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| Author |
Message |
denise
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Stress and Anxiety
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Feb 15 21:29 UTC 2007 |
What works for you in dealing with stress and anxiety? I know exercise is
supposed to help but what are some other ideas and coping methods?
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| 28 responses total. |
furs
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response 1 of 28:
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Feb 15 21:58 UTC 2007 |
other than doing things that are relaxing to me like watching a movie,
surfing the net, playing computer games, the thing that works the best
for me is exercise. If I am pissed off about something, the best cure
for it is a good strenuous workout.
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keesan
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response 2 of 28:
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Feb 15 22:19 UTC 2007 |
Playing piano. Taking a bath. Sleep. Reading something interesting.
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denise
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response 3 of 28:
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Feb 16 15:45 UTC 2007 |
I've been trying to sleep through some of the stress-but that's not always
a good thing as it then makes it difficult to sleep at night-which I have
problems with anyway. Some of the stuff that I normally enjoy doing [reading,
watching tv, etc] I'm currently finding very annoying. Oh well, such is life
right now.
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keesan
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response 4 of 28:
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Feb 16 17:31 UTC 2007 |
Can you attack the cause of the stress somehow? I find that it helps to talk
to other people who are dealing with bigger problems, which makes mine seem
relatively trivial. Does it help to talk about the problem with friends?
Even if they have no solution, you might feel better to know you have their
support. Helping other people with their problems also takes your mind off
your own. But maybe your stress is due to helping family members with
problems.
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tod
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response 5 of 28:
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Feb 16 20:27 UTC 2007 |
Consistent diet and exercise help me avoid stress the way I've known it when
I'm eating crappy food or letting my muscles atrophy from living on my butt.
Meditation and nature walks/bikerides also help me focus on the positive.
Oh yea..and a normal sex life, that's also key.
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denise
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response 6 of 28:
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Feb 16 23:54 UTC 2007 |
I'm on medication for my disorders, so that helps to some extent some of the
time. And I do have a counselor that I see [though how much that's helping
right now, I'm not all that sure]. I'm in email contact with a couple people
that I can vent to [including one of my friends from NC]. I don't really know
anyone here in MI yet that I can really do much of this with. I'm trying to
be involved in some activities to some extent and do help out with my family
a couple times a week. The rest of my family isn't all that much involved [I'm
*trying* to stay involved with my brother and family here in AA but they're
so busy that its tough to do. And I do talk with my sister in Chicago from
time to time. My other brothers and families aren't so much involved.]
As to healthier eating/cooking-as most of you know from the cooking
conference, I'm making progress in that area. But with this cold and snowy
winter, I haven't been o ut exercising so much [not like summertime when I
can swim or spring/fall when I enjoy being outdoors more]. And a normal sex
life? That's not a part of my life at this point [and that's fine with me at
this stage of life; I'll just leave it at that for now].
I had to go out and do a couple things this afternoon, that helped for a
little while...
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keesan
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response 7 of 28:
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Feb 17 00:14 UTC 2007 |
Is the stress caused by some unresolved problem which will eventually resolve
itself, or just a lot of little things that you cannot do anything about?
I find it stressful to be in a situation where I cannot predict what will
happen, or when I don't have enough info to make a good decision.
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tod
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response 8 of 28:
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Feb 17 00:47 UTC 2007 |
I have tinitus so I find myself easily stressed in the evening when it's at
its worst and there are multiple conversations I'm hearing. In those
situations, I usually just have to shift my focus or the way I'm facing and
sometimes I just get up and leave the room for a bit.
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denise
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response 9 of 28:
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Feb 17 02:47 UTC 2007 |
Sindi, some things will eventually resolve themselves, some day, perhaps.
Certain health issues will not go away; sometimes I can deal with this
somewhat better than other times.
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glenda
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response 10 of 28:
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Feb 17 02:49 UTC 2007 |
A hobby is great for stress relief. I stitch: cross-stitch, embroidery,
needlepoint, knit, crochet, tatting, beading. If I find that the current
project isn't doing it, I switch to a different one. I always have more than
one going and any one time and they are usually in different areas. Sometimes
a project will go stright from start to finish, but most times I switch off
between 3-5. I can get bored easily.
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keesan
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response 11 of 28:
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Feb 17 03:01 UTC 2007 |
Stress is not going to help your health. My mother taught herself to meditate
and claimed it helped a lot. She also ended up using the technique to fall
asleep in buses. She was trying to get my father to learn it to help with
chronic pain.
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denise
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response 12 of 28:
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Feb 18 02:09 UTC 2007 |
I do need to get back to my hobby of scrapbooking when I can. I have some
projects that have to be done first, though. All of my supplies are still
packed up in boxes in a closet so I'll have to sort through this stuff before
actually getting to the fun stuff. I also plan on getting rid of a lot of
my art supplies--I have too much stuff, especially since I'm almost 100% sure
that I'll have to move at the end of March. Some of the art supplies I'll
try and sell [like rubber stamps and ink pads, embellishments for various art
projects, some of my card stock and colored paper, and such]. What I don't
sell, I'll give it away or donate someplace. [I have tons of other stuff to
sell or get rid of, too.] Starting over in a new place, especially a smaller
one, will do that! Maybe that'll be somewhat of a good thing.
