I like to go on walks when I'm feeling really bad. Also it sounds dumb but when I was doing inpatient I got really into coloring books. Even though it's made for little kids I find it very calming!

In high school we had to make 50 observations with a burning candle and none of us students could do it, but the prof read us his list and there were lots. Anyway, it's probably a good focus to go through the process.
1. call a hotline
2. talk to a friend or clergyperson
3. see your doc
4. have a hot fudge sundae, repeat as needed...I've gotten a lot of good out of a hot fudge sundae

Procrastination

Gratitude is a huge help for me.. I can always think of things to be grateful for no matter how dark life can seem
I'm glad you're doing better sweetie and getting the help that you need...xo

They are coping skills... to make you appreciate those reasons for living, and actually by writing down your coping skills, you're writing reasons to live if you think about it.
Remove your mind from the thought by doing what you like to do.
*Baking?
*Breathe?
*Walk?
*Reading? (I find reading about my illness actually helps as well as positive quotes, inspirational, Zen)

Kudos to u for attending the program, I too recently had a serious suicide attempt, and was scheduled to attend a outpatient program, but cancelled after I was discharged. One thing for coping is that ur attending the program. I'm going to start DBT therapy. I'm hoping it helps me, maybe u can try that too. I'm just trying to hold on from day to day, reading helps me cope, gets my mind off myself, although I'm only able to read a page or two at a time, also inspiring quotes help me.

Learning coping skills are not as difficult as actually putting them in practice. Writing them down helps you remember.

I like to do alot of things for distraction:
paint
sketch
sew
quilt
read a book
especially play word games
exercise in some way
eat healthy
take necessary vitamins to supplement what the meds steal
go out into the world
visit friends
visit family
I could go on forever

Coping skills can be "a bandaid" to get me through an episode or a skill to help me avoid episodes and triggers.

Some of those include some of the above along with:
charting my moods
journalling
identifying triggers
managing my stress
know my limits
have open communication with all involved in my life that matter
attend a local nami group
understand my disorder
work daily to motivate myself
stay active, physically and emotionally
stay involved in my community

lots of things to "do" mentally and physically to stay healthy. I remember in group a million years ago, we had to write a list of 100 coping skills and it really opened my eyes to the fact that there was more to life than tv and computer. A good therapist told me that the most important thing I could do for myself is get out there and learn hobbies, skills, crafts and discover what interests me most. It has made all the difference in my life to discover that there is a world of opportunity out there................keep writing and thinking and I bet you come up with more than asked for. xo

I missed you Divine. So glad to see you working so hard for your stability.

Coping Skills:

Log on to DS and let us love you.
Pet your pet.
Yoga is great.
Give myself permission to have a "sick day" on the sofa.
Go to town and interact with people. The library is my favorite place.
Call my friends and sister.
Cooking something is distracting.
Reading
crafts
Games on facebook or the android.
Shopping online - even when I don't buy anything, it's the bargain hunting that distracts.
Mindless TV shows/movies.

They probably asked for 50 to make you think really hard.

Will be keeping you in my thoughts and prayers. You can do this!!!

Thanks for posting this because I have zero coping skills and the advice here is terrific :)

Glad your out and working on such a good project! Lots good stuff here : )

Wow 50 is a lot. What I do is rate my moods with a number. 1 - 100 with 50 being perfectly inddeferent. 51+ is happy, 49- is sad. Since being stable 40 - 60 I coincided normal up and down. I then do different things at certain numbers. I found it works pretty good at least for me.

I hi this number I do this or that number I do that. By doing that it also helps to force a routine which is help full.

seeking help would be first on my list as I'm sure it's on everyone's...then maybe not...maybe that's just me...I would also go over all the things I still would like to do, feel, see, hear, say, touch, smell again...or for the first time.

Divine, I've often thought of such a permanent solution and it has happened to my brother, not completely sure why some consider it a success but that's an entirely different issue...however last summer when all I could think of was the way out and I went to seek help...my pat response to my own self was always...hey...I don't want to miss anything...simple I know...but it always worked for me...I only hope it will again in the future too...should the idea arise again...from within.

Getting help is the best thing you can do, Divine, and I'm sure there's many things you still want to sense in this life. I hope you accomplish enough of them along the way to help balance things out for you.

fdl