How do you cope with emotional pain?

i take a nap. or put my face in my pillow and scream. that works great. if theres no pillow near you then you wait until you get home and it feels better when you do yell in a pillow. sorta like when you have to pee and you hold it in and when you finally let it go, it feels amazing.

Feel it ! Acknowledge that it feels shitty/scary/horrible/horrifying and then, magically, it will go away. If you stuff it, using all that shit you listed above, it will come back to haunt you later.

I meditate, I sit down turn off the television, and just clear my thoughts.

I sleep. The stress makes me tired. But then I have to wake up and face the music again.
It’s just helps me get over it by keeping my brain from thinking.
The upside is that the dreams I have when I sleep emotional pain off are always hecka weird.

I go for a long-ass drive, with good driving music…there’s something about being confined in my car, physically unable to do anything else (like pay bills or clean or study) that lets my mind open up and work through all my issues without being preoccupied by the everyday mundane.

rest. listen to good music, change emotions. really think about and understand the “pain”.
hangout with good friends. dumpster diving and finding really great stuff is always nice. maybe doing something out in the world, say… helping someone? gets your mind of the pain and keeps you focused on someone/thing else.

I consume media, TV, movies. Although that’s pretty much a soft equivalent to what was mentioned.

Plunging myself into work – sometimes chores, other times professional projects. It’s constructive and helps to boost a sense of worthiness and esteem when I do something useful.

a good cry.

I like to go running, that and a nice frothy horchata.

…no ice.

No ice is n’ice

Seriously – it gets all watery and just distorts all that horchata goodliness…

I hate the ricey grit. I usually spit it out. on the ground. I like goodness. Don’t we all? Who knows, really?

I put my mind in something pleasant like listening to music going out in movie theatre, comedy show, a ballet… It works pretty well for me or else I like to go in woods and just walk and watch.

I have a very strict rule never to drink on a bad mood, so that wouldn’t even be an option. I tend to go all out…..I stick on some sad music, draw the curtains, lock the door and cry my eyes out. It seems to work, after a while it becomes more like a general sobbing and before you know it the worst is over and you can think about it without wanting to cry or break things…..at least, that’s how it works for me.

And I usually take stock of anything I’ve learned from the experience, both what lead to the pain and while I was in that pain….and then focus on moving on.

I try to deal with it, confront it, try not to be hard on myself as I’m only human and everyone makes mistakes, have a good cry, have a good night sleep after a nice warm bath, accept the fact that I am hurt/sad and that is ok. Next day think of what did I learn from experience that cause the pain and what will I do next time I encounter something of the kind. It works for me! Sometimes it takes a bit longer but try not to be hard on yourself and learn to let go. Going out with friends and have a bit of fun is a really good trick too!

Reframe it. Try to find another way to look at the thing that’s upsetting you that makes it more positive.

First, I think about why I feel bad. If it’s something minor, I just try to keep busy and distract myself from it. If it is something deeper, I allow myself a certain amount of time to process the pain, then think of possible solutions. Once I have a goal in mind, I am focusing more on the positive than the negative, and it helps.

If I am just having a gloomy day, and can’t seem to overcome it, I might take a nap, or snuggle up with a good book and that helps it pass. A nice long soak in the tub works wonders too. Lavendar is a wonderful thing!

Or, on days like today… I fluther!!

I agree with nocountry, I go driving. preferably with friends, and blasting music. but sometimes I’ll just drive aimlessly in silence, although, it’s not quite as calming to me as the former.

beer and fluther

A good cry and a phone call to a friend helps.

Good answers so far. For larger things, you could also try some volunteer work. Helping others helps you to discard your pain. It also reminds you of all the good stuff in your life.

I find for the day-to-day downers it’s good to make regular commitments (provided they don’t overwelm you) for something you might enjoy. Like volunteering (re: charybdys) or taking a course.

It forces you to meet other people, be active and constructive, and instills a sense of order – all of which have been shown to potentially alleviate depressive symptoms.

Oh, what peace we often forfeit, Oh, what needless pain we bear.
All because we do not carry – everything to God in prayer.

i acknowledge it, maybe talk about it, or doodle. or i just let it be, it’ll go away sooner or later. it’s not like it’s the end of the world or something.

exercise usually helps for me. or just crying it out.

