Healthy Coping Skills
Name a healthy coping skill that you use or want to start using.
- Reading
- Writing/Journaling
- Listening to music
- Talking to friends/family
- Taking a walk
- Deep breathing
- Meditation
Name one example of an unhealthy coping skill.
- avoiding the problem
- Yelling at others
- Harming others or yourself
What are the benefits of using healthy coping skills?
They reduce stress
They allow us to create better relationships
They allow us to have a healthy mind and body
Help us reduce our emotional response.
Talking to others about problems in our lives is a healthy coping skill.
TRUE!
Talking to others allows us to share our emotions and problems so that we do not have to go through them alone.
Answers may vary
Name two healthy coping skills that you are currently using and plan to use upon discharge.
- Playing a game
- Talking to someone
- Watching t.v./movies
- Exercising
- Playing sports
- Arts and Crafts
Name three challenges to changing people, places and things.
Answers may vary- peers assist in problem solving.
What are the benefits of a daily routine?
* Keeps you busy
* Gives a sense of purpose
* Allows you to replace bad habits for a good one
* Keep you accountable
Every coping skill is healthy.
FALSE!
Some ways that we learn to cope are not healthy for us! (ex: smoking, drinking, gambling, etc.)
How can you reduce your anxiety to walk into your first sober support meeting within the community.
Sponsor, friend/family drive you, MHA peers, make plans to go with someone from rehab
List 3 mindfulness exercise you have practiced.
Answers will vary.... may include
Mindfulness meditation, walk, doodling, breathing, five senses, body scan, guided imagery, body movements, clench and release, noodling, yoga, marital arts, and many more.
What challenge do you have being open minded to trying new things?
Answer may vary, peers assist in finding solution.
What does sober support mean to you?
answers may vary
True or False:
Coping skills are used to avoid problems in our lives.
FALSE!
Coping skills help us work through our problems and emotions. You do not want to avoid these! Avoiding is considered an unhealthy coping skill.
What does one day at a time mean for you?
Answers may vary
Describe seven primary attitudes of mindfulness?
Non-judging: thinking, feeling or responding absent the influnce of internal sensor or critics, an attitude, "just notice your thoughts, emotions, or whatever may surface as relevant. Non-Judgment, does not endorse behaviors that put yourself or others in harm's way.
Patience: drives from the Latin root meanings to undergo, suffer, or bear, the art of deferring gratification, waiting.
Beginners' Mind: to be open, beginners mind is approaching each new task with an open mind. Removing the expert mindset and from being in the auto pilot mode.
Trust: having belief in some unseen entity, an outcome, another person or group or the internal self.
Non-striving: thinking , feeling or acting with focus on the process, not just the outcome. Non-striving does not imply laziness or sloth, think of it as an attitude that encourages you, even in your work, to not force, to refrain from trying so hard. Letting whatever happens, happen.
Acceptance: a coming to terms with reality, no matter how harsh or unpleasant it may be, doing so can be a pathway to peace, Does not imply you have to "like" the reality that you discontinue fighting.
Letting go: releasing your "grip" on a situation, emotion, person, thing, or outcome, generally resulting in a freeing response (or at least the beginning of one)
Talking to a sober support can be a challenge, but how can you overcome the challenge.
Answers may vary.
What is mindfulness?
A state of nonjudgmental awareness of what's happening in the present moment, including the awareness of one's own thoughts, feelings and senses.
True or False:
Coping skills help you focus on the important things in your life.
TRUE!
When we can cope with problems in our lives, it is easier to focus on everything else that is important to us!
How can you celebrate your success?
You made a life changing goal, you need to find healthy ways to celebrate your success.
Name three things that you can journal about every day.
- Your feelings (sad, happy, mad, motivated, etc.)
- Thoughts
- Types of coping skills that you used that day
- Leisure activities that you did that day
- Goals that you have for the week/month/year
Physical Sensations
Behavior Outcome
Name four things you should included in your daily routine?
What activities will help you stay sober?
What activities will keep you healthy?
What activities help you feel productive and accomplished?
What activities give you genuine enjoyment?
Stay away from activities that cause unnecessary stress or are otherwise unhealthy.
With these questions in mind, your daily routine may involve:
Mindfulness can assist you improve ability to adapt to stressful situations.
True
Mindfulness skills create a sense of calmness, confidence, and inner-peace. They are important for your overall health.
In addition Mindfulness can reduce symptoms of depression/anxiety, improve memory, focus, and mental processing speed, greater satisfaction within relationships, reduce rumination, and improve ability to manage emotions.
Daily checks in can support your recovery, who will be your daily check in sober support?
Answers may vary