Upward Spiral Flashcards
10 minutes on an exercise bike
has been proven to reduce desire for a cigarette. (For me, the issue would be craving food/eating.)
Ideas
- Exercise bike for 10 minutes immediately after getting home
Make a decision
- Decision making reduces worry and anxiety.
- Make a “good enough” decision, don’t try to make the perfect decision. Trying to be perfect overwhelms your brain and makes you feel out of control. Making a good enough decision helps you feel more in control.
- Even the wrong decision is better than never making a decision. (Even if you have to go back and start over from the beginning, you will accomplish more than if you never do anything!!!)
Look for things to be grateful for
- Looking for things to be grateful for is what’s important.
- Gratitude boosts the neurotransmitter dopamine (Wellbutrin also does)
- Gratitude boosts the neurotransmitter serotonin (Prozac also does)
You feel happy when you feel like you decided to do something because you feel like you are in control. You don’t feel happy when you do something because you feel obligated to.
Going to the gym because you feel like you have to doesn’t make you feel good. Going because you feel like you decided to makes you feel good.
Engaging in a positive outlook makes us better _______.
Problem solvers. In this mindset, we become better at finding resources and support.
Get plenty of sleep!
- Sleep hygiene.
Don’t be afraid to try something again even if it didn’t ___________.
Work before. Just like some days there is traffic and some days there isn’t, there are a lot of things that affect a situation at a particular point in time that can cause something to work or not work. Just because you tried something before and it didn’t work doesn’t mean it won’t work if you try it again.
To keep from waking up in the middle of the night, ___________.
Write down worries and plans before bed to get them out of your head.
