What works for you?
I had some pretty intense therapy yesterday and I'm feeling pretty bad today....
Missy - I'm sorry you're having a rough time of it :(
I have a lot of suggestions - but this is all completely based on my own experience, what I do to get by these days, so you might not want to read this long thing while you are still feeling bad. This is more like being prepared for bad times. I certainly don't think there's any best way to deal with this stuff, so I will tell you what I do and, maybe someone will get an idea - and I'd also like to see what others say. I am definitely willing to change things up.
I list a number of things, because I am so variable, especially when it comes to the degree of "badness" I am feeling. Often, I can't settle, so I'll do one of the following things, then switch to something else, then something else.. The WORST kind of day, for me, I put on something comfy like yoga pants with an old t shirt, and curl up in a corner of my bed.
But that's not a helpful answer! ;)
More constructively ... I love to read, and whenever I am able to do so, I take the chance. I used to be a writer and a grad student but I am unable to write... oh except on message boards! lol Well, I can email too. Sheesh I'm dopey! So. I can still read, sometimes, and I gobble books up when I can, but often I can't concentrate. Sometimes I read old favorite sci-fi or mysteries, or I end up reading things from when I was a little kid - lately I found Baby-Sitter's Club available on kindle...doesn't require much concentration, for me. Reading is my favorite thing to do.
But sometimes even the antics of familiar 12 year olds don't calm me! So I'll put on a sitcom or a movie, a comedy, an old favorite if I really need comfort (think: Zoolander, similar silly movies. Seinfeld or Scrubs for TV shows :) If I CAN concentrate I might choose something I haven't seen before.
My therapist is ALWAYS recommending comedies for me. I have a habit of feeling bad, then almost punishing myself by watching disturbing things and I have to watch out for that. Last night I watched "Everest" - it was bad for me. So I have to be careful.
Whew, Taking a breath here :) Ok.
Have you seen what they call "Adult coloring books"? They are not adult THAT way! there are many that are already aimed at relaxation, with patterns or pictures that an adult can appreciate more than, like, a child's My Little Pony book (I don't have kids, :) but things to color in that are fun or a focus on beauty. "Mandalas" are nice patterns, you might want to look up. There are lots of choices now, it's a trend and lots of people recommend coloring for stress relief. If you can use Amazon, search for "relaxing coloring books" or similar and browse. There's a huge variety of things, intricate or more simple. I love using gel pens that flow right into the paper, not scratchy like a regular pen. Colored pencils are good too and they last much longer. It can be surprisingly satisfying to fill up an area of paper with color.
I'm not much of an artist, though... so if I can't focus on reading, tv, I try to run an audiobook - usually a childhood favorite, Anne of Green Gables, or Little House on the Prairie books, the Narnia series....or something like Harry Potter - that I came to as an adult, but still enjoy. A lot of things that I have read before, and still not difficult to follow. Music could be good, too. Oh and books by comedians like David Sedaris - those are fun to listen to.
Why am I writing so much here? There is a method to my madness! One reason is this: Sometimes I get overwhelmed trying to choose to do anything at all. So I try to keep a coloring page with pencils, a library book checked out, or a paperback kids' book or a mystery or something, all in reach. An audiobook cued on my computer. That way, when I need something, I can go to it quickly. It cuts down on the times when all I can do is curl up in bed doing nothing.
Today is not a bad day for me! I would not always be able to come up with ideas like this. So, I write them down. This one is a pretty good guide for myself, now that I think about it :) But I'm looking forward to reading other people's responses to this one - including you, Missy! I hope this helps.
