Mental Health Archives - Page 2 of 3

Journaling for Anxiety Relief

Today, I would like to talk about some ways you can use journaling for anxiety relief.

Journaling can be a great tool for anxiety. It can help you learn how to regulate your thought process better so that you can lower your anxiety in both the short and long-term.

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“And then what would happen?”

This is one technique you can use as a journaling exercise or as an exercise for your thought process. The main key here is to try to be realistic.

Write what you are worried might happen. Then, you continue to write what would happen next until you realize that eventually things will be okay again, even if they are temporarily not great.

Here’s an example:

I might have a panic attack while giving my presentation for class.

And then what would happen?

Well, I would probably start crying and mess up on my presentation.

And then what would happen?

I might not make a great grade on the presentation.

And then what would happen?

I currently have a 90 in the class, so I might end up with a B or a C. But I would still pass. And since this class isn’t in my major, that’s good enough for me.

See how this journaling technique can walk you through the thought process to discover that things will eventually be okay again?

You do have to make sure you catch yourself before you fall into a pessimistic cycle of, “Well, then my life would be over.” It takes practice, but this journaling exercise really can help.

Of course, some things may take longer to be truly okay again depending on the severity of the situation. But things almost always have a way of working out.

Worst/Best/Most likely

This is another journaling technique for anxiety. It’s pretty simple as well and probably the least time consuming out of our journaling exercises here today.

You simply write down the worst case scenario in the situation you’re worried about, the best case scenario in that situation, and the most likely scenario in that situation too.

Here’s an example.

Situation: I lost my job.

Worst case scenario: I can’t afford to keep living on my own and have to move back in with my parents even though I am too old to be doing that.

Best case scenario: I use this as an opportunity to find my dream job or start a new business. I make more money than I ever did before and fall in love with my new job.

Most likely scenario: I have to pick up a job doing something that isn’t what I want to make ends meet until I find a job I enjoy again.

Make a list

This is my favorite method of journaling for anxiety relief. However, it is a bit more complex than the other two methods.

First, you make a list of everything that is currently causing you anxiety.

Then, you pick one to work on at a time. Start with the most anxiety provoking one or the one with the soonest deadline.

After that, write down why it’s making you anxious, what you have done and still can do to prepare, and what you will do if the worst case scenario happens to mitigate the negative effects.

You can then work through the rest of the items on the list that are causing you anxiety if you have time. If not, put the list away somewhere you don’t have to look at it and come back to it when you have more time.

Here’s a brief example:

A list of things that are making me anxious

I have a Spanish test this week that I need to do well on.
My friend is starting cancer treatments this month.
My phone is about to break and I don’t have the money to replace it.

Why is it making me anxious: My Spanish test is making me anxious because I really want to get a good grade in that class. I have never taken a foreign language test before, so I don’t know what to expect.

Preparation: I have watched the study guide videos multiple times. I attended class regularly. I have met with my professor during office hours and still have time to do so one more time before the test.

Worst case scenario: If the worst case scenario happens and I fail the test, I will meet with my professor to see what the chances of me passing the class are to decide if I should withdraw. If I can still pass the class, I will try to see if my professor can show me where I went wrong so I can improve.

Thoughts on journaling for anxiety relief

These techniques can all help lower your anxiety.

When you are considering which journaling exercise for anxiety relief to choose, consider how much time you have and how many things you are feeling anxious about.

Don’t be afraid to try journaling for anxiety relief. It really is a great tool to have to help you with your mental health.

I hope you enjoyed my post! Please consider leaving a comment or sharing a link on social media if you did. You can find my contact info here. And don’t forget to sign up for my email list below!

Until next time,

Danna

Don't forget to subscribe to our email list for weekly updates from Musings by Danna, plus 17 free journal prompts for mental health!

Distraction Coping Skills: The Coping Box Series Part 3

Welcome to part three of my series on creating a coping box! Today’s installment is about distraction coping skills.

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What are distraction coping skills?

Distraction coping skills are used when it is too difficult to face your emotions in the current moment. They are used to de-escalate your feelings to a level that is safe for you to deal with.

It is not advised to only use distraction coping skills because at some point you do need to process your emotions and allow yourself to feel.

However, it is a good option to have these skills for when expressive coping skills feel too overwhelming to think about.

