Create a Coping Skills Kit
Life can be hard and we all need skills to cope (especially when anxiety starts affecting everything in our life). Gender Dysphoria is especially hard to cope with.
I get asked all the time for help in learning new coping skills. What I say is, “Coping is really a lifestyle, and we have to create a lifestyle of coping.” This means we need things with us at all times that we can go to whenever anxiety or distress hits! We need to be prepared in the moment of stress and we need something that will immediately help us focus, breath, and stay safe.
Below I have gathered a list of products from Amazon that can be gathered and carried around in a backpack or placed in a box under the bed. Keep them ready to access whenever needed.
Explore the products and pick out what you love! Coping is all about finding things you enjoy and participating in them with the intent to calm yourself and focus. They are all sensory items. This is because our 5 senses are our best tools for regulating emotions. Participating in something sensory immediately activates the part of our brain needed to regulate anxiety and bring clear focused thought forward. Build your coping skills kit today and then comment below and let us know what you’ve found and how it helps you!
Therapy Putty:
https://www.amazon.com/Vive-Therapy-Putty-3-oz-each/dp/B01IBVWSQI
Squishies: A more advanced stress ball.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071FY131S
Mints:
https://www.amazon.com/SAVERS-Mints-Wint-Green-Candy/dp/B07KHQCGG6
Atomic Fireball Candy: The burst of flavor will activate your senses quickly and force your brain to focus! Sour candy will do the same.
https://www.amazon.com/Atomic-Fireballs-Candy-4-05-Pound/dp/B009P4MX3Y
Lavender Oil:
https://www.amazon.com/Lavender-100-Therapeutic-Grade-Essential/dp/B00PYS7R7M
Ice Pack: To hold and Fidget with or place on your forehead
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ZVIG1R2
Fidget Toys: There are so many options, pick your favorite one or get a whole pack!
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=fidget+toys
Coloring Books: I personally love the Mandala’s.
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=adult+coloring+books
Crayons & Colored Pencils: You’ll need these too!
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=adult+coloring+books
Journaling:
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Journals
Sudoko Book or Crosswords:
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=sudoku+puzzles+teens
Deck of Cards: For shuffling or playing games
https://www.amazon.com/Bicycle-Standard-Playing-Cards-Colors/dp/B000050GET
Kinetic Sand:
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=kinetic+sand
Great smelling lotion:
https://www.amazon.com/Avalon-Organics-Lavender-Lotion-Travel/dp/B0161S8INA
Want to upgrade your kit even further?
We recommend making your bedroom a place that is full of coping skills! A person’s bedroom is the place that they come back to at the end of every day to recover and relax. Make it a place full of soft pillows and blankets, fun colors, lighting, and enjoyable activities! Get a poster of your favorite band, or get a diffuser of your favorite scent! Designate that room as your space full of calming and relaxing things to sooth away the anxieties of the day. Then you can start and finish your day with coping.
There it is! You’re on your way to creating a lifestyle of coping! Remember to come back and comment here about your experience with the coping skills kit!