How do you handle stess?

[steenajack]

Just out of curiosity, place your vote in the pole then answer the following questions:

1. How do you deal/react with stress?

2. What things in life stress you out?

3. What are some things you do to relieve your stress?

I'll start: I chose a little bit of both. I have healthy and unhealthy ways of handling stress.

1) I react to stress with acting really tired, as if I'm worn out. And if people keep telling me to do stuff, sometimes I'll snap. Depending on how stressed I am, I'll either stress eat, talk really fast and crazy about what I'm stressed about, or break down......yeah, I'm still learning on how to deal with that. I got to learn how not to worry about things so much and remember that "it's not the end of the world when (insert rediculous notion here)" and quick panicking.

2) Things that stress me out? Normally things that I care about a lot: My family, school stuff, focusing on my art, my friends, making friends, learning to drive, etc.....

3) I healthy and unhealthy ways of dealing with stress. Unhealthy includes stress eating, and hanging too long on the internet. Healthy includes actually talking it out rationally with someone, or working out if I'm angry, or listening to some music by Superchick.


So CAAers....tis' your turn.

[Atria35]

Oh, I deal with it in a totally unhealthy way. I bottle it up until I get sick from it (for some reason, getting super-stressed makes me sick to my stomach. Always.) And I shut down- I have huge issues with tackling the thing that's causing my stress head-on. I will avoid it, almost at all costs.

School stresses me out. My family, too, but now that I'm not in the house the stress I get from my family is a lot lower.

To relieve stress? Uh.... I actually don't really have a way to deal with stress. I bottle it up. Very few ways to relieve it. Maybe reading? Visiting my RP sites more often?

[Midori]

When I'm stressed I tend to lose my appetite, avoid people, stay in bed, and in general become a hikikomori.

Unless I can get my hands on some Dr. Pepper. In that case, my troubles will have troubles with me.

[Agloval]

1. I'm not really sure I react to stress in one or two consistent ways.

2. Not a lot of things, or a lot of things, depending on how you look at it. Lots of things -- other people, things that make demands on my time, numbers -- cause stress for me, so I carefully try to arrange my life so I have to deal with them as little as possible!

3. All sorts of ways. Praying, reminding myself of the big picture (a deadline at work is hardly comparable to, say, becoming a refugee because of a civil war in my country), talking to people.

[Rusty Claymore]

Hard, fast, long, and painful training. Till I get to the track or dojang I just brood and glare at people. XD

[Tsukuyomi]

I'll admit that I don't handle stress the best that I can, but I try ^__^ Most of the time, doing crafts/crocheting will help take my mind off of things ^^ Or, listen to music. That helps as well ^^

[Xeno]

I'm not sure if how I handle it is "healthy" or not, probably a little of both. Depending on how stressed I am I'll either listen to music, rage-rant, or play video games with lots of shooting and/or fast cars.

I don't tend to get stressed out in the way I used to thought. Back when I was in high school just about everything annoyed me and could get me stressed. Nowadays I've got a lot more patience and willingness to put up with people, so it just doesn't get to me in the way that it used to. Besides, in my line of work the easily stressed don't last.

[c.t.,girl]

1. How do you deal/react with stress?

panic mode with an over-thinking imagination until things are resolved or until i understand why things are the way things are and until i know every possible course of action has been taken (and if nothing worked then i can move on).

2. What things in life stress you out?

my parents, my health and other's health, money and the future.

3. What are some things you do to relieve your stress?

lol i'll talk about it to people i know i can talk to...but i think it might come out as complaining. if i don't have anyone to talk to, i'll either knit, watch an emotional/psychological movie, draw(it's been a couple of years since i've done that though), sleep or just sit in silence and try to run through the events in my head and figure out if i'm just overreacting. but if i get so stressed that i start having panic attacks, then i have some meds that help with that. >_>;

[Sapphire225]

Depends. If I'm angry, I tend to be silent to everyone but I clean up a room around me to make it a consciencious effort to use my anger in a constructive way. However, if I am stressed due to school work, I tend to gulp downs tons of sweets.

[goldenspines]

1. How do you deal/react with stress?

Curl up in a corner and cry. (half joking here)

2. What things in life stress you out?

Too many things to count. Sometimes I make up things to stress me out. (sometimes a bit of stress can be okay, but I tend to go overboard with worry. >_>] 3. What are some things you do to relieve your stress?[/quote] Watch/read an uplifting anime/manga (NOT Magica Madoka, but something like Ouran or Yotsuba&!). Alternatