyann StromPublished 7 years ago in PsycheAnxiety and Depression Ruined My Life, Now I'm Taking It Back
It is something that has taken me a long time to fully acknowledge, I had always tried to play it down or shrug it off. I've often mentioned in passing my struggles with anxiety and my depressive moods, but I cannot recall a scenario where I went into great detail about it. More often than not, I just brushed it off with the admirable, if sometimes misguided, stoicism society tends to encourage. Even in 2017, talking about mental health still appears to be a stigma. It's hard to admit you're struggling, let alone tell another human being or a group about it, putting yourself out there, allowing yourself to be vulnerable is extremely daunting. Also, people generally do not want to hear anything other than "positive vibes only," it's less of a hassle to say you're okay and put a brave face on things, even if it's just for show.
Michael JonesPublished 7 years ago in PsycheMy Own Personal Nightmare
Some days I wake up and I feel like there is this weight on me, and I have a sinking feeling in my stomach as if I am about to throw up. I realize that the monsters have come back for a visit, and I prepare to go through the day with their constant nagging and whispering in my ears. At some point during the day they leave me, as if going on a slight break so we don't get sick of each other or to go home and rest for a while, but they always come back to bother me... usually when I am in a great mood.
aureliabloodPublished 7 years ago in PsycheLosing My Independence
Following my graduation from University, I moved back in with my parents for the summer. After countless job applications, I was struggling to find a job which presented itself as interesting to me. I quickly accepted an unpaid internship which I had little desire in but was told would direct me into a promising career within a government organization. Initially, I had turned down an opportunity with a tech-startup in a different province, for this unpaid opportunity which I was told would be the better choice of the two. Two days into the internship I quickly came to the realization that this wasn't for me and proceeded to quit once I arrived home from the lengthy commute.
Today, You Will Forget that There Is a Tomorrow
They say that it’s better to have loved and lost, than to have never loved at all. They say the good ones always leave us too soon, and that sometimes, if you love them, you must let them go. These are things that I have heard about my aunt since the day she died. These are things that I don’t know I would have told myself.
Cordell GreenPublished 7 years ago in Psyche10 Things to Do When You Take a Mental Health Day
Get Out of Bed This first suggestion may seem overly simple, ridiculously easy, and pretty darn obvious, but when I’m really struggling emotionally this beginning step can be the hardest (and, if we’re being perfectly honest, the absolute worst). However, this is the most important step because, in my experience, our beds can become prisons where we hold ourselves captive and force feed ourselves sorrow and misery for hours, and sometimes even days, on end. So, in order to avoid doing that to yourself, just get your butt out of the bed, and, at the very least, move yourself to the couch. Plus, in order to complete steps two through ten, you need to be up and about- so get up and get moving!
Hannah EasopPublished 7 years ago in PsycheHow to Cope with Death
I know death is a hard subject for anyone, especially if you were in love with them. I lost someone I loved the beginning of 2017. He died just three weeks after his twenty second birthday. Things weren't going well between us. We fought about the little things, got mad over nothing and I tried my best to help, but I think at the time we both had a lot going on in our lives and we didn't know how to handle all of it. Its been incredibly hard to cope, especially when I found out. I cried for days, I wasn't eating for weeks, broke down at work, and I felt there was nothing that anyone could do for me.
Kayla TriplettPublished 7 years ago in PsycheUnderstanding the Difference Between Facts and Opinions
"It’s not a character defect, a spiritual disorder or an emotional dysfunction. And chief of all, it’s not a choice. Asking someone to “try” not being depressed is tantamount to asking someone who’s been shot to try and stop bleeding. Such an attitude can dangerously appear in the church as, “if only you had enough faith.”
Is Suicide Selfish?
**Trigger Warning: This article may be triggering to those struggling with suicidal ideation or other mental illnesses. ** "Suicide isn’t chosen. It happens when pain exceeds resources for coping with pain. When you wake up in extreme pain and crippling sickness and get mad at God for allowing you to wake up instead of thanking him for the day. Because you don’t want the day… because you have no choice in your life anymore.
Annalise MishlerPublished 7 years ago in PsycheWake Up. You're Dreaming.
Ever since I was little, I can remember having all sorts of dysfunctional ways of being. Even at a toddler, you could see my anxiety in photographs. When I look back on them now, I think, "How the hell could I have been anxious?" Because at that age, I wasn't even having thoughts. I wasn't wondering or worrying about anything, per se, but what I could feel — was energy.
Kristina LicarePublished 7 years ago in Psyche