A woman wearing a summer hat sitting in a meadow. In the top right corner of the image is the title of the article "Healthy Coping Strategies And Rewards As Suggested By Twitter"

Healthy Coping Strategies And Rewards As Suggested By Twitter

When I joined Twitter, in order to help promote my new blog, I thought it would also be a good idea to ask people what they did to manage their mental health issues. Asking them to suggest healthy coping strategies and rewards that they could recommend for others to try.

 

What healthy coping strategies and/or rewards do you use to help manage your mental health or what ones would you recommend?

 

So I started tweeting this question to people who suffer from mental health, as well as to people who are part of the mental health community in other ways, who might not suffer from mental health issues themselves. This turned out to be a good icebreaker to meet new people on Twitter and get a conversation going.

 

Because there are tonnes of different strategies you can use to help manage the problems your mental health causes you, I thought asking real people would offer something more insightful than you’d usually get.

 

Everyone will respond differently to different methods, and different conditions will require different approaches. Often a trial-and-error approach is the only way to find out what will work best for you. Hopefully, the suggestions I came across will be useful in helping you find what works for you.

 

The following are the replies I received to my tweeted question which I’ve collated for this article. I hope you find some of the healthy coping strategies and rewards suggested useful.

 
Advertisements

 

Healthy Coping Strategies And Rewards

 

@ItsNicoleCarman replied with quite a selection of ideas to choose from. Hopefully, something on their list might appeal to you to try out.

 

 

The coping methods I use most often are sleep and writing (blogging).

Otherwise, I recommend
– drawing
– adult coloring books
– journaling
– listening to music
– taking a long bath or shower
– spending time with a friend
– do a puzzle
– crossword/word search/sudoku

 

I myself have recently tried to get back into doing something creative. The last time I’d done something creative before this was in the early 00s.

 

How about trying what @HorriblyHuman suggested as their ways of managing their mental health?

 

 

Okay so I have a lot but here’s my faves: chocolate (yaaassss!), creating a beautiful bouquet, hot bubble baths, & a seriously solid yoga sess! What about you?!

 

I’m all for an excuse for eating chocolate as a way to cope, I have to say. Maybe too often though unfortunately, so I wouldn’t quite call that a healthy coping strategy. @HorriblyHuman also went on to suggest another good strategy as we discussed our longing for our own outdoor space again:

 

 

One of the things that helps is remembering some of the best gifts you’ve ever been given and then doing something similar for yourself. I used to love getting flowers as a surprise so that’s why I decided to do it for me!

 

@Jade61356 joined the discussion and it turned out we had a few similarities in managing our moods.

 

 

Mine are, soft blanket to curl up in, Chocolate (indeed!), movies or Netflix binge, to keep my mind occupied. A good workout at the gym, (mainly weights for me), and music all work for me. ?

 

We also seem to have a need to keep our minds busy. I often have to multitask stuff in order to keep my mind busy enough to stop it from randomly wandering off into dark places.

 

A short and sweet healthy coping strategies suggestion came from @leebowers1.

 

 

Meditation and going for walks help me at times

 

But as we talked about what healthy coping strategies I fall back on, leading us to discuss music, @leebowers1 also remembered they loved music as a way to cope as well. But instead of simply listening to it as I do to cope, they had a more creative coping connection to music: making it. I encouraged them to get back into writing music if it’s something they loved doing, especially if they also found it therapeutic at the same time.

 

 

Me too with music, I used to write songs about my experiences but I haven’t really been writing since a few years back, words anyway.

 

@michellelane39 (an account which no longer exists) was kind enough to offer up their preferred strategies.

 

https://twitter.com/michellelane39/status/1086573487945379840?s=19

 

I find ptsd art therapy really works for me. I also try to walk the dog in our local woods when I feel able

 

Animals really are a great way to help us deal with what life throws at us. They don’t judge us and are always there to provide comfort for us, unless they’re a cat, of course, ha ha ha. Please don’t hate me cat people, I’m sure they’re also lovely at providing comfort when they want to be.

 

Advertisements
 
 

Another thought on the matter came from @erthwyrm, who offered their selection of go-to strategies.

 

 

I try not to isolate myself. You need a support team. Positive self talk is important. And I use meditation and breathing techniques for . And music…music is a go to. Happy music. Most of all my faith in God has given me hope and strength.

