Dysphoria Coping Tools

[Jacqueline]

Good day all,

I touched on this question when I first introduced myself and liked a few of the comments. However, I had so much going on right then, it didn't all stick with me.  I recently did a search and found little in the way of daily tools to help. Perhaps I phrased my search oddly.

I am sure that although many of us have had breakthroughs and many have more experience but we are all still here(good thing, not a criticism). This leads me to believe that many of us (even in therapy) experience dysphoria and it's cadre of symptoms, regularly. I have battled depression a long time(mostly through sheer will and denial). I am making baby steps towards where I should end up. I am in therapy weekly (may shift to every other week soon). However, while I have been much lighter in mood and feeling I still experience symptoms or am triggered by something and backslide. Here is my question.

What coping tools or techniques do any of you use to combat depression or anxiety? I plan to talk with my therapist about this too. I just thought opening this topic to the community experiencing this in real time may reveal some different ideas. One that I liked, from my early posts was to volunteer or help others. I'd like to think I do some of that but sometimes things hit when I am no position to do that.

Appreciate any suggestions.

With love and gratitude,

Joanna

[CarlyMcx]

I'm still using the same coping tools I always have, chocolate and alcohol.   

Seriously, here's a rough list:  1)  working hard, and reaping the rewards.  I just paid off my wife's car and I am still walking around in a silly glow from doing that.  2)  Shopping for clothes.  A shipment from Victoria's Secret just arrived, and some of what is in there is for my wife, some things for me...  3)  reading good books.  Lately I've been reading science fiction by Stephen Baxter.  4)  Hobbies.  In my case, gardening, drawing and painting.  Just because I look more like Nathan Lane than Diane Lane does not mean I cannot create a little beauty in the world around me.  And 5) Dream a little.  My wife and I are shopping for a condo in Palm Springs, California.  Maybe I'll never look like a hot, beautiful babe, but at least I can walk around in a place where it won't matter.

Having a sense of humor helps too.

[Lady Smith]

Writing was my main safety valve for coping.  A chocolate treat is nice now and then too.  As for alcohol I never got into that which is just as well as I was on Premarin for the first 15 years or so and it did a great job of messing up my kidneys and liver without adding alcohol into the mix.

[Jerri]

a small activity that helped me along was to engage in an activity that I knew the people involved and that they supported me and my changes, many times it was just going for a cup of tea to a friends house, sometimes a visit with some of the gals from our support group. For me as I moved to longer durations between therapy I found I became more aware of things that I was comfortable in and things that were not so much. I had many issues at home that seemed to generate conflict, and disolved my self worth so I avoided interactions there and stayed away if my ex was around. I guess the real issue is to find your comfort thing and use those as a crutch when things seem to fall apart. I am guessing it will be a bit of a varity for all of us, so being open to how things effect your feelings and working with the good things to carry you past the ones that are not avoidable is about all I can do

good thread here

[rachel89]

Reading, chocolate, slivovitz, occasionally some nicotine, shopping, klezmer music, and I'm not entirely sure its the appropriate forum to discuss the last one. Seriously though, get a therapist asap, like yesterday. It's not really that great of an idea to entirely rely on coping mechanisms to deal with gender dysphoria. GD can can only be dealt with in a healthy way by transitioning as far as one feels is right. The coping mechanism can still help you from going off the rails in a rough moment as long as the coping mechanism don't get you in more trouble. BTW, although i love balkan moonshine, it's a not a good coping mechanism, and can cause a lot more problems

[suzifrommd]

I get in touch with my ability to bring joy to people around me. I imagine my feminine, loving, caring, nurturing core. I imagine it sending out waves of love to the whole world who pick them up like radio waves. It makes me feel both powerful and feminine at the same time.

[Katiepie]

More recently, I've been feeling like trash, mainly cause I want to get things started, but my insurance is frozen at the moment, lacking money, and overall just been super moody, frustrated, and just hating myself and my body.

My coping tools so far seem to be drowning myself into work(work in retail) but more in the background rather than foreground, loud country music, and chocolate milk lots of chocolate milk.

[Jacqueline]

Suzi,

I kind of love your description. I am trying to be a more positive person. In accepting who I really am, I feel I have gotten closer to that. I would make it a goal to be more like what you described.

Thanks,

Joanna