Distraction coping skills for a coping box

Here are a few examples of distraction coping skills that you can put in a coping box:

Mind puzzles: Think of games like sudoku or crossword puzzles. These require a lot of mental energy to complete and therefore are a great distraction. My favorite are word searches.
Friendship bracelet supplies or other craft supplies: These keep your hands busy which is a great way to distract yourself.
Playlist of songs: It’s important to pick songs for your playlist that won’t keep you stuck in your unhappy state. Think of songs that make you feel like singing and dancing. Add those songs.
Gift cards: If you have a tendency to want to buy things when you’re sad, this can be a really good idea because it keeps you on a budget. You can only spend the amount on the gift card, so you aren’t going to spend money you don’t really have. You can buy a few gift cards here and there for yourself if it’s in your budget, or you could save any you get as gifts from others.
Book or religious text: Reading can be a great distraction from your current situation. Whether you prefer fiction, nonfiction, or religious texts, it’s a great way to keep your mind occupied and allow those difficult feelings to pass.
Playing cards: Teach yourself some new card tricks or learn how to play solitaire if you don’t already know.
Rubik’s cube: You can teach yourself the algorithm to solve it quickly if you want and see how fast you can get, or do it the long way if you’re not interested in learning an algorithm. It keeps your hands and mind occupied.
Write activities down on color coded popsicle sticks: I have activities color coded by what unpleasant emotion I want to go away. For example, calling a friend helps when I am feeling lonely. Make all the popsicle sticks for loneliness the same color so you can draw whatever color/feeling you are hoping to alleviate. This is good for activities that don’t really fit inside your coping box.

Some final thoughts

Thanks for joining me on this journey of creating a coping box. I hope you have found some new ideas that work for you.

Make sure to try and include things from each section (expressive, sensory, and distraction) in your coping box.

Did you miss one of the other posts in this series? You can find expressive coping skills here, and sensory coping skills here.

I hope you enjoyed this final part in my series on creating a coping box. As always, please leave a comment or share a link on social media if you enjoyed this post. You can always contact me here.

Until next time,

Danna

Don't forget to subscribe to our email list for weekly updates from Musings by Danna, plus 17 free journal prompts for mental health!

Sensory Coping Skills: The Coping Box Series Part 2

Sensory coping skills are a great thing to add to your coping box! There are so many options for what you could use, so today I will introduce you to a few.

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What are sensory coping skills?

Sensory coping skills are used to calm and ground oneself. Instead of focusing on expressing yourself, like we did in the last post, these coping skills are focused on the five senses.

These skills are great when you are feeling overwhelmed and need to calm down.

Sensory coping skills for a coping box

Here are some examples of sensory coping skills that you can keep in a coping box:

Lotion: This is great for tactile stimulation. Plus, you can choose lotions that smell good. You can use it to give yourself a gentle hand or foot massage while you rub it in as well.
Bath bomb: For those of you who find baths relaxing and have a bathtub where you live, this could be a great option. I have always wanted to try one!
Hard candies: These are a useful tool to give yourself a strong flavor to focus on. Make sure you keep them in a Ziploc or other closed container in case they melt as well as to avoid bugs.
Essential oils: There are many essential oils designed to be calming, such as lavender. Make sure to buy a quality brand, especially if you intend to apply it to your skin.
Stress ball: A personal favorite of mine! There are different versions. The one I currently use is shown in the picture above. It’s just a small, squishy stuffed buddy that I think was designed to clip on to a backpack or bag. Bonus points for this one because it’s bubble gum scented!
Fuzzy socks: I have so many pairs of fuzzy socks and I love them! They’re also great to seal in lotion if you applied it to your feet.
Play-Doh/Slime: The texture of Play-Doh and slime are very different, but both extremely satisfying. There are recipes online for how to make your own if you don’t have any.
Fidget spinner: A lot of people have had great luck with these for helping them stay calm in the midst of anxiety.
Spin top: There’s something immensely satisfying about spinning these and watching them go!

Some final thoughts

It’s great to have a mix of coping skills in your box, so try to pick a variety of things from different categories, such as expressive, sensory, and distraction. I will be talking about distraction coping skills in my next post.

Let me know if there are any other sensory coping skills you keep around that work well for you! You can find my contact info here.