 

@erthwyrm suggested an often difficult healthy coping strategy to use, positive self-talk. Even though it’s a simple strategy you could use wherever you are, whenever you want, it seems one of the hardest to engage in. I know I’ve never been good at positive self-talk.

 

Over the course of a couple of tweets,  provided us with their list of ways to healthy coping strategies.

 

 

I use exercise, arts and crafts and a bit of self care

 

 

Embroidery, cross stitch, colouring. I also like to write a lot

 

When I asked about what kind of arts and crafts they enjoyed doing, it turned out that @CaraLisette not only enjoys creating art, but they also use that love to create positive message items that they sell on Etsy.

 

A suggestion that I’m surprised hadn’t popped up throughout my asking for coping strategies, came from @lifeasjst_nikki.

 

https://twitter.com/lifeasjst_nikki/status/1086622495501897728?s=19

 

I exercise to help. I also will distract myself with video games and things that I enjoy to do

 

I used to love playing video games as a way to escape and keep myself busy, although nowadays I’m often just disappointed by what’s available. Anime has ruined gaming for me, I expect too much and the games always let me down.

 

How about trying out what @justmominit suggested in response to my icebreaker question on healthy coping strategies and rewards?

 

I am still learning this myself actually. I definitely do breathing exercises. Breath in and breath out one second longer than you breath in and it will slow your heart rate down. Self care is important too. And mainly I think being self aware and noticing how you are feeling and

 

Being kind to yourself. You are a human being too and your feelings matter and I think as individuals maybe we forget that. Again, this is still an area that I am always trying to improve on

 

@justmominit made a good point, the process of finding, adapting, and swapping strategies to help you manage is a constantly evolving process. As time moves on, you’re able to fine-tune what works for you. You might also find you become less reliant on some of your strategies as your mental health improves, due to treatment.

 

This particular tweet of my question actually got a number of replies, which was a nice change. @LivingWithThou1 joined the conversation on my tweet to @justmominit and shared what they found effective for them.

 

 

I would say support groups – for an isolating form of OCD (Intrusive Thought OCD), that was a lifeline. I have also used positive affirmations in past to change some -ve selftalk; a friend from OCD grp swears by Mindfulness app (Headspace)

 

Advertisements

 

A third person to reply was @Kayteebobble, who offered their useful suggestions.

 

 

I always make my bed as soon as i get up so i have something to look forward to at the end of the day. And then 10 minutes meditation each day when i feel stress levels rising. #headspace

 

But it didn’t stop there, this particular tweet managed to get a fourth contributor, @pagzhj0, who also enjoyed a made bed – although I can’t say this will ever be something I’ll do in the morning ha ha ha.

 

 

I gotta agree, I was never a person to make my bed but it’s wounderful going into a made bed at night and being organised helps me Marie Kondo way! Being tidy take extra time but it’s helped my mental health soooo much! Pride in yourself!!

 

The fifth and last person to reply to this specific Twitter exchange was@D4theWynn, who provided a good point, highlighting why I started asking this icebreaker in the first place. That was to share what’s going on with your loved ones. How else will they be able to understand and support you if you don’t share it with them?

 

 

I talk about it with my wife. It makes me more self aware when I’m in the moment and it helps my wife understand what I’m going through. I almost feel I calm down because when I say it out loud, it makes me realize my actions are somewhat controlled and I slowly feel better

 

@Behappy20002 shared the strategies they found worked for them, also making a good point while they did so.

 

for me I’ve realised keeping it bottled up within me does way more harm than good but having a person(s) who u can confide in about your struggles has been really helpful . Also finding out wat I love best and putting all my energy and anger into it has been calming as well.

 

Keeping stuff bottled up isn’t healthy, and is an especially problematic method deployed by men #TimeTo Talk.

 

@xseptemberstar and@AmberMeredith14 also replied to my tweeted icebreaker to @Behappy20002 with both having a similar recommendation.

 

 

Meditation and visualization

 

 

Guided meditation before sleep

 

In my absentmindedness I ended up asking @AmberMeredith14 the same question again, forgetting they’d already replied to my question when I asked @Behappy20002. However, they did offer a bit more depth to their reply the second time.

 

 

Guided meditation, distraction by watching murder mysteries or rewatching movies I like and asking friends over regularly so I don’t isolate myself

 

I used to hate isolating myself and was desperate to be around people in order to avoid having a breakdown. Nowadays isolating myself is my coping strategy for managing my anxiety disorders. It’s weird how things can change. It just goes to show how different conditions benefit from different strategies.

