What should you avoid with mental health and medication side effects?

You know that feeling when stress management is like having WiFi that constantly disconnects, and sometimes you need help RIGHT NOW. Here's your emergency toolkit: ## Immediate Relief (0-5 minutes) - **Box breathing**: 4 counts in, hold 4, out 4, hold 4 - **Cold water**: Splash it on your wrists and face (activates your vagus nerve) - **5-4-3-2-1 grounding**: Name 5 things you see, 4 you hear, 3 you touch, 2 you smell, 1 you taste - **Progressive muscle relaxation**: Tense and release each muscle group for 5 seconds ## Short-term Strategies (5-30 minutes) - **Movement**: Even just shaking your hands or walking to the mailbox - **Bilateral stimulation**: Cross-body movements like marching in place - **Comfort sensory input**: Soft blanket, calming music, familiar scents - **Brain dump**: Write everything in your head on paper (don't edit, just dump) ## Longer-term Supports (daily practices) - **Morning anchor**: One consistent thing you do every morning - **Boundaries**: Learning to say no without explaining yourself to death - **Sleep hygiene**: Same bedtime, cool room, no screens 1 hour before - **Nervous system regulation**: Regular activities that feel calming ## The Non-Negotiables - Eat something (even if it's crackers) - Drink water - Get outside if possible (even for 2 minutes) - Connect with one safe person ## When to Get Professional Help If stress management is interfering with work, relationships, or basic self-care for more than two weeks, that's not weakness - that's data. Professional support isn't failure; it's smart resource management. Remember: And that's completely normal. You're not trying to eliminate stress management - you're learning to surf the waves instead of being wiped out by them.