How do you Reduce ONE Stress in everyday TBI recovery? There are many ways you can help yourself reduce stress and it’s triggers in TBI recovery. Start with the basics first…use a pill box for your meds: I use a 7 day pillbox with 4 compartments that I labeled the day and time to take meds (I use one compartment for “temporary, as needed meds”. I have each of the rest labeled…am, pm and sleep. How this reduces stress is that it eliminates confusion of whether or not I have taken my meds ( I leave the compartment lid open of meds taken…so I can visually see If I took meds for day). By doing my med box for the week I eliminate the daily stress of sifting and sorting through my meds. Also…it allows me to easily see meds I am running out of a week before I run out…thus reducing the stress of a medication crisis. This system also reinforces the habit of taking my meds properly and at the same time daily…which also reduces confusion, thus stress. I also always put my meds in the same place and take them in the same place…thus reducing the stress of where they are located. I have used this system and refined it over 7 years. Before I lived on my own, this method also allowed my caregivers to easily see if I took my meds and also gave me some control of my life.
Ninibeth…thanks for sharing about forgetting seizure meds…certainly that is stressful, Creating a “autopilot” med system can help. 
Switching to manual paper calendar and planner has really helped recently. I know that sounds counter intuitive but my brain has been saying I can do it "later" to putting things in my phone or computer only to find too late that I forgot. Plus I have so much mental clutter on my computer that my level of distraction is far too high to be effective. I do some syncing on the computer for my family's benefit when it involves them. My goal now is to stop the mini notes that get lost and cause so much disorientation. Sunday night is my re-up time to look at it, including refilling my pill reminder, blazenbrain!
I first started with my paper memory book... Now I use my smart phone for anything important!...I keep life very simple and never do to much....If I have a busy day I always plan to rest the next day...If I get over stimulated by crowds or people of traffic I get what I call the 'hangover " the next day...lots of confusion and headache gets real bad...
Now over these last 7 plus years I have brought in yoga, meditation, and devotional chanting to help quiet my mind...It has been a blessing for me, and helped me HEAL!...
I had some wonderful therapist through the years and they would say " this is all we can do for you, but don't give up there are many things out there to help you" Now insurance companies don't pay and I pay out of pocket for all of it...But now I stay much more even with my emotional state and off my meds for depression...
I hope this will help even one person out there, because it has helped me find some peace after losing everything!
Ninibeth, davOD and ruby slippers…You guys have all got excellent awareness of what you need to do so you can thrive. Lots of these struggles we share, the whys and tools to thrive are unique to us. Sharing the strategies to overcome our challenges is helpful to all. There is nothing more healing when we see other survivors overcoming similar obstacle’s. All great stuff!
I usually take a walk when I start feeling overwhelmed. It seems to eliminate the helpless, stuck. and brain foglike headache that I get when I'm overwhelmed. Too much noise, like having the radio on for too long while people are talking or just any distraction, can send me into a downward spiral. I have learned to just "shut everything off" when I start to feel stress. Not the way I wish it was, but better than getting angry for no reason!
Hopeabdfth, excellent post! Knowing what stresses you out and how to prevent it are key as well as knowing what to do to calm down and get back on track. Your awareness of this is inspiring!