What do you do to calm yourself down? Heal? Stabilize?

<--- Don't do that, ever.

I like to watch YouTube or tv, spend time with family, and just relax while being on my phone. I like spending time on this forum too. I check it throughout my work day when I have time to take a little break.

I love writing lyrics and poems. Painting and sketching also gets my mood up a bit. Anything that lets me be creative will help, but sometimes it’s hard to motivate myself to get up and start

every day is hard when you have ptsd, but i know that every day is temporary, so i just keep going with the hope that i'll be happy eventually. i guess hope is the thing that makes me a stable and functional person, even if i get sad feelings.

2 minutes ago, notchristian said:

every day is hard when you have ptsd

It's weird PTSD even exists because... what is the evolutionary purpose of it?

Cuddle my dog. Instant endorphins.

I have a few things that help in different situations.

My cats are great comfort in most situations.
I find stretching helps me reconnect with myself physically when I need grounding.
Being in the forest or around running water does wonders on my stress levels. This is the #1 reason I love living in the PNW, I need ready access to the woods.
Video games if I need escapism. Stardew Valley most likely, if I'm the slightest bit overwhelmed.
Blasting music in my car to work out anxious or angry energy.

Spending time with my family or watching my favorite shows/movies. Especially stuff I loved as a ***.

The greatest quote for my mental health is "Even when our eyes are closed, there's a whole world that exists outside ourselves and our dreams."

I stand on the beach to see the edge of the world. Remember that kings were struggling long before me. Somehow, knowing that my problems are not the center of the world is very grounding.