I hope you enjoyed this second part of my series on putting together a coping box. As always, please leave a comment or share a link on social media if you enjoyed this post.

Until next time,

Danna

Don't forget to subscribe to our email list for weekly updates from Musings by Danna, plus 17 free journal prompts for mental health!

Expressive Coping Skills: The Coping Box Series Part 1

A coping box is a great thing to have when you need it. They’re great for when you find yourself overwhelmed by anxiety or depression. Today, I will be introducing expressive coping skills you can keep in your coping box.

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What is a coping box?

A coping box is what you would expect. It’s a box that has different coping skills ready for you to use.

It doesn’t really need to be a box. I have also used a bag in the past.

The coping skills may be expressive, sensory, or distraction-focused. It would be good to have a mix of all three. This post will be focused on the expressive skills.

Making a coping box

Making a coping box can be part of the fun! It’s nice to go back to something that you made and are proud of when you are struggling.

When I made mine (pictured above), I was given the box as part of a group therapy that I participated in. I then took it home and decorated it to bring back to our next meeting.

You should be able to find a box similar to mine at most craft stores. I painted it a happy color and then collaged it with magazine cut outs when the paint was dry. As a finishing touching, I added glitter Mod Podge.

Of course, you can decorate yours however you like. Just make sure the decorations are positive and conducive to recovery.

Expressive skills for a coping box

There are so many things you can put in your coping box! It’s a great way to have many materials you need for coping in one place.

Here are some examples of expressive coping skills/items you can have in your coping box:

Journal and a pen: This is a great way to be able to express your feelings by writing them down in something that you get to put away at the end.
Sketch pad and pencils: If you’re into art, this may be a great coping skill for you. Even if you aren’t, you’d be surprised at what can come out when you allow yourself to let go and try.
Collaging supplies: If you have some old magazines, you can cut out pictures and words that catch your eye. Then, you can store it in your box to collage with.
Journal prompts in a jar: If you can find a small jar, you can use it to collect journal prompts that you find online and print out or write down. This way, if you feel stuck when you want to try journaling, you have something to go off of. There are lots of great ideas on Pinterest.
Stationery: Stationery is one of my favorite things! I love to write letters to people. If you’re interested in writing letters to someone else or your future self, stationery is a great idea!
Paint: Try to find some small paints that will be easy to store in your box. I prefer acrylics because they dry quickly, but whatever paint you like will be a good choice. You can store small canvases or paper that can be painted on in your box.
Photography scavenger hunt: This one could be a lot of fun! Make a list of open-ended prompts for a photography scavenger hunt and put the list in your box. This could be as simple as taking a photo of something with a certain color or shape. It’s up to you how you get creative with the photos afterwards.

Some final thoughts on expressive coping skills

Most likely, all of these items will not fit in your box, especially once you start adding items from the next two categories.

That’s okay. Pick your favorites. Take what works for you and leave the rest.

I hope you enjoyed the first installment of my series on making a coping box. As always, please leave a comment or share a link on social media if you enjoyed this post. If you want to contact me, you can find my information here.

Until next time,

Danna

Don't forget to subscribe to our email list for weekly updates from Musings by Danna, plus 17 free journal prompts for mental health!

Personalization: The Thinking Errors Series Part 10

We have finally reached the last part in this series on thinking errors! Today, I will be discussing the thinking error of personalization. If you’re new to the concept of thinking errors, also known as cognitive distortions or automatic negative thoughts, please check out the first installment of the series here. It’s on all-or-nothing thinking and will tell you what a thinking error is.

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Personalization

In the thinking error of personalization, you blame yourself for something that wasn’t entirely your fault. You may also find yourself blaming someone else for something that wasn’t entirely their fault.

This negative attribution can make you feel guilty when applied to yourself and disappointed or angry when applied to others.

How to recognize personalization

If your thought is essentially “This is my fault” or “This is their fault” then it may be personalization.

It may be a true statement. What you are blaming yourself for may really be your fault. Rarely does one person hold all the blame for something, though.

Here are some examples of personalization:

It’s my fault that my friends are arguing.
She died because I didn’t do enough.
You’re miserable because of him.
It’s my fault that he failed his test.

