Coping techniques

[chveik]

lamotrigine, good animated tv series (South Park, The Venture Bros. and the like), comedy podcasts (The Best Show, Andy Daly PPP), searching for new great bands, healthy diet and LOTS of denial

being a new page cunt too

[Noonling]

I think of distractions as being active or passive, although stuff like gaming can straddle the two. I feel the best things are are ones where there is a vague sense of achievement. This can be really minor, like catching 'em all in Pokemon Go - exercise in itself works of course, but I find Pokemon helps as an extra motivator. I can't really get into other exercise, but stuff like Strava where you can see your stats for running or cycling could be good, as long as you're not putting pressure on yourself.

Netflix and most games I find to be passive. Obviously good for numbing yourself, but in large doses you end up feeling like a loser. If you want to be an extra heavy loser though you could look into idle games - NGU Idle is a "good" one, Heart of Galaxy too. Make progress even when you're doing nothing, wow!

Creative stuff - writing, painting, drawing, knitting, poetry, general worldbuilding. Creativity makes you human.

Physical stuff - boring stuff like tidying your room kinda counts (© Jordan Peterson), but if you can get into carpentry, electronics, juggling, music instruments etc that's great. I find it helps focus the mind when you are doing something intricate with your hands. You can get almost as absorbed as with gaming, but you have a physical thing or skill to show for it afterwards.

For games the best ones for satisfaction (for me) are puzzle games - Opus Magnum and other Zachtronic games can be SO SATISFYING once it clicks, and Tetris or Hexcells or a bunch of other stuff can be good too. Some roguelikelikes have a puzzle-feel to them which I find more satisfying than fancy AAA games, if perhaps not as absorbing.

[a duncandisorderly]

I try to mend something every day.

also a long edging session.

[Lisa Jesusandmarychain]

If You're the musical type, then spending many an hour on your guitar or what have you. That's quite a fulfilling coping technique, is it not ?
I have no musical talent whatsoever, and really regret this fact; if you have musical talent, consider yourself damn lucky, and nurture that talent like a right old nurturer.

Don't neglect  the wanking  though.

[Noonling]

If You're the musical type, then spending many an hour on your guitar or what have you. That's quite a fulfilling coping technique, is it not ?
I have no musical talent whatsoever, and really regret this fact; if you have musical talent, consider yourself damn lucky, and nurture that talent like a right old nurturer.

Don't neglect  the wanking  though.

Your penis can be an instrument

[a duncandisorderly]

If You're the musical type, then spending many an hour on your guitar or what have you. That's quite a fulfilling coping technique, is it not ?

Don't neglect  the wanking  though.

I do both at once.

[Queneau]

Have you lost touch with Jimmy Greenhoff?

There's not a day that doesn't pass where I don't wonder who the fuck that person was.

My tastes seem to match yours. For what it's worth I rewatched The Odd Couple a couple of days ago, and it didn't half cheer me up.

When I was in hospital at the start of the year, this is a film I chose for a film night. It went down really well.

EDIT TO ADD: Lots of Hancock's Half Hour episodes are always a good thing to have. Have you got the big box with all the radio episodes on it? You'll cheer up after listening to "The Americans Hit Town" and "Anna & The King Of Siam".

A constant delight. Sunday Afternoon at Home is probably my favourite of all the episodes if I had to choose. But so many great episodes.

[pancreas]

Thus far I have proved immune from any sort of serious mental diseases.

Here are some things I do:

• Talk to myself out loud about everything, especially if it's something that's potentially upsetting. Once it's physically vocalised, it's just a fact of the world. This is a very good starting point for Pulling Yourself Together.
• Find friends by any means necessary (work obvs, gay choir—though I've now ditched that since I was getting bored, proper choir, Labour party, meetup.com—if I'm really desperate, abduction.) This is less important now Gecko has moved here
• Piano/organ
• Cooking
• Go restaurants on my own and read LRB