Life is funny. One day you can be at your highest high and the next day it could feel like everything has shattered around you. As someone that suffers from mental illnesses, I know what it's like to experience both highs and lows in a short period of time and wonder how things manage to change so quickly. Despite our best efforts some things just can't be controlled or even foreseen, so we need to be able to adapt to certain situations and cope when things go completely wrong. Today I've compiled a list of some of my best coping strategies for when everything seems to be going against me, and I hope my experiences will be useful to any of you out there.

1. Take a breather and assess the situation
When things go wrong it's hard to see outside of your own situation, so the most important things to do is take a step back, take a deep breath, and allow yourself to see the whole picture. Sometimes things may seem worse when you're caught up in the moment, however when you get a chance to really look at things in context you may find that it's not as bad it may seem. I know this may be a hard thing to do, but seeing your situation in context will not only help you to take control, but will also allow you plan your next move, so it's important to take a step back before making any important decisions. Trust me, making rash moves in the heat of the moment can often lead to disaster, so taking your time to really look at the big picture will help you to solve a problem and move on.

2. Consult those around you
Now one knows you better than your loved ones, so those are the people that you really need to consult when you're feeling stuck. When you're down, logic can easily go out of the window so talking to someone that knows you well but isn't caught up in the situation may help you find a solution that you aren't able to see. I know that when I am down or in a rut my family are the first people I turn to you, along with my friends, because they know how I think and how best to treat the situation when I'm in a panic.

3. If all else fails, distract yourself
When nothing else seems to work, the best thing for me to do is to try to distract myself until things calm down a bit. My usual go-to is TV shows like The Big Bang Theory and Modern Family, or taking a look at what some of my favourite YouTubers have posted. Things can seem so much worse when you're caught up in the middle with emotions running high, but if you take a bit of time to try and calm down, solutions often have time to present themselves. Learning what best distracts you is really important; it can be different for everyone so making sure you know what works for you when the time comes is really important. 

I x

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