Ways to overcome personalization

Half the battle with personalization is learning to determine how true the statement actually is. Then you’ll know if you need to challenge your thought or accept that something was your fault.

Reality check with a trusted person

This is a great technique if you are trying to decide if you are using personalization or if something was actually your fault. You will want to find someone you can trust to be honest with you.

Describe the situation as objectively as you can. Try to leave out words of judgement and state only the facts.

Ask your friend if they think you are blaming yourself or someone else too much. Only use this technique if you know you won’t get mad at your friend for answering honestly.

What would you say to a friend?

Another technique is to imagine what you would say if a friend of yours came to you with the same concern you are having. Would you blame them the same way you are blaming yourself?

Probably not.

Even if you would still think they were at fault, you probably wouldn’t think they were a terrible person. If you are to blame for a situation, own up to it and learn from it rather than judging yourself.

I hope you enjoyed my series on thinking errors! I am so happy I was finally able to get this tenth installment written for you. As always, please comment or share a link on social media if you liked this post. If you want to contact me, you can find my info here.

Until next time,

Danna

Don't forget to subscribe to our email list for weekly updates from Musings by Danna, plus 17 free journal prompts for mental health!

Labeling and Mislabeling: The Thinking Errors Series Part 9

Today, I will be discussing the thinking error of labeling and mislabeling. If you’re just joining me in this series, please check out its first installment. It’s on all-or-nothing thinking and it defines thinking errors. You can find it here.

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Labeling and mislabeling

In the thinking error of labeling and mislabeling, you assign negative labels to yourself and others.

This label tends to be based on one negative detail. It is often a form of overgeneralization.

Related article: Overgeneralization

When you assign these negative labels to yourself, it can increase feelings of depression and decrease self-esteem. When these labels are applied to others, it can leave you frustrated with them.

How to recognize labeling and mislabeling

Labeling doesn’t have certain words that it always uses. There is a way I have been able to recognize it, though. If your thought could be reworded without changing the meaning to say, “I did ‘x’, therefore I am ‘y’,” then you are using labeling and mislabeling.

If applied to others, it would be, “They did ‘x’, therefore they are ‘y’.”

Here are some examples:

I lost that game, so I am a loser.
Because I forgot to call her, I am a terrible son.
He cried about that movie because he’s a crybaby.
I lost my keys. I must be so irresponsible!

Ways to overcome labeling and mislabeling

This thinking error can be a challenge to overcome, but it is worth the effort. Try the tips below if you’re stuck on ways to challenge these thoughts.

So what?

When you have the thought rearranged as “I did ‘x’, therefore I am ‘y'” , break it down. “I forgot to call.” So what? Does that really say anything about your character?

Most likely, the things you are thinking you are terrible for are not as big of a deal as you think they are.

Conversely, consider this the next time you are thinking this way about someone else. Are they being labeled too harshly?

Self-esteem

When you are applying this thinking error to yourself regularly, you are probably doing so because you struggle with your self-esteem.

Try to find ways to boost your self-esteem so that you still feel okay about yourself when things go wrong. Give yourself reasons to celebrate by finding things you can succeed at.

And remember, it is okay to fail sometimes.

I hope you enjoyed the 9th installment of my series on thinking errors! I can’t wait to get the final one up for you later this week and show you what else I have in store. As always, please comment or share a link on social media if you liked this post. If you want to contact me, you can find my info here.

Until next time,

Danna

Don't forget to subscribe to our email list for weekly updates from Musings by Danna, plus 17 free journal prompts for mental health!

Overgeneralization: The Thinking Errors Series Part 8

Wow, it’s already part eight of The Thinking Errors Series! Today, I will be discussing overgeneralization. In case you’re new to the series, here is a link to the first part of the series, on all-or-nothing thinking, where thinking errors are defined.

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Overgeneralization

When overgeneralizing, people tend to be very broad with their statements. They generalize one negative experiences to all experiences.

Essentially, one piece or a few pieces of negative information are taken to mean everything is negative.

This can increase feelings of depression and anxiety.

How to recognize overgeneralization

Overgeneralization is fairly easy to spot. The harder part is to admit to yourself that you’re doing it, and then try to change it.

Overgeneralization involves words such as “never” and “always”. It can also include “everything” or “nothing”.