I just drink till i pass out. Sometimes it just takes a couple years to really cleans ethose emotions, but it works fine.

1. Talk to yourself about it.
2. Talk to people about it.
3. Accept the situation and try to just contemplate over it.
4. Keep nasty feelings at bay. Even though that’s impossible to do, you should focus not engaging too much in their meanings, as you’re in a situation where your judgement may be a little bit stressed out.
5. Wait it out. And in the meantime, make sure you A. eat properly and B. sleep properly.

One side tip that at least use to work pretty effectively for me, is to (this is hard to explain, or it may sound corny, but) try and step out of yourself a few meters. Just look at ‘you’. Or him, or her. Or that, person. Isn’t it nice not having to deal with whatever bothers him/her?

Confind in a person you can count on.

Video games is a personal recommendation. Your mileage may vary.

i think about the cause of the pain and prolong it as long as i can. then, when im satisfied i no longer feel like doing anything silly, i light a cigarette. time numbs everything, nicotine just makes you feel better.

It depends for me. Sometimes I just want to wallow in self pity, other times I want to confide in someone I trust. Other times I try denial, doing anything I can to distract myself from the pain. Whether that is going for a run or just vegetating in front of the tv. I’ve found what helps me the most sometimes though, is just getting in a car and driving with the music up as loud as it goes….if it’s really bad though…Ben and Jerry’s has saved me many times!

make a gratitude list. hang out with pals that make me laugh. eat pie. exercise. go to yoga. lay in the bed with the dog. breathe breathe breathe. listen to music. roll up all the windows in the car and scream until all the air is gone. cry. call my mom. write about why i feel how i feel.

then – LET IT GO. and smile. :)

The best thing to do is to let it go. As hard as it may be let it all go.

Try to change your daily routines and socail life to make you a happier person. By doing that it allows you to be comfortable and happy with the person you are.

Copious amounts of alcohol even knowing it will make things worse.

Oh, I see no alcohol; then, I meditate.

I have to talk about it
I have to talk about it with the right people
I have to talk about it with the right people and we have to come up with solutions, temporary or otherwise

I cry. Tend to bottle things up. I run a lot when I’m hurt and frustrated and confused. Currently I’m dealing with an emotional heartbreak which I am faced with on a daily basis like rubbing sea salt in my paper cuts but I have to be stronger. So I turn to God and I turn to the ones I love. I keep myself busy to avoid thinking about it. Hopefully things will work out…for anyone undergoing emotional pain of any kind.

“This too shall pass”

Pray about it..talk it out..allow yourself time to acknowledge your pain..began healing by keeping busy and staying around positive funny people who love you.. exercise is good for relieving stress/frustration

i have some stupid ways of dealing with this which are a waste of time, but to be honest normally the most amazing music can send you into a different world and you know is so amazing =D
also drawing is good, but i normally do (kind of) whatever i feel like, so there can be a whole load of scratchy angry paint splatted things or whatever…
but if you dont like that stuff then i guess it would be the same as surrounding yourself with whatever you love the most…
so like maybe not music but whatever you think is best…
sorry i probably don’t help…. =)

I write it down. Always has helped me. I live with body pain 24/7 and it can get to the mind if you let it. Causes all kinds of Craziness so I try to keep it in check.
And I come on here and find my friends and just doing that helps. Please try the writing everything down thing. It really helps.

@Sunshine2u good advice:)

unfortunatley my pain was poured out the bottle for over 20 yrs, thankfully thats over now but i still have a drink like an average drinker would, still im much better off now what a waste of time and money that was

I’ve had quite a bit of emotional distress, I’ve been diagnosed with schizophrenia, which I don’t want to get into. I used to cope with emotional pain by cutting, which I no longer do, Ex-Cutter for 1 year, I don’t take the anti-psychotic “meds” that I’m supposed to be taking, I believe I don’t need them, at the moment how I cope is by biting the back of my hand as it does no real damage, except for maybe, some small bleeding. But other than that bottle it up then, release it, buy a cheap punching bag and a knife, and stab it over and over, pretend it’s the people you want to hate and kill. It feels good, not as good as actually doing the deed. But oh well, beggars can’t be choosers can they. If you need any emotional support as I have been through the bad times. Contact me at, 1 (760)-483–3855