Stress and health, definitely a vicious cycle: stress doesn't help one's
health, as Sindi has already said, but often, health affects one's stress
level.
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keesan
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response 13 of 28:
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Feb 18 03:06 UTC 2007 |
Moving is very stressful. Do you have a place to move to?
Try freecycle for sharing things, even broken things.
I find it helps to think of the things that are going right and the wrong ones
don't see so important.
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denise
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response 14 of 28:
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Feb 18 03:23 UTC 2007 |
I had freecycle in the back of my mind for some of my leftover stuff [I used
to check out the Durham-based one]. No, I haven't found a new place yet. I've
been hoping to find some kind of an inexpensive effeciancy or 1 br where I
wouldn't have to share as much space with others or someplace that's
unfurnished and has a bit of storage for some of my things that I'd want
access to from time to time but wouldn't need on a daily basis. I do need
to play around with my budget a bit more and see what my upper-limit rent
would be [depending, of course, if utilities were included or not].
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keesan
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response 15 of 28:
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Feb 18 16:06 UTC 2007 |
Maybe you should hold off on getting DSL to work until you move.
Do you want to stay in Ypsi?
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denise
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response 16 of 28:
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Feb 18 17:51 UTC 2007 |
Probably Ypsi since it tends to be cheaper than AA, though I'd consider the
AA area as well. I did come up with a list of apts to call this week to see
about renting. There's an apt list on the SOS website and though most of them
aren't cheap, there's a few that I might be able to afford-if they'll have
any available at the end of next month. I don't know the neighborhoods that
most of these are in, hopefully they're safe enough. And I do know these apts
are somewhat small than where I am now.
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keesan
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response 17 of 28:
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Feb 18 19:48 UTC 2007 |
There are some cheaper ones in Ann Arbor on Stadium Blvd near Pauline, and
also at the corner of Pauline and Stadium. Are you at all interested in
sharing a house in that area with a friend of mine and his landlady? The
other two tenants are short-term and one is leaving soon. Nice newish big
house with friendly people, one of whom is trying to cook healthy.
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furs
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response 18 of 28:
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Feb 19 00:10 UTC 2007 |
I used to live over there (rented a house). I love that area.
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denise
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response 19 of 28:
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Feb 19 00:22 UTC 2007 |
I may be interested if I can't find a place of my own. I've shared houses
in the past [other than my own apt in a house where I spent about 8 years].
One time I had the upstairs of a house [2 big rooms and a bathroom plus access
to the kitchen and laundry]--that lasted for a couple years til the landlady
got married and sold the house. The other place was pretty short term [2 small
bedrooms and my own bathroom and shared rest of the house].
I de-stressed a bit this afternoon by spending several hours reading at the
bookstore [and people watching, too]. Now I'm having a good home-cooked
dinner instead of fast food that I sometimes do on Sundays.
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cmcgee
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response 20 of 28:
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Feb 19 14:02 UTC 2007 |
Denise, one thing to consider in Ann Arbor:
The AATA service allows you to be 90% carless, especially during the week.
2) Heat must be paid for by the owner, unless the rental unit meets certain
ecological/insulation standards.
I find that Ann Arbor is in some senses more affordable than Ypsi. The
transportation allows me to attend a large variety of free and interesting
educational and entertainment activities.
The heating requirement insures that I can compare apartment costs more easily
because heat is part of the out-front number.
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keesan
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response 21 of 28:
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Feb 19 16:09 UTC 2007 |
The insulation standard requires my landlord to have 3.5" ceiling insulation
and storm windows (they don't have to work and he does not have to put them
on). There are apparently no rules against broken basement windows. It is
best to check what heat has been costing for the past month (not last year
when it was warmer). I am 100% carless. Denise is already supporting a car.
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cmcgee
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response 22 of 28:
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Feb 19 19:19 UTC 2007 |
Actually, the past two apartments I've lived in, heat was included in the
rent, which is what makes it easy to compare.
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denise
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response 23 of 28:
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Feb 20 16:45 UTC 2007 |
My current place includes heat--we have the option to have or not have heat
included. Of course, I pay a bit more to have it included but I still think
I save $$ in the long run since I definitely use the heat this time of year
so I won't have to 'suffer' with the colder temps. My last place [in Durham]
did not include heat and since the place wasn't insulated well in the older
house, the heating costed a fortune! I don't want to know what that place's
heating bill would've been if it were up here in MI.
As to car vs bus--I do like the conveniance of my car, especially for things
like grocery shopping, going to help with my parents in Dearborn, other
errands and such. I do live not tooo far from a bus stop on the ATAA line
which I've used when my car was being repaired awhile back. Depending on how
much walking involved would make a difference on how much I'd use the bus
[especially since I have back problems with almost any amount of walking or
exurtion].
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cmcgee
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response 24 of 28:
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Feb 20 17:53 UTC 2007 |
I'm not suggesting giving up a car. I find it cheaper to use the bus for
almost everything in town. Between parking costs, gas costs, and general wear
and tear, and sheer convenience of not having to find a parking spot, I find
I use the bus almost exclusively for everything but weekly shopping, and out
of Ann Arbor activities.
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