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Coping strategies are often referred to by professionals as Mood repair strategies. The type of coping strategies that will be effective for emotional conditions vary widely from person to person, and vary according to the type of condition and situations that the patient faces. Some of the coping strategies on the following list are recommended, some are not. Many of these coping strategies can become addictive, or lead to financial problems. Not all of these coping strategies will work for everyone. Except in extreme circumstances such as addiction-related problems, people should not judge others on their chosen coping strategies: the judgment of others tends to lead to social isolation, which worsens depression and most other emotional conditions.

List of coping strategies[]

  • Music
  • Dancing
  • Karaoke/singing
  • Video games or virtual reality (includes social media games, mobile games, and MMORPGs)
  • Recreational drugs/smoking (high potential for addiction)
  • Alcohol (some potential for addiction)
  • Social games (such as card games, board games, or tabletop RPGs)
  • Shouting curse words (if this bothers you, ask them to do it elsewhere if possible or use a swear jar)
  • Caffeine (some potential for addiction)
  • Exercise (including walking, bicycling, practicing martial arts)
  • Arts and crafts (including collection and display)
  • Meditation
  • Prayer
  • Socializing
  • Food (some potential for addiction)
  • Napping
  • Relaxing bath or hot tub or sauna
  • Going for a drive
  • Visiting the spa
  • Visiting museums/art galleries
  • Gambling (some potential for addiction)
  • Seeing live orchestra, concert, or theater events
  • Movies
  • Watching television or videos (high potential for addiction)
  • Gardening
  • Cleaning
  • Fixing up stuff
  • Reading (books, magazines) - (some potential for addiction)
  • Playing sports
  • Journaling
  • Writing (poetry, jokes, stories)
  • Going to social events (parties, charity events, sporting events, etc)
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