 

Advertisements

 

@AnxietyAndMe4 is right on the money with what they posted: it is all about finding what works for you. This is why I decided to create this list of suggestions in the hopes it’ll help others find something that’ll work for them.

 

https://twitter.com/AnxietyAndMe4/status/1087040128076447745?s=19

 

Personally, I like to just go for a walk. When I’m having issues with my anxiety I feel like I’m trapped in my own head. It really helps clear my mind. Everyone has different coping mechanisms. It’s about finding what fits for you. I can’t wait to see your blogging journey

 

A good bit of insight came from @heymomnowwhat, which we should all probably follow.

 

 

My biggest strategy is to try to only take one step at time, do one thing at a time, and not get overwhelmed by the big picture. I always try to do it all at once and I have to keep that in check.

 

We should take our time and not doom ourselves to being overwhelmed because we took on too much at once. I just wish my partner would take that advice, they’re always stressing themselves out due to having far too much on the go. I’m trying to get them into the habit of doing SMART goals in order to better manage everything. Hopefully, that’ll eventually lead to a reduction in their stress levels.

 

Another Twitter member, @talkingcl, was also nice enough to volunteer what they use to help them manage their mental health issues.

 

 

I like long nature walks. And fishing is very relaxing. I try to take a few minutes a day away from people just to process my feeling and my day. Regular fresh air and outdoor activity. As well as writing. It’s very therapeutic.

 

@HarrissonJustin retweeted a reply to the icebreaker I’d sent to @talkingcl in order to share their strategies.

 

 

Doing what you love, listening to music to relax and making playlists for your book if you’re writing a book, taking the time to read a book, drinking something warm throughout this cold weather season, and being positive and trying to bring people up rather than bring them down

 

Doing what you love is a great idea, and if you don’t know what you love, then experiment and find something you love. A lot of places, such as adult education colleges, offer a variety of classes, such as painting, dance, cooking, etc. You could try exploring these until you find something you’re interested in.

 

Another retweeted reply to my tweet to @talkingcl came from @loveallmovement (an account that no longer exists) who joined Twitter the same month I did.

 

https://twitter.com/loveallmovement/status/1087196855715418112?s=19

 

Writing out anything that your overthinking about and then writing the solutions right next to that so you can solve it. And always be as productive as you can!

 

I’ve often used writing to deal with the stuff I couldn’t stop thinking about or that I needed to process in order to get past it.

 

Exercise was the healthy coping strategy of choice suggested by @soleshaping.

 

 

I enjoy exercise. It makes me feel better physically and emotionally.

 

@ellanewriter provided their recommendations, and I have to say, I’m actually a fan of using cognitive behavioural methods to manage and improve mental health. It helped me a lot in my earlier years of struggling to cope with my mental health.

 

 

Well, different coping mechanisms work in different situations. For anxiety/depression cognitive behavioral strategies are known to work best. Strategies like “thought stopping”, “behavioral contracts”, etc., work very well.

 

They’re also right that different ways of coping work in different situations, something you might want to factor in while you experiment with healthy coping strategies for yourself.

 

Advertisements

 

Although @Snappshots wasn’t the first person to suggest their faith as a resource to help manage their mental health. It is worth noting that for some people, faith can be a very useful method.

 

 

My faith has seen me through plenty, along with a strong tribe/network. When those can’t carry me all the way back, I have a great counselor. On occasion, I’ve spent time with permission statements. Ever done this?

 

A good network of supportive friends and family can also do wonders for helping you to cope with what life throws at you.

 

Even though @kayceekay doesn’t suffer from mental health problems, you should never underestimate the power of stress. Having a plan for managing stress is extremely good for your wellbeing.

 

 

I am lucky that I do not have the mental health issues that many in the world deal with. My issues are mainly stress related. And my coping mechanism for everything is to read! Escaping into a book is my joy!

 

@MissD_BPD makes a very very important point, don’t just stop taking your medication just because you feel better, or even if you think they’re not working. A lot of medication can have very unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. Talk to your doctor so you can come off your medication safely.

 

 

Don’t stop taking meds because you’re feeling better. If your therapist isn’t helping, find one until you start healing!! Watch your music because its very powerful!!

