How do You Handle Anxiety?

[anveena]

camping lowbies in hellfire

[Kurioxan]

But then she tells you to knock it off and your stress builds.

Psh, thats what relationships are for! if she needs lickies she gets lickies whether i feel it or not. Compromising! Sex sex yeah, bit of a different matter, albeit personally i find that i can be persuaded into it even if im not feeling like it, just takes a bit

[Lodreh]

Sort of meditate. If I'm at home, I go sit on the floor, close my eyes, breath slowly, and usually let my mind wander. Sometimes I just empty my mind and think of nothing.
If I'm somewhere else, I'll just close my eyes for a moment, and focus on my feelings at that time.

You are awesome!

I know some people are really looking for advice... but what Linadra said above is on the money.

Stress and anxiety is only a problem if you let it become one. I do something similar to what Linadra described above. I get somewhere quiet and think about anything that is bothering me. Whether it was a social interaction, performance at work... a deadline or appointment. I go over every detail... think about what I could have done differently and when I have fully explored all possible outcomes I ask, "What can I do about it right now?" If there is nothing you can do... let it go. You learned from the experience and you can try to do better next time. Don't be afraid to forgive yourself... regardless if you didn't stand up for yourself or made a cruel comment off the cuff. If there is nothing that can be done about it now... let it go.

I hope this helps.

[Aori]

You are awesome!

I know some people are really looking for advice... others are just spouting whatever comes to mind but what Linadra said above is on the money.

Stress and anxiety is only a problem if you let it become one. I do something similar to what Linadra described above. I get somewhere quiet and think about anything that is bothering me. Whether it was a social interaction, performance at work... a deadline or appointment. I go over every detail... think about what I could have done differently and when I have fully explored all possible outcomes I ask, "What can I do about it right now?" If there is nothing you can do... let it go. You learned from the experience and you can try to do better next time. Don't be afraid to forgive yourself... regardless if you didn't stand up for yourself or made a cruel comment off the cuff. If there is nothing that can be done about it now... let it go.

I hope this helps.

I find it amusing you chastise others for spouting whatever comes to mind and then state what you do. I don't think you understand how stress and anxiety work.

[TwoNineMarine]

But then she tells you to knock it off and your stress builds.

She can't deny me!!!

(Or so I tell myself) Lol.

[Lodreh]

I find it amusing you chastise others for spouting whatever comes to mind and then state what you do. I don't think you understand how stress and anxiety work.

Edited post... but tell me... how does playing video games or repressing actually relieve stress without addressing the stressing factors.

[Bushtuckrman]

Oh, it's very therapeutic.

I find doing bg's as a hunter and completely steamrolling the other side as very therapeutic. Have tried bg healing for the first time, been finding that very therapeutic too unless the dps are too retarded

[Zindai]

I suffered from depression for a very long time, with the occasional panic attack (anxiety). I can still fall back for a few hours on rare occasions, of course including situations where it makes sense to worry, but overall I'd say I'm "cured". Mostly through my own efforts, as I'm the youngest in my closest family, and my father and brother had their own mental problems to deal with, so I never saw a doctor about it.

- Exercise works wonders for your mind, even just a 1 km jog every other night.
- Get enough sleep. When I sleep too little, I become much more sensitive to everything around me and don't see things clearly, potentially bringing me down.
- I shower, groom myself and put on (somewhat) fresh clothes even when I'm going to be home by myself for the day. Sometimes it can turn around my day if I feel anxiety creeping up on me. I'm not sure exactly why this works for me, other than it's a nice feeling.
- Games! When feeling extremely down, I've been too distracted to even play, but for lighter stress and anxiety it works just fine. As long as you don't postpone taking care of something important...
- Read or watch a movie. Sometimes all you really need is to vent some feelings, and I found that getting sad over a fictional character's problems can be a good way to release it. Music you really enjoy works too.

I'm not sure if this is common or uncommon, but it sure surprised me when I realized it: I've always felt like I've been able to see my own thoughts from two perspectives at any given time - emotionally and rationally. Even during the worst period of my depression when I felt sad or nothing, a part of me kept telling me that it will pass, suicide will rob me of my chance to ever be happy again, yolo, life is what you make of it, and so on. Even at my drunkest, that part of me has reminded me to make sure I keep my valuables safe. Even when I've been in a major fight with someone, that part of me has told me when to stop - though I didn't always listen.
I'm 100 % sure that if I didn't have that, I wouldn't have lived past 12.

P.S. I wouldn't recommend doing drugs or drinking on a regular basis to keep your anxiety in check. They can enhance your negative feelings the same way lack of sleep can, and it can be difficult for yourself to realize where the line is between unwinding with a beer and being an alcoholic. Playing video games can become an issue too, if it's a permanent escape from reality, but at least your mind will be clearer. However, if you're absolutely positive that you can make it work without letting it take over, then go for it.

[Ciddy]

Mine is almost all work related, and I probably don't handle it too well. I tend to worry a lot about things that others don't see as a big deal. I usually just live with it until it passes.

Alcohol can help sometimes (so long as you know your limits and don't try to overdo it).

edit: Also, pets in general are good. Playing with the dog for a bit or taking him for a walk around the yard can help some, in my case.

[Sorshen]

Someone points it out, I get more anxious...

[Deleted]

Weed and immersion help me a lot. I used to have chronic anxiety. I find losing myself in books/games/films whilst baked as a potato worked really well for me.

[Annu]

Edited post... but tell me... how does playing video games or repressing actually relieve stress without addressing the stressing factors.

Stress is just in your mind, caused by hormones. If you focus your mind on something else, you will stop producing stress hormones. If you do sports, you can even reduce the hormone level instantly.

Furthermore, you get more distance to the problem if you distract yourself from the problem. On the contrary, digging deeper into the stressing factors can overrun you with emotions that you cannot control anymore. This is the best way to panic attacks and can even lead to suicide.

- - - Updated - - -

wtf advice is this? Disassociate and cause self harm? Great. Gets you locked up in the US.

I learned this from psychiatrists in a clinic. So no, it does not get you locked up.

Chili paste on your skin is not causing harm and imagination is not equal to dissociation.

As noted above, you need to focus your mind on something else to stop the production of stress hormons. Pain is a guaranteed method to refocus your mind, you just need a method that does not harm you.

Considering how many teenagers cut themselves, I think it is not a bad idea to post the alternative in a video game forum.

[Simulacrum]

If the anxiety is irrational, tell yourself that it's irrational, which should make it go away.

If it isn't irrational, make whatever is making you anxious go away.

Distracting yourself from the anxiety with bullshit like meditation or video games or alcohol or self-harm is just pushing the problem ahead of you instead of actually dealing with it. That's how it becomes a problem.

[Lodreh]

...Distracting yourself from the anxiety with bullshit like meditation or video games or alcohol or self-harm is just pushing the problem ahead of you instead of actually dealing with it. That's how it becomes a problem.

I feel the same way. Work through it and it's done... no need to keep seeing the psychiatrist who's only interested in lining his pockets.