Chitchat How do you deal with anxiety/stress?

[Jules8008]

Either by playing with my shoelaces, chewing on my fingernails (been doing it for a few years agoo.), or by fiddling with a fidget cube. Haven't thought it would help, but it did.

 

[Deumeawyn]

 

[swamp fairy]

How do I deal with it?

Lol...

I don’t.

 

[Dair]

I chop firewood or write or play video games or read or..... naw that's about it

 

[SentinelSevn]

I go out and jog for a bit whenever I'm stressed. I usually run alone so I'm away from people, and I live out in the California deserts so it's always quiet!

 

[walcotted]

Personally I self-medicate with exercise. It helps me a lot.

 

[Darkraven]

Okay, I don't have PTSD, depression or anxiety problems or anything like that (not that I've ever seen a psychiatrist), but boy, there were some hairy situations in which I feel like I have all those challenges to deal with and more.

Right now, I'm suffering the effects of a phishing scam, and money is getting deducted from my bank account

But you know what makes me feel a lot better? Actually doing something about it. My bank took the initiative and suspended my debit card. It's night now, so I can't call them to try to solve the problem or anything, so I took matters into my own hands and I begin emailing the companies the scammer shopped at, so I can get refunds. They seem like reputable companies, one of which is Loot Box, so I'm fairly certain they'll be sympathetic and issue me the refunds.

So, actually doing something about the root cause of the problem - I believe it works, because that way, you don't feel so helpless. You're no victim if you're fighting.

Now, as for actually getting the endorphins moving, I'm playing computer games right now even though it's way past midnight. Couldn't sleep, but I do feel a little better since I'm playing a game in a way that I know I'll do well (it's even a multiplayer game!)... And I'm channeling the negative energy I have into crushing my opponents

It's not a happy ending yet, because I haven't reached that point, but at least I haven't been cheated of ALL my money (only a few hundred dollars out of a few thousand, but still), my bank was smart enough to put a halt to this, I'm doing something about the money that's been siphoned away and I'm fairly certain that I'll get them back, and I'm turning my frown into a smile with a computer game.

Looking on the bright side of life, my cup is half full and not half empty... And if I want to put numbers into it, a few hundred dollars is only a tiny fraction of my savings, so my glass is actually about 90% full, and I'm about to go for a refill.

Eh, I hope this helps you guys. Might come back to report to see how it turns out.

 

[Sir Swigglesworth]

As far as dealing with anxiety or stress I either tend to just workout and relax, or I sit and write. On occassion I will go to the gym and fight in the cages. It's a good way to let out anger and stress. Meanwhile writing calms me if I get anxious because I have to focus and think.

 

[FlyingDemon]

I don't really know how to deal with that stuff at all.

 

[kevintheradioguy]

Honestly? Pills. I've depression, and they help a lot to bring my brain into better functioning.

But idle anxiety that comes because of the fear of some event, or bad memories... I know, I think I'm too old to chew on that for a long time, so I just put on some music or youtube narration, and sleep it over. Seeing how you're gratuating soon, you must be a teenager then? That's hard, because all emotions intensify due to hormonal disbalance people experience from thirteen and up to around twenty three, so... really, waiting it through sounds like a better option. It will get better. Maybe a therapist will work to coach you through it. When it came to me in similar situation, the realization i cannot do anything about time passing, and panicking or feeling anxious would not help usually calmed me down, though, I must admit, this does sound like almost depressive indifference. But for some reason, it helped.

 

[eunoia]

I think - with my anxiety at least - trying to work out why I’m anxious and solve the problem is useful to a certain point. For example, if I feel anxious and guilty (I feel irrational guilt a lot) when I’m trying to go to sleep I’ll go through everything I did in the day and everything I need to do tomorrow; often its the tomorrow stuff making me anxious, in which case I get up, write a to do list of everything I must do and then I’m able to forget about it.

If it’s fear of seeing a certain person (once again I struggle with social anxiety) I’ll try to rationalise it; - “What’s the worst that can happen?” “So what if that does happen?” “What are the chances that that will happen?”

Then comes the point when rationalisation doesn’t help - If I can’t figure out why I’m anxious that can often give me even more anxiety! At that point I move to distraction techniques, I have a playlist of videos on YouTube that are cute and funny that help calm me down. A comedic Netflix show often works too! Phoning a friend and talking about random stuff is great too - although not always easy at two in the morning.

Lastly for anxiety attacks I concentrate on my breathing (In, 2, 3, 4, Out, 2, 3, 4) there are many useful apps for that too; I count to ten and physically take a step back from the situation. I wash my hands in freezing cold water and force myself to smile - apparently it releases hormones that help? Then once I’ve calmed down, I break down what I need to do into manageable chunks and go from there.

If you can’t control your anxiety don’t beat yourself up about it, instead, try to learn coping techniques and mechanisms - I also do recommend therapy, even if it’s only a session or two because it teaches you loads of coping mechanisms.