Does anyone have any coping strategies?

[kwan_kung]

Appart from the common "i've prolly done 2 laps of earth in my bedroom" pacing. what other coping strategies have you made?

one of mine-

stimming: Jiggling my foot about, throwing things up in the air and catching them....for HOURS, or something similar.

[seemichellerun]

When I was living with my parents, one of the most effective activities for me was walking around the pool in the backyard. Our neighborhood wasn't super loud, so it was usually pretty quiet and isolated and even my most terrifying bouts with emetophobia seem to disolve when I do that.


I also play Tetris on gameboy . Something mindless that occuppies my time and focus, but really doesn't take a whole lot to play....

[booker]

I find writing something down helps a lot. Kinda puts your mind to rest.

When i have a panic attack i would do things like playing with a pen or something which has a small and repetitive action. This just keeps me from completely freaking out
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[6pksummer]

I sure on the internet...doesn't really help...I just have to get through it...nothing seems to help

[spilled_milk]

I go on the internet or TV, drink water, just generally distract myself.


&lt;3 Anya--

[lgood22573]

pace around my bedroom

[marieb73]

I try to focus on other things, but I am afraid of doing that as last ime I v* it was when I was trying to take my mind off of it and focus on something else.

Usually, I pace or surf the net.

[dreamer]

Deep, slow breathing and distraction: reading, tv, internet.


Welcome to the site, by the way!

[kate1966]

Take a xanax...clean house....watch tv...talk on the phone...deep breathing works really well.

[melissarene]

I either jump on the internet or play tetris on my cellphone.

[xroofusx]

I watch tv, if i feel up to it eat a ginger biscuit as it really seems to help, chew gum, draw, play games on my phone, talk to my mum and if it isn't to cold and its in the day i go stand outside, but thats what happend last time i was v* a lot, i was in the garden on the floor as i had a horrible pain in my side and my mum came out and said are you ok and the next thing i know i v*, though i v* over 20 times..i didn't feel at all sick, only the pain in my side. strange..lol

[purpleteacher]

I'm all about talking on the phone! I am grateful for good long distance on the house phone and plenty of free minutes on my cell.


Internet works... especially posting to discussion forums or playing mindless games.


Listening to music on my headset. I can go off into my own little world and can take the headset outside with me if the weather allows.


Sitting outside - backyard or front yard. I just like to get out of the house. I feel "safer" when I'm outside for some reason. I don't do this at night, unless my folks know where I am (which means the backyard where they can see me out the windown - I don't live in the safest neighborhood). I usually take a book, my cell phone, or headset outside with me.

[honeybee]

I watch tv, if i feel up to it eat a ginger biscuit as it really seems to help, chew gum, draw, play games on my phone, talk to my mum and if it isn't to cold and its in the day i go stand outside, but thats what happend last time i was v* a lot, i was in the garden on the floor as i had a horrible pain in my side and my mum came out and said are you ok and the next thing i know i v*, though i v* over 20 times..i didn't feel at all sick, only the pain in my side. strange..lol

oh my god i chew gum too!! it really helps but now i am addicted!

[kimmyc24]

Hey I also chew gum! And I suck Polo mints too - sometimes at the same time!


I also try to have a conversation with someone 'normal' or I read a book, do some washing or the dishes or if its a really bad panic I'll lie on my bed and put my relaxation CD on my CD Walkman. [img]smileys/smilies_01.gif[/img]

[xroofusx]

Yeah, i find gum really helps[img]smileys/smilies_01.gif[/img], i used to have peppermint, but i have the menthol and eucalyptus airwaves one's now, they help clear your nose and throat to.

[princessmel]

One thing I have noticed about this phobia is that if I sit in the house and obsess about it; it makes it worse, so I get out of the house and go do things. Whatever it may be. Hanging out with other people is good too. Or watching TV, talking on the phone, reading magazines or reading anything, talking to my hubby, play with the dog or cats, etc. The best thing is to get out of the house and away from the familiar environment.

[eivissa]

I think of a place where I had no worries-where i wasn't thinking about bein sick or i think about someone close to me like my boyfriend or one of my friends and think what they would be doing right at that moment-obviously not worring bout bein sick! which pisses me off!! so it inspires me to stop! or I just keep repeating in my head, how bad could it be?? or think about how you feel once you've done it!!?? and because none of it's real it seems to drift away!! I also chew chewing gum all the time!!

[xroofusx]

Some more are, well when i was little and i used to sit in the bathroom if i felt that n*, this was when i wasn't emet, but me and my mum used to sit and play small games lol, like she would arrange objects int he bathroom like shampoo's and stuff, then each time take them away and i would have to say what was missing lol, i also used to count the tiles lol. Cups of tea sometimes help me, if the n* is hunger, ibs or stress related. But yeah i think going out is a very good idea, go for a walk and take deep breaths. What is it with gum? lol it really does help dosn't it? lol its tasty too[img]smileys/smilies_04.gif[/img].

Ruth.

[trinity_13]

I also chew gum alot and think i am addicted to it as i get through so many pakets a week! I also play all kinds of games on the internet if i feel nauseas, seems to take my mind off it and also the time goes quick while i am playing

[kimmyc24]

For me the gum thing is because if you feel really full and you chew it, it sends a message to your stomach saying that food is coming, so your digestive juices start working.. so eventually that 'full' or bloated feeling goes away.


And I think the mintiness makes the N* feeling go away or the chewing distracts us maybe. lol. I don't know![img]smileys/smilies_18.gif[/img]

[melissarene]

Another one of my obessions is ginger altoids. I used to eat tums all the time but can't stomach them now. I buy ginger altoids at World Market. They are spicy but definitely help with a shaky tummy!

[xroofusx]

Yeah ginger is very good!, i always have 2 ginger biscuits about an hour before i go bed to settle my stomach, i find it really helps.

[kimmyc24]

I've started drinking peppermint tea after big meals now eg at tea/supper time and I have got chamomile,vanilla and honey tea to calm me down and relax me!


I felt great after the peppermint tea last night, and it tastes ok with a spoonful of honey too¬! I think the action of making the tea etc also takes your mind off things for a bit.. [img]smileys/smilies_04.gif[/img]

[sassenacch]

i sip sody-water, sit up, lay down, tweeze, i've absolutely destroyed my cuticles by fooling with them. i read a lot. i don't have but i have lots of movies. i eat a lot of ginger altoids/peppermint altoids &amp; if i'm really panicky i take dramamine.

[dancingpumpkin]

I try to do something that really requires you to focus or think some. For example, If the nausea is mild, I'll pacing from one to another and do something like move the dirty clothes into the wash room, or clean the house, or check the PH balance of water in my fish tank, play a game on the cell phone like scrabble. I also chew gum when I'm in public and in front of company and want to be discreet about my anxious feelings. When it is bad, I do major pacing but mostly I call up the 700 club with Pat Robertson, a Christian evagelist based from Virginia Beach, VA. and they have a 24 hour prayer line. I always call for prayer and find it very effective. I will also tweeze my eyebrows as the pain I feel replaces the other feelings or at least puts lesser focus on the anxiety. Or I'll simply call a friend at midnight.


Pumpkin

[mars]

I also chew gum - after about an hour the n* usually gets better. If I really feelill, then I will jump into a cold shower, it takes my mind off the n* straight away. If that's not possible then I have to get outside, and walk and walk and try to escape from the situation.