Coping Skills
1. "Pray to God"
2. "Immediately stop when fatigued."
3."Nap or rest 3-4 hours even on a good day."
4. " Work a little, rest a little, etc."
5. "When you become very tired, learn to give in to it!"
6. "Have a comfortable place to rest outside and enjoy nature."
7. "Rest when you're not well, even if people give you a hard time about it."
8. "Avoid Stress."
9. "Refuse to argue about things- it drains energy."
10. "Start Christams shopping in March." (LOL LOL)
11. "Give other family members more responsibilities."
12. "Believe that you can heal you own life."
13. "Read uplifting, spiritual books, watch funny TV shows."
14. "Remember that even 5 minutes a day of simple laughter can produce relaxation for up to 45 minutes afterwards."
15. "Be sure to always communicate with others who are ill like you, that way both of you can help each other feel better."
16. "Sharing is caring"
17. "Always be sure to conserve your energy for more important things so as not to miss out on life."
18. "When making any kind of plans, always try to take your health condition into strict consideration."
19. "Nothing is more important in life than your health."
20. "Remember always that relationships get top priority when energy is low."
21. "Don't ever waste any energy explaining your condition to skeptics. It is really not worth it!"
22. "Try to have the peace of mind that you can manage to go through life without everyone's understandings."
23. "AVOID PEOPLE WHO STRESS YOU!"
24. "Find rewarding things you Can do to bolster your self-image/esteem and sense of control."
25. "ACCEPT, TRUST, LOVE YOURSELF, no matter what."
26. "Find escapes that work for you (movies, books, friends, hang outs)."
27. "Try to remember that bad days will pass, and you will Feel better for (unknown) period of time."
28. "Change your priorities."
29. "Don't ever waste time worrying about what could have been. Cause it's never what could have been, it's always what it is."
30. "Keyword; limit goals."
31. "What is, is enough."
32. "Be in the moment----it contains all of life."
33. "Allow yourself to be good to yourself."
34. "Unload all emotionally or physically draining friendships and relationships."
35. "Pace yourself---engage in fun, pleasurable activities as much as possible."
36. "Yoga, sunshine, diet, sleep, and no stress."
37. "Practice optimism [some call it denial)."
38. "Accept that you have an illness that prevents you from being your once-energetic self."
39. "Stop feeling guilty for what you can't do, and mentally or verbally praise yourself for what you do get done."
40. "Don't make a fulfilling life contingent upon being well."
41. "DREAM ABOUT A CURE/TREATMENT."
42. "Find the small joys of life."
43. "Exercise [if you can)."
44. "Always listen to your body! If you wont, it will punish you!"
45. "Go to a support group-they give and receive help; donate money for research if you can."
46. "Don't ever give up all your aspirations and interests."
47. "Just scream sometimes if you feel like letting out some steam."
48. "At the first sign of relapse, rest until your symptoms moderate."
49. "Accept the reality of your mostly unpredictable level of function, with humor, and recognize your desire to be other than what you are whenever it pops up."
50. "Develop acceptance of your condition, limitations, and their effect on your life-not in terms of defeat, but in terms of having a different way of living and functioning as best as you can within these differences."
51. "Saturate your life with beautiful people and things; eliminate critical, judgemental people and their twisted way of thinking."
These "Around the World" coping skills were provided by a list complied by Majorie J. Mckenzie II, M.A., from a study of long- term CFS.
