How To Cope With A Crisis

The following information is quoted from REFERENCE.

"No matter how healthy your normal state of mind and body, you probably will have an occasional crisis brought on by stress throughout your life. At such times, the best way to remain on an even keel is to adopt the following attitudes and behavior:

• Concentrate on things as they are now. Do not increase your mental burdens by brooding about the past. Think about future events only to the extent that you can help to shape them. Do not worry about a future that you cannot control.
• Consider your problems one at a time. Sometimes lumping them together can make them seem overwhelming, but if you look at them individually you may be able to see that each one is not as serious as you thought. Then you can begin to look for solutions.
• Talk things over with your family and friends. Do not always complain or burden them with your troubles, but seek, and listen to, their opinions and advice.
• Once you have decided what you want to do about a problem that you can do something about, act promptly and firmly. Positive action is usually healthier than passive brooding.
• Occupy yourself and your mind as much as possible. Social activities such as sports, volunteer work or discussion groups are often preferable to solitude during a time of strain.
• Do not hold grudges or blame other people for your current problems. Even if you have been wronged in some way, a constant sense of frustrated hostility will accomplish nothing except further damage to your mental health.
• Make a point of devoting some time every day to physical relaxation that temporarily frees your mind from its preoccupations. If you go for a walk, for instance, concentrate on what you see around you instead of thinking about your problems.
• Apart from being more sociable and more physically active than usual, it is especially important to stick as closely as you can to your daily routine. At times of crisis a familiar pattern of regular meals and activities at specified hours can encourage a sense of security by providing an orderly outer environment.
• To avoid taking your worries to bed with you, try not to think about them after 8 pm. You will probably sleep better if you can wind down a few hours before going to bed. Also, if you wake up during the night, you are more likely to be relaxed enough to go back to sleep if you were not occupied with problem-solving when you first fell asleep.
• Learn to recognize a crisis, and do not be too proud to admit that you are overwhelmed by anxiety and can no longer manage on your own. Consult a physician sooner than later. Alternatively (or in addition), ask for help from a community mental health agency or a religious organization. [Seek out the counseling center on your campus.] You may find that when you talk about your problems and fears with an objective but sympathetic professional, your worries no longer seem insurmountable."