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When Your Coping Strategies Become 'Mainstream'

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People living often live their lives and follow along with new fads as they develop. Lately I’ve been noticing how many of these new “trends” come from the mental health world. I’m hoping that if we can show others without illness how we use these activities, it can be another way to start a conversation around mental health. How many of these did you use before they became “mainstream?”

1. Mindfulness — My boss wants to implement a whole mindfulness curriculum and wants me to be a part of training for it. She has no idea how many mindfulness activities and sessions I’ve been involved in during therapy.

2. Coloring — It has been great that it’s become such a “thing,” it’s so much easier to find books! But don’t assume I only color because it’s “cool.”

3. Meditation/Yoga – Yoga Nidra is one of the things that can usually help me sleep despite my brain being in overdrive.

4. Self-care – When someone mentions taking time or a day for themselves, all I can think of is them marking a check on my coping skills list.

5. Bullet Journals for Emotions and Feelings – Look up a dialectical behavior therapy diary card.

It’s interesting how so many healthy habits and things people enjoy in the “regular” world are major coping mechanisms for someone with mental illness.

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Thinkstock photo via JDwow

Originally published: March 14, 2017
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