Coping Guide:
Ideas Provided by Our Community Members...
Not all of us have issues after our TGA event; however, a few of us have had trouble adjusting to our "New Me." Some of us never get back to our old selves. Other of us bounce out of it as if nothing happened.
Actions to Help Cope
Sit down and raise your feet each afternoon for 20-30 minutes. Napping is optional.
Try to get 8 to 9 hours of sleep each night.
Play smartphone memory and word games.
Put jigsaw puzzles together.
Do crossword puzzles.
When driving be very mindful to look more than once.
Adjust your fear of another TGA into an attack on a project you've been putting off.
Try to understand why a question is being asked, then answer.
Wait for the written image of a word passes before you and then continue reading or speaking.
Startup an old hobby.
Organization
Carry a 3 by 5 spiral notebook to jot down notes to yourself.
Learn to use your smart phone 's calendar, notepad, and appointment features.
Re-organize this list into a prioritized list for you personally.
Re-organize your desk, folders, files, etc. It’s okay to label, label, label…
Re-write this list, start each line: "I will work on (adapting, adjusting, allowing, being, trying).
Self-audit the cash in your wallet and balance your banking more often.
Set-up a password notebook or smartphone app.
Set-up an appointment wall or desk calendar or smartphone.
Start a daily diary or journal.
Use Post-it Notes for visual reminders.
Adaptations
Allow yourself to flit from thing to thing without getting anything done a couple of days a week.
Check the time more often to see how aware of the time you have been doing a task.
Develop quirky little routines as a means to double-check yourself throughout the day.
Leave your list in the car when going into a store and check it afterward.
Let your family be very protective of you as they were very scared during your TGA.
Make little safe zones around the house where you can see things like keys, wallet, meds, etc.
Obtain 2 tools you use: knitting hooks, tape measures, etc. Just go on, use the 2nd & hunt less.
Try to manage stress instead of letting it overwhelm you.
Try to recognize stressors & find ways to adapt your way around them.
Use the talking GPS on your phone to lessen the chances of getting confused and/or lost.
Plans
Be more aware of what might trigger an attack.
Consider retirement and re-align your life.
Develop some new daily routines (chart, calendar, post-its).
Going out on your own: leave an itinerary note, text when you arrive & text when back home.
Have extra car keys available to cut down on stress when leaving the house.
Make sure you have a plan with your family so they know what to do if it happens again.
Reduce workload by better scheduling.
Relax more and shorten your "to do" list.
De-clutter your schedule by starting with one day a week blank on your calendar.
Reduce stress by discussing the day's schedule with a partner.
Mind Set
Adapt your way of thinking to pondering and constructive adjustments.
Allow yourself to be compulsive about certain things around the house, desk, sewing room, etc.
Don’t fret over forgetting people’s names or other details.
Not realizing you repeat thoughts, stories, ideas are okay.
Recognize and allow emotional reactions.
Recognize that keeping unhappy events inside causes more stress.
Rely on visual clues instead of just plain memory.
Think about how you respond to stress and frustration.
Think of little ways to minimize stressful situations.
Try doing things without overthinking.
Self-Improvement
Calm yourself down through various logic-based self-statements.
De-stress by pondering, by sitting back and re-looking at things.
Don’t be afraid of another TGA, be prepared, adapt, and be cautious.
Don’t be so hard on yourself and stop to re-evaluate why you were so hard on yourself.
Don't be surprised if you seem anal about things that never used to bother you.
Go ahead and talk out loud to yourself, cause no one is really listening.
Learn to laugh with your “New Self”.
Realize you will feel different in terms of how you are perceived or were before your TGA.
When you feel the need to cry, cry instead of trying to hold it in.
Take more time to appreciate the beauty around you.
Social Adjustments
Become reacquainted with friends, be happier, and cherish life a lot more.
Cut back to avoid stressful situations, social media, news, etc.
Find yourself a less stressful news source.
Look through old photo albums or yearbooks to refresh your memories.
Share your feelings and thoughts, but don’t dominate the conversation.
Slow down and cut back on rushing around.
Text a family member several times a day with a location and brief update.
Try meditation and relaxation therapy.
Volunteer at a nursing home, hospital, school, library, food pantry, fire station, church, etc.
Volunteer but don't overdo it with long hours or stressful duties.
Healthy Suggestions
Consider a sleep study and try a C-pap machine.
Consider seeing a psychologist or psychiatrist for professional support.
Discuss this website with your neurologist and family members.
Make sure your Smart Phone medical emergency info is current.
Monitor your sexual activity for TGA signs.
Purchase a Medical ID bracelet or necklace.
Set-up a medical Px chart on your computer or in a notebook with Px #, dose, reason.
Look on our website in the Browse Section for your TGA Treatment Plan Link.
Printout the TGA Treatment Plan, go over it with your family dr, etc., and put it in your wallet.
Don’t sleep in every day; but, as a treat - occasionally.