I have been having alot of, lets just say bad thoughts. They come and go but when I'm trying to fall asleep they tend to be worse, and I usually just cry it out until the feelings pass but I don't know if that is the best way to handle myself. Does anyone know any kind of breathing methods or any other kind of method that I can calm myself down with when it happens again?
My favorite technique my therapist has taught me is to close my eyes and visualize myself in a happy, safe space. For me, it's on the dock in NH with my friends sitting next to me. I get myself so lost in that thought that I can hear the waves crashing, hear my friends voices talking, smell the air/water...it's awesome. While I'm doing that, I do some deep, focused, slow breaths. The combination of the two works MOST times... Good luck. (*hug*)
One day in school we were talking about things like stress and depression and this one woman came in that said would help us to relax. She told us to think of a place- real or not- that we would enjoy going and is probably secluded, so you are alone. Close your eyes and imagine yourself in that place that matters to you and think about everything about that place: what you smell, what you taste, what you hear, what you can touch and feel, and how that place effects you (pretty much it's aura, if you believe in such things). This should be a relaxing technique and can probably get your mind specifically on that place, especially if you do all of this while calming and slowing your breathing gradually. I'm probably not the best one to be giving advice about the technique, but it helps me a lot to relax and not be so stressed out (I normally go to the middle of a full forest, right next to a small stream). It should probably last around ten minutes if you're really trying hard to get everything you can about that place into your head and if you do it right before you fall asleep it will normally relax you enough so you don't even notice that you've fallen asleep. Now that I've posted this I've noticed that it's sort of like what shybigrl4 is saying...
When I'm crying myself to sleep (or am otherwise upset, thinking too much, etc.) I can find it helpful to listen to an audio book. It helps me focus on something else. Though I'd recommend a book you've already read if you're trying to sleep, and some narrators are better to listen to when trying to sleep than others. I would imagine that this could be used together with what has already been suggested. Maybe.
Already got some good advice, but I'm going to add maybe try some relaxing music. Instrumental especially has helped me out a lot. Focus on your breathing and relax every muscle in your body. And if bad thoughts come, don't try to block them out, just let them come and go. Think about where you are. Your comfy bed, the warmth of your blanket, the sound of the fan (it could be freezing out and I'd still have a fan on), just be meaningful of your surroundings. It will keep you grounded.
due to depressions and a lot of distress I use to calm myself in some sort of self-hypnosis. My therapist tought me how to do it but I'm not sure I can tell you how you can use it on yourself since I'm not an expert and this is not my native language. You may want to do some research on the topic yourself.
