STRESS! How do you relieve it?

[Tolamos]

Hey everyone! I have been having a hard time lately. I have been under a lot of stress. So I was wondering how you guys deal with stress?

I recently had appendicitis, so I was on medical leave from work for a while. Then the day I went back to work, I got fired. Many other stressful things have happened also, but being out of a job and having all these medical bills is by far the worst of it.

I have been feeling sick, so much so that I decided to go to the doctor. It turns out that my sickness is caused by stress. Go figure... So anyway, my cure is to relieve myself of stress. Easier said than done.

My wife has helped me out a lot! She has been committing endless hours taking care of me and I am so thankful that she is with me. My faith has also helped me out quite a bit. God has led me through plenty of tough times before, and I trust that he will do so once again.

And then there are you guys... This online community has actually helped to relieve some of my stress. Some of the things I read bring a smile to my face, and the length of that "D3 speculation" thread is crazy! I am glad that this great group of people exists and, though I have never met a single one of you, I want to thank you for what you have done for me!

(sorry, I didn't mean to go on a rant like that, it just happened)

[TheSparkleInYourWater]

Take some time to think about all of the things that you're fortunate enough to have. Your wife.

Even having lunch, be thankful for it and smile while you eat it. If you miss a meal, all the reason to be happier for the next.

Hope things turn around for you.

[Uprising]

I eat when I'm stressed. Then I get more stressed out that I ate like a slob so I freak out and go running till I hurt and dry heave. It's a pretty sweet system.

[Schulzy]

The ways I'd like deal with stress are unhealthier than the stress itself.

[ParaGoomba Slayer]

Doing, *ahem*, "adult" things is a pretty good way to relieve stress.

[Chardris1287]

I try to have fun. I play a videogame, I grab some snacks and see what's on TV. I go out and shoot targets...and finally the best cure for stress...without doing "adult" things. is talking to someone about it.

[Dad_Scaper]

Board games, friends, ultimate. They work for me.

Exercise is a big one, if you don't play ultimate & PGS' *ahem* suggestion doesn't work for you, some people like swimming, others run... Very effective, for me. An afternoon of disc washes away a week's worth of stress, every time.

I don't think video games actually make stress go away. They just put it off for awhile, though your mileage may vary.

[Jandarforever]

I get stressed for various reasons including college homework, medical problems, and other smaller things that make can make life pretty unpleasant.
Depending on what the situation is, there are several ways I handle the stress.

1. If I'm stressed because of something big that's going on (for me, it used to be about the way the economy is heading), I'd take some deep breaths, and face the fact that absolutely no amount of worrying I did would solve the problem, so I might as well just focus on something else and not get so wrapped up in things I couldn't control. If you ask me, stuff like that is best left to someone much bigger (God) and prayer is the best way to handle it.

2. If it's something more manageable (like homework), I again take deep, calming breaths, and make sure to throw in a nice number of breaks so that it feels like I'm not tackling a mountain of a problem all at once.

3. Finally, I can tell myself to just not let a problem take a hold of me. Lots of times, I will get stressed over something one day, only to have it practically take care of itself the next day. This alone can be an effective stress reliever. In short, I think that some worries that come with stress can wind up becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy. If I wind up just calming myself and saying that everything will turn out okay, that the problem can be much more manageable.

Hope this helps, and that everything will turn out great! And like TheSparkleInYourWater said, be thankful for all the good things you still have. It could be worse.

[Jexik]

I throw people.

[Fen_Hydra]

I read, play Heroscape, or play D&D. (Depends on my mood and how many people around would like to play 'scape or D&D.)

[ollie]

Lots of good ideas already. I'd add gardening and reading to the list of stress-relieving pastimes that work for me (alongside boardgames, exercise, throwing people and *ahem* activities). Beer too, but I find it less relaxing if I'm not in a good mood to start with.

More generally, cultivate the ability to sit down and watch the world go past. My wife often teases me that I consider sitting and reading simultaneously to be multitasking, but there's a lot to be said for a comfy chair and your own thoughts.

[Einar's puppy]

I just listen to music. Basically anyone signed to Brushfire Records does the trick quite nicely. Though, I don't really get stressed all that often, so I don't need to worry about it.