Front Desk : Tools for Healthy Coping

by Care4Dystonia

1. Write it Out.

Writing down the feelings or emotions, gets them out on paper and is a way of being able to look at things more objectively. If you can’t write, use a tape recorder, keyboard or switches. Finding your “voice” is the key... (Frequently recommended to patients suffering from insomnia.)

2. Pound Something.

Pound something soft, like a pillow, or mattress with fists or a tennis racket. (Please stay away from walls.)

3. Make Noise.

Howl, wail, yell, scream, laugh, cry, or sing. Let out your frustration into a pillow, in the shower, in your car, or in the woods. Have a temper tantrum on your bed, mattress or couch (carefully). Whatever noise or expression seems to express how you feel. In the words of Elton John, "Sad songs say so much."

4. Go Basic.

Enjoy being out in nature. Go for a long walk or run, or simply go for a stroll in your wc, scooter or using the aid of a friend. Notice how your body interacts with the environment. Notice how your body is feeling, your breathing, and how your limbs are moving.

5. Play.

Laugh uproariously, raucously and with abandon, at least once a day. Laughter is good for the soul. Twist a towel (or pull between a friend or a large dog) or simply yank one. Dance, skip, saunter, gallop, hop. Move in whatever way seems to work. Even twist.

6. Exercise Your Creative Side.

Paint, draw, doodle, scribble, decoupage, create something.

7. Stop Suffering.

Suffering is an avoidance mechanism, a way of not dealing with feelings and working through the emotions.

8. Grieve.

Do the necessary grief work in whatever form seems to work best for you. Recognize the need for it and give yourself room to work the process. Often cultural traditions lend a hand in this.*

9. Feed Your Spiritual Need.

Create or reconnect with meaningful ritual.

10. Seek Support.

Join a support forum such as those at Dystonia Neuro Movement Disorder, the Dystonia Medical Research Foundation, or WeMove.org (chat). You are not alone.

You may find that you will not be able to return to your life as it was before you became a person with Dystonia. You may find that you have grown in ways you could not have imagined, thus creating a newer more fulfilling life; perhaps even a new identity based on the transformational experiences you have gone through.   But you are ‘YOU’ first.

*From an Indigenous Ritual:
Go out into the woods or a place that is private. Dig a hole in the ground near a tree or bush. Pour all of your feelings into that hole. When you are finished, cover the hole. Thank the tree (or bush) for listening and witnessing your grief process. Thank Mother Earth for receiving your grief. Leave feeling better about yourself and more connected to the universe.

**For more wonderful tips and tricks, check out Care4Dystonia (chat) and the Dystonia Forum on Wegohealth.