Tools and strategies for young adults?

[oliviamorgenstern]

Hi everyone!

I wondered if anyone know any tricks, strategies or tools for handling Aspergers, PDDNOS, anxiety, OCD, psychosis and so on.
I'm having a hard time trying to get through the day, so every bit is welcome! But I'm especially looking for 'tools' you can hung on the wall and use everyday for communicating and understanding you're problems and emotions

I already have:
Tangles
Ball blanket
Weighened blanket
The stress - sensitivity scale
Pictoplan for iphone

 

[Tom]

I haven't used much in the way of tools except a few things I adopted along the way and seemed, by trial and error to be helpful.

The main one was having a few key lists. One was a list of things to do/make sure I had before going someplace. This was very basic and was something I could scan quick before going out the door. It would contain painfully obvious things (to others) that I could easily space, like wallet, keys, ticket, food, medicines, etc.

Another helpful one, especially in a work or businesslike errand was a list of things to get done that day. This I kept in my pocket and would take out and scan periodically.

Long lists were always counterproductive to me, so I kept them very small, like what you could fit on half a small index card.

I found that these memory joggers were a good counter to some types of stress and anxiety, that comes of missing something, or worrying you might miss something, or having to redo a unpleasant errand again. It also helped build up others opinion of me, as they had less cause for being disappointed or upset over some omission I made.

 

[Greg]

I find that for me if I can follow a list of things to do it keeps me on track for the day and helps me to make it through. Also to keep things positive for you just focus on things that are positive. Even if you have to keep an actual list of these to review throught the day.

 

[Kari Suttle]

Like the others have already said, I like lists. If i get overwhelmed or anxious i can be quite forgetful so small to do lists or such written out on something like a sticky note or my phone can be helpful. Routine is as well, that way i can do things without thinking if i'm having a bad day. I've recently taken to having several travel sized things of medicine, like headache medicine - one for my work locker, one for my babysitting job bag, and another for home. That way i don't have to constantly move them from bag to bag and forget them, so the only thing i have to move is my wallet, phone, and keys.

For anxiety, i like breathing techniques. I can get overloaded at work easy to it helps sometimes. Scripting with customers at work does as well, having the same rehearsed things to say to them. I also try to manipulate aspie strengths (like hyperfocus) to help with aspie weaknesses (like hearing sensitivities).