Anxiety and stress

66Mustang
66Mustang Community member Posts: 14,985 Championing
Random question

What are your healthy ways of dealing with stress and anxiety?

Comments

  • Ross_Alumni
    Ross_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,611 Championing
    Thanks for starting this discussion @66Mustang :) For me it would either be talking with someone I trust or doing something I enjoy like listening to music or playing a game.
  • 66Mustang
    66Mustang Community member Posts: 14,985 Championing
    Thanks @Ross_Scope :) 
  • life
    life Community member Posts: 526 Empowering
    Watching a TV show. I always have to have something on in the background when I'm trying to sleep.
  • Cartini
    Cartini Community member Posts: 1,107 Trailblazing
    Thankfully I don`t suffer from / with anxiety and I rarely suffer with stress (knowingly, that is).  I was a controller for shipborne helicopters whilst in the Royal Navy; controlling helicopters at times was incredibly stressful.  Because of my experience in the RN, as a civilian I have yet to be in a situation that is a fraction as stressful as my controlling days.
  • Biblioklept
    Biblioklept Community member Posts: 5,389 Championing
    Try and take it easy on myself and tackle the problems. Usually it is never as bad as I was thinking. Like to write an email can sometimes takes me weeks to build up to it and stressing over it and when I actually do it, it takes no time and I feel so much better. But mostly just giving myself permission to feel anxious or stressed and relax. Not beat myself up for feelings I can't control. 
    What about you @66Mustang??
  • 66Mustang
    66Mustang Community member Posts: 14,985 Championing
    Thank you everybody for your comments.

    @Biblioklept I don't really have any strategies myself, which is why I asked the question - apart from tackling the problem like you say, which I try to do already
  • Biblioklept
    Biblioklept Community member Posts: 5,389 Championing
    If you hadn't added "healthy ways" I would have said sleep and avoid everything :D 
  • leeCal
    leeCal Community member Posts: 7,537 Championing
    edited June 2022
    I meditate as I’ve mentioned before but I also bear in mind that everything is temporary which helps a lot, sometimes I might say to myself “this time tomorrow it’ll be all over’ or whatever the time span is. Another is ‘in a hundred years time none of this will matter”. Impermanence is a universal fact, everything is in a constant state of flux. I also say “right here, right now, I’m fine” and I’ll look around me and see that that is true, more often than not I’m safe and sound. If another speaks to me in harsh tones I bear in mind that those are just words and can’t hurt me unless I take them on board, take them seriously. Just noise if I want it to be, I can choose to be upset or not to a degree. All of which becomes easier with practice.

    Its useful to remember that each thought follows the last so actually it can be simple enough to halt that flow of negative thought and change it for something more positive.

    if all else fails I remove myself from the afflicting stimuli and rest. 🙂

    Further on this subject. I remember learning that enemies, negative stimuli can be a great teacher. The worse the enemy the greater the devotion to my improvement, ie through my forbearance, patience and compassion. Some may think that perverse but actually it’s making a positive from a negative which is always a good thing in my opinion.
  • 66Mustang
    66Mustang Community member Posts: 14,985 Championing
    Thanks @leeCal

    I think you made some points there that may come in useful to me and I will try to take them on board. Sorry for dissecting your post but wanted to comment on a few bits :D 

    leeCal said:
    sometimes I might say to myself “this time tomorrow it’ll be all over’ or whatever the time span is.
    I actually do this quite a lot already with stressful situations - it seems to help a little bit. Also thinking about exactly what I'll be doing at that time when it's all over is helpful. I don't even mean anything significant, even just "in 3 hours we'll be in the car on our way home".

    leeCal said:
    ‘in a hundred years time none of this will matter”.
    That one is very true but a bit depressing! Maybe a similar mindset but adapted a bit so that it's still within our lifetime, i.e. in one year, or even one month? i.e. somebody being verbally mean to us likely won't matter in a year?

    leeCal said:
    If another speaks to me in harsh tones I bear in mind that those are just words and can’t hurt me unless I take them on board, take them seriously. Just noise if I want it to be, I can choose to be upset or not to a degree.
    I think this is a good point, especially about taking peoples words seriously. I like to remember that people who say things to upset me (or my other family members) have no real power - they can't take anything away or physically harm me/us.

    Like you say it's all great in theory but seems to require a lot of practise to put to effective use.
  • Sue_Alumni
    Sue_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 484 Empowering
    Thank you @66Mustang  for starting this discussion. I  also  get stressed and anxious.  I suppose the ways I try to manage my stress is to plan things.  For example, car journeys, I will try and check the route first and make sure I know where to park. For me, it helps to take a break and get out into the fresh air and clear my head and also to talk to people but @Biblioklept makes a great point - it is important to acknowledge to yourself that you are anxious and not to beat yourself up about it. 
  • 66Mustang
    66Mustang Community member Posts: 14,985 Championing
    @Sue_Scope how do you cope when the event doesn’t go to how you planned?

    I.e. using your driving example, road closed?
  • Sue_Alumni
    Sue_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 484 Empowering
    Yep you're right - even the best laid plans ..... That does throw me but if I'm able to I will pull over and find maps or something on my phone so I can work out where I am even if I have to drive round for a bit to find a supermarket car park or something similar where I can park safely. I will then stay there for about 5 minutes to calm down. Sometimes I phone my daughter or a friend.     Sometimes even going into the shop and getting some sweets or something is really helpful.  Normally - I'm not lost at all,  I've just missed the turning. It sounds silly but the sense of satisfaction that  I  get when I manage to go back to the car and eventually get to where I'm going is amazing.   There have been times when I have given up but I can tell myself that I tried and I try to remain positive. Its so interesting to read other community members' views on this subject.  
  • 66Mustang
    66Mustang Community member Posts: 14,985 Championing
    edited June 2022
    @Sue_Scope I like what you say about when you give up, that at least you tried. That’s a really good point. In the past I have given up more times than I would like to admit but at least I started and made an attempt rather than not bothering in the first place.:)
  • Sue_Alumni
    Sue_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 484 Empowering
    You are so right. I think it is also important to look back and look at what you have achieved - not what you haven't and be kind to yourself.  Have a lovely evening. 
  • 66Mustang
    66Mustang Community member Posts: 14,985 Championing
    Thanks Mike.

    The walk I agree with and do myself, it definitely helps.

    I've actually been reading less while I've been anxious as I assumed I wouldn't be able to concentrate, but what you say does make sense. I'll try and force myself to pick up a book next time I get the chance and see how it goes.

    I know you don't drive so perhaps wouldn't know but I also find driving immersive. Though it has to be on the correct roads - for me country lanes as there is so much to concentrate on.
  • Alex_Alumni
    Alex_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,538 Championing
    This is a great thread @66Mustang

    I think for me it would be having a bath and listening to The Archers or a podcast, to take my mind off any anxiety I'm feeling and relax my body, or if the weather's nice, spending time outside in green space :)
  • leeCal
    leeCal Community member Posts: 7,537 Championing
    @66Mustang said
    Like you say it's all great in theory but seems to require a lot of practise to put to effective use.
    I had ten long years of living in fear for my life, I’ve had plenty of practise believe me.