 

@MissD_BPD didn’t stop at making one good point, they made two: if you don’t think your therapist is working out for you, try and find one where the therapeutic relationship is beneficial for your recovery and management needs.

 

A short and straight-to-the-point suggestion came from @kateonthinice.

 

 

Outside time is vital to me. Always makes me feel better

 

@ROSEYGOLDBOX was the second person to recommend the Headspace app, so it might be worth checking out this app and/or others like it. If they can offer you a portable way of helping you to manage your mental health issues wherever you are, then they’re worth considering.

 

 

i use various coping strategies such as breathing excercise and also using an app called  lately

 

A Strategy employed by @DarrylRealistic was something I used to do when I was in my late teens right up into my early 30s: poetry.

 

 

For me I write poetry although it’s dark. Take it day by day, be there for others that suffer. Believe that one day my life will get better. Live for the day I never plan ahead. Try to use all the help available, no time for ego. Journal my emotions when I feel any.

 

The picture is split in two with the top image being of a man standing new lake with his arms out and the bottom image is of two women standing in the woods with the arms up in the air. The two images are separated by the article title - Healthy Coping Strategies And Rewards As Suggested By Twitter

 

To Sum Up

 

Creative strategies were a common suggestion among the people who responded to my question on Twitter, whether it be creating music, arranging a beautiful flower display, writing, or engaging in arts and crafts. If you have a creative side, doesn’t matter if you’re good at it or not, so why not embrace that side of you and just enjoy creating something just for the sake of it?

 

Thanks to everyone who took the time to reply to my icebreaker, even though you didn’t know you’d be contributing to one of my blog articles. If you found any of these lovely Twitter people’s suggestions useful and like their healthy coping strategies and reward recommendations, then why not swing by their Twitter pages and let them know?

 

As always, leave your feedback in the comments section below. Also, feel free to share your healthy coping strategies and reward ideas in the comments section below as well. If you want to stay up-to-date with my blog, then sign up for my newsletter below. Alternatively, get push notifications for new articles by clicking the red bell icon in the bottom right corner.

 

Lastly, if you’d like to support my blog, then you can make a donation of any size below as well. Until next time, Unwanted Life readers.

 

 

.

 

20 thoughts on “Healthy Coping Strategies And Rewards As Suggested By Twitter

  1. I love some of the creative outlets mentioned. Making a bouquet and adult coloring book both sound interesting. I’d also add cooking/baking. As a type A person I want my creative outlets to be productive.

    Also worth mentioning, what things bring down your mental health? I notice a lot of people mention netflix and chill. For me, to much screen time actually increases negative feelings.

    • I normally exist in a permanent state of melancholy, so it’s hard to pin down what might cause a further decline. Most the time I don’t notice any difference unless one day I’m just beyond burnt out and at high risk of suicidal behaviour

  2. This is a great collection of diverse coping strategies! It’s good to be able to draw on more than one.
    My biggest stress relievers and coping strategies include walking in the woods (getting out in nature – it could also be sitting on a beach, watching the waves), doing yoga, practicing meditation, eating healthy food and getting enough sleep. I reach out to others to ask for support when I need it. Sometimes you have to practice asking for help.

  3. I look forward to your posts because I always come away learning something new. I also enjoy seeing comments from Twitter users. It gives such a personal feel. I enjoyed this post and all of the coping ideas. Truly I needed to read this today. My mental health is something I have never formally dealt with in a medical setting but have done all I can to handle things myself. Some of these ideas are strategies I use. I do hope it continues to work for me.

  4. I love that there are so many helpful tops here and it’s a group effort! I’ve bookmarked this for later when I need a bit of a helping hand coping. I tend to Bury myself in work which just makes things worse, so I’ve got a few new ideas to take away from this.

  5. Love this! Having healthy coping mechanisms is definitely really important, and you’ve got a great selection here. I definitely want to start journaling in the future and I also agree that shutting yourself away from others doesn’t help – I tend to do this a lot and I know I really need to work on asking others for help. Thanks for sharing!

  6. This is great! We need to be open about mental health and suggestions are a positive way to do this.

  7. I am really glad you chose to write about this topic. It is so important and getting so many different opinions on it means that everyone can find the best coping strategy that works for them from this comprehensive list. My favorites: spending time with loved ones and ice cream!

Leave a Reply

Skip to content