Some examples include:

I never meet my goals.
Because I didn’t write as much as I wanted to last month, I will never be able to.
I always say the wrong thing during work meetings.
I always fail my quizzes.

Ways to overcome overgeneralization

Just because overgeneralization is one of the easier thinking errors to recognize, that doesn’t mean it’s always simple to challenge these thoughts. However, if you keep working at it, it will get easier.

Circle the word

I wrote about this one in my post on should statements, which you can find here.

This skill involves journaling. You will journal out your thoughts when you catch yourself using overgeneralization. Then, go back and circle the places you used “always” or “never”.

Once you’ve recognized all the ways you are using overgeneralization, you can challenge these thoughts.

Write down a healthier thought to replace each of your negative thoughts.

Examine the facts

You can also take a moment to review if your negative thought is actually 100% accurate.

Have you really always said the wrong thing in work meetings? Was there ever a time where you said something useful? Even if there was a single time where you have said something that was acceptable, that disproves your negative thought.

Practice self compassion

In other words, be kinder to yourself. Your value is not tied to your level of success.

One mistake doesn’t mean a lifetime of mistakes.

Just because something has been bad in the past doesn’t mean it always will be. Trust that things can get better.

I hope you enjoyed part eight of The Thinking Errors series. Please let me know in the comments down below or share this link on social media. You can also contact me here.

Until next time,

Danna

Don't forget to subscribe to our email list for weekly updates from Musings by Danna, plus 17 free journal prompts for mental health!

Magnification and Minimization: The Thinking Errors Series Part 7

I can’t believe we are already on part seven of The Thinking Errors Series! Today, I will be discussing magnification and minimization. If you’re new to the series, check out part one on all-or-nothing thinking here to learn more about thinking errors.

Magnification and minimization

With magnification, you are overly concerned with an insignificant event. You are viewing it as more important than it actually is.

In the case of minimization, just the opposite is true. You are placing too little value on something positive that actually matters.

People may magnify small mistakes. They may also minimize positive traits they have.

Minimization can make you feel insignificant because you are saying your good traits are unimportant. Magnification can lead to feeling out of control because you feel that the world is crashing down around you.

How to recognize magnification and minimization

Minimization often contains the keywords “only” or “just”. These thoughts may also contain phrases such as “no big deal”.

Magnification doesn’t really have keywords, but it can be recognized by the fact that the event causing the thought was not a big event.

Here are some examples:

That quiz was only worth 20% of my grade, so failing it isn’t a big deal.
Just because he hung out with me after work, that doesn’t suggest he might want to be friends.
I lost my necklace and now everything is terrible.
I didn’t finish my homework last night so now I am going to fail the class and never get into graduate school.

Ways to overcome magnification and minimization

If you want to develop healthier thoughts, it’s important to learn how to cope with and challenge unhealthy thoughts, such as magnification and minimization.

Ask yourself, “And then what would happen?”

This is a great strategy for magfication. When you catch yourself thinking this way, ask yourself what would happen next.

It may be a bit distressing in the beginning, because if something bad were to happen, things may not be okay immediately. But then what would happen next?

The important thing to get out of this exercise is that things turn out okay eventually.

Compliments

For minimization, it’s very important to learn to take a compliment.

If you want to read more about that, you can find more information in my post on disqualifying the positive under the section titled “Ways to overcome disqualifying the positive”. Find it here.

Make a list

Make a list of your positive traits. Try to think of at least ten nonphysical qualities.

Remember these when you feel like minimizing your positive qualities.

You can also use this when you catch yourself magnifying a situation by reminding yourself that you have positive qualities to help you get through the situation.

I hope you enjoyed the seventh installment of The Thinking Errors Series. As always, please comment down below or share a link to social media if you did. You can also contact me here.

Until next time,

Danna

Don't forget to subscribe to our email list for weekly updates from Musings by Danna, plus 17 free journal prompts for mental health!

Jumping to Conclusions: The Thinking Errors Series Part 6

Today, I will be writing about jumping to conclusions for part six of my series on thinking errors. If you are new to the series and unfamiliar with thinking errors, please check out the first post in this series on all-or-nothing thinking here.

Jumping to conclusions

Jumping to conclusions can be broken down into two main thinking errors: mind reading and fortune telling.

