1. ACTIVITY H. YOUR WRITING PROMPTS PAGE 267-268
My spectrum of not being able to stop following my routines or interests
ACTIVITY H. YOUR WRITING PROMPTS PAGE

2. Event: What is my routine or interest?
What do you absolutely have to do every day? Is this a daily ritual that everyone has to do or your own particular pattern you need to follow?
What gives your day a sense of structure? Is it gaming or surfing online? Do you need to ask particular questions repeatedly to feel reassured? What are these questions about?
Are there any items that you will only use that belong to you like a cup/plate fork? Do you need to wash yourself in a particular way or a certain amount of times?
Do you have a routine that involves harming yourself in some way?

3. Reason: What is the purpose of the activity?
Does it bring a sense of pleasure? Or does it provide a release for difficult emotions?
Does this routine/interest help to keep a feeling of control over your environment? Are you able to predict what will happen next without your routine to guide you? When you are stressed does the need to follow it intensify?
Do you need to develop routines to help you cope with daily activities? How does this help you? Is it a way of managing executive functioning skills such as keeping organised?
Or because it is easier to manage tasks in a familiar sequence – does your brain work best when you have don’t have to think about different possibilities or make decisions? Would you forget what to do if you did not have a set sequence or steps to follow?

4. Effect 1: When I could not stop following my routine or interest my body and mind began to feel:
Did you feel anxious at the thought of following your routine/interest? Did these feelings turn into distress?
Was your body tense? Where do you feel tension in your body?
Have you ever tried to ignore your routine/interest or the feelings of needing to follow them? Was this effective or did it make the feelings or obsession worse?

5. Effect 2: How did other people react?
Did they want to help you find another way of self-regulating? What did they suggest as a way of coping with taking a break from your routine?
Were they able to spot when you were having trouble managing your routine/interest? Are they able to give you guidance on how to deal with anything you find hard to stop?

6. Strategies: What would help me to stop following my routines or interests when they take over?
Could you learn meditation techniques to calm your mind and detach from your thoughts and behaviours for a while? Are there any classes you could attend or audio downloads you could buy to guide you through a meditation?
What about sharing any difficulties you are experiencing with your family or teachers? Would this let your brain begin to separate from the issue or clarify the underlying reasons for not being able to stop what you are doing?