Infinite Hope Counseling LLC

06/15/2021

DEPRESSION TIPS:

Shower. Not a bath, a shower. Use water as hot or cold as you like. You don’t even need to wash. Just get in under the water and let it run over you for a while. Sit on the floor if you gotta.
Moisturize everything. Use whatever lotion you like. Unscented? Dollar store lotion? Fancy 48 hour lotion that makes you smell like a field of wildflowers? Use whatever you want, and use it all over your entire dermis.

Put on clean, comfortable clothes.

Put on your favorite underwear. Cute black lacy panties? Those ridiculous boxers you bought last christmas with candy cane hearts on the butt? Put them on.

Drink cold water. Use ice. If you want, add some mint or lemon for an extra boost. I always use lemon.

Clean something. Doesn’t have to be anything big. Organize one drawer of a desk. Wash five dirty dishes. Do a load of laundry. Scrub the bathroom sink.

Blast music. Listen to something upbeat and dancey and loud, something that’s got lots of energy. Sing to it, dance to it, even if you suck at both.

Make food. Don’t just grab a granola bar to munch. Take the time and make food. Even if it’s ramen. Add something special to it, like a soft boiled egg or some veggies. Prepare food, it tastes way better, and you’ll feel like you accomplished something.

Make something. Write a short story or a poem, draw a picture, color a picture, fold origami, crochet or knit, sculpt something out of clay, anything artistic. Even if you don’t think you’re good at it. Create.

Go outside. Take a walk. Sit in the grass. Look at the clouds. Smell flowers. Put your hands in the dirt and feel the soil against your skin.

Call someone. Call a loved one, a friend, a family member, call a chat service if you have no one else to call. Talk to a stranger on the street. Have a conversation and listen to someone’s voice. If you can’t bring yourself to call, text or email or whatever, just have some social interaction with another person. Even if you don’t say much, listen to them. It helps.

Cuddle your pets if you have them/can cuddle them. Take pictures of them. Talk to them. Tell them how you feel, about your favorite movie, a new game coming out, anything.

May seem small or silly to some, but this list keeps people alive.

*** At your absolute best you won’t be good enough for the wrong people. But at your worst, you’ll still be worth it to the right ones. Remember that. Keep holding on.

*** In case nobody has told you today I love you and you are worth your weight and then some in gold, so be kind to yourself and most of all keep pushing on!!!!

Find something to be grateful for.

07/25/2020

**Better late than never** Day 9️⃣ of Coping Strategies for Mask-Wearing 😷 Anxiety:

FIND THE HUMOR IN YOUR SITUATION

I know that there’s nothing funny about all of the tragedy that the COVID-19 virus has inflicted on the world, but for survival’s sake, look for what’s funny about a given situation. Laughter can be neutralizer of mask anxiety. I think about the inevitably awkward moments that this pandemic has created. How would Dennis the Menace respond to a scenario you find yourself in? George Costanza? Kramer? Kelso? The Fonz? Special Agent Gibbs? Beaver Cleaver? Lloyd Christmas? Carol Burnett? Mr. T? Joey Tribbiani? Ferris Bueller? Other characters?

07/23/2020

Day 8️⃣ of Coping Strategies for Mask-Wearing 😷 Anxiety:

TRY NAME CALLING...that is, give your anxiety a name.

Naming your anxiety reminds you that anxiety is not all of you: rather, it’s a part of you. This anxiety reduction technique represents another way to increase your sense of control in the face of uncertainty, similar to the recommendation to get angry about your anxiety. Call your anxiety a person’s name and let it know how you feel. There’s something comical in this, but it can work if you buy into this technique. “Herbert, you suck! Go away!”

07/22/2020

Day 7️⃣ of Coping Strategies for Mask-Wearing 😷 Anxiety:
GET ANGRY AT YOUR ANXIETY.
Focus on how annoying your anxiety can be. Talk back to your anxiety. Yell at it in your mind. Tell it that it can’t control you. Tell it "No, I will not be controlled by you!"

07/22/2020

Day 6️⃣ of Coping Strategies for Mask-Wearing 😷 Anxiety:
EMBRACE THE ANONYMITY
Your mask offers you a level of public anonymity that you’ve probably never experienced before. Find a fascinating angle on mask anonymity. Embrace temporary hiding out. Enlist your imagination.

07/22/2020

Day 5️⃣ of Coping Strategies for Mask-Wearing 😷 Anxiety
💛 This is one of my favorites! 😉
GIVE YOUR MASK A NAME.
Build a nice relationship with your mask by naming it. Talk to it. Reason with it. Laugh at it and with it. Relate to it as a friend. “Buddy, I gotta loosen you. You’re too uptight.”

07/22/2020

Day 3️⃣ of Coping Strategies for Mask-Wearing 😷 Anxiety:

STRIVE TO BETTER UNDERSTAND YOUR TRIGGERS
Pay attention to the situations that trigger your anxiety. Keep a log of each bout of mask-anxiety. A note on your phone will suffice. For each occurrence, write down where it occurred, what you were thinking at the time, rate your anxiety from 1-10, and remind yourself of what you did to calm down. Read over your notes. Talk through your triggers with trusted loved ones and/or a mental health professional.

07/22/2020

Day 2️⃣ of Coping Strategies for Mask-Wearing 😷 Anxiety:

WEAR YOUR MASK AT HOME
Wear your mask at home for short periods of time. Let the mask feel like it can be a part of you. Dance with your mask. Listen to music. Take selfies. Do whatever makes the mask feel like your mask is a part of you.

07/19/2020

Day 4️⃣ of Coping Strategies for Mask-Wearing 😷 Anxiety
Practice breathing techniques with and without your mask on. The more you practice bringing your breathing under control, the easier it will be to self-soothe when you’re feeling anxious with a mask on. Do relaxation exercises at home with your mask on. Here’s an example of a anxiety-reducing relaxation exercise you can try:

Looks at how breathing exercises can help with stress relief. Includes step-by-step instructions for exercises like belly breathing, 4-7-8 breathing, and morning breathing. Offers links to more info on managing stress with guided imagery and meditation.

07/17/2020

I realize that for some, mask-wearing can be anxiety-provoking. I found a link with several strategies that seem really good. So, I’m going to post an idea daily. So here’s the first day of a mask-anxiety coping strategies:

Take your self-talk to the next level.
Remind yourself 20 times during each outdoor journey that you’re going to be ok. Literally, say to yourself. “No matter what happens, I’m going to be ok.” This self-talk may boost your immune system by giving you an enhanced sense of control during this strange time.

04/07/2020

Try one, two or all of these!