Overall, jumping to conclusions means that you are drawing negative conclusions about something without evidence to support your conclusion.

In mind reading, you assume that someone has a negative belief about you. You don’t investigate to see if this is the case, but just believe it to be true.

In fortune telling, you believe the future is destined to be bad. Even though you cannot prove it, you accept this imagined future as a fact.

How to recognize jumping to conclusions

You can recognize jumping to conclusions because you are assuming something about the future or someone else’s thoughts that you could not possibly know for sure.

Here are some examples:

My friends secretly hate me.
I am going to fail my test.
My boyfriend thinks I am a downer.
I am not going to finish my work assignment on time.

Ways to overcome jumping to conclusions

Jumping to conclusions can be a challenge to overcome. You want to hold onto your beliefs because overcoming them can be temporarily difficult or painful, even if it is for the best long term. Here are some ways you can overcome jumping to conclusions.

Thought stopping

Thought stopping is the practice of saying “no” to your negative thoughts. You may have to do this a lot in order to get the thought to stop coming back up in the beginning.

It’s okay to tell yourself that you don’t know the answer for sure yet, so you don’t need to let your thoughts take over and pretend they do.

Remember past experiences

Remember times before where things worked out differently than you thought they would.

This will show you that things may turn out differently than what you are expecting.

For example, maybe in the past, you were worried you would fail a test, but you ended up doing alright on it. This is evidence that things can work out differently than how you expect.

What is the benefit?

You really can’t tell what will happen in the future, so while your negative thought could turn out to be true, what good does it do you to dwell in that negative space until you know?

The best use of your time and thoughts is not to spend time worrying over how things will turn out or whether people like you. Your time is better spent trying to do and be the best you can.

I hope you enjoyed part six of The Thinking Errors Series. As always, please let me know in the comments down below, or you can find my contact info here.

Until next time,

Danna

Don't forget to subscribe to our email list for weekly updates from Musings by Danna, plus 17 free journal prompts for mental health!

Should Statements: The Thinking Errors Series Part 5

Today is the fifth installment of The Thinking Errors Series. I will be discussing should statements. If you are new to this series and/or unfamiliar with thinking errors, please check out this post, about all-or-nothing thinking, where I cover what thinking errors are.

Should statements

Should statements are pretty much exactly what they sound like. They are statements using the word “should” or other similar words that make you feel guilty.

Should statements have a tendency to cloud our vision of ourselves and the world because we are trying to get things to be a certain way, rather than just accepting them for what they are.

They can make us feel like failures and make us view others with frustration when they aren’t doing things the way we think they “should.”

How to recognize should statements

Should statements are fairly easy to recognize because they contain certain words such as “should”, “must”, or “ought”.

The following are some examples:

I should have worked harder on that assignment.
I shouldn’t have failed that test.
He ought not be acting that way.
I must exercise daily.

Ways to overcome should statements

Overcoming should statements can be a challenge, but it’s important for your mental health to do your best to work through these thoughts.

Radical acceptance

Radical acceptance is the concept of accepting things exactly as they are without trying to change them. It means that you stop trying to challenge reality and accept it.

This can help with should statements because instead of thinking of how things should be, you are accepting them for what they are.

I will write future posts about radical acceptance.

Journaling

Journal out your thoughts. Every time you use words like “should”, “shouldn’t”, “must”, or “ought”, circle them. This will allow you to start recognizing your should statements.

Once you have recognized them, you can decide if they are distressing you in some way. Maybe they are making you feel angry or guilty.

If so, then it’s time to challenge that thought and replace it with a healthier one. Write those healthier thoughts down too.

Ask yourself “Why?”

This technique works especially well for when you are applying a should statement to yourself, such as the example above stating, “I must exercise daily.”

Why do you have this rule for yourself? Does it benefit you to be so strict about it that you feel guilty? Does everyone else apply the same rule to themselves? If you know someone who doesn’t, does that say something bad about them?

If it doesn’t, then it probably means there’s nothing wrong with you for not following your rule perfectly, so you can let go of your should statement.

I hope you enjoyed part five of The Thinking Errors Series. As always, please let me know in the comment down below or find my contact info here.

Until next time,

Danna

Don't forget to subscribe to our email list for weekly updates from Musings by Danna, plus 17 free journal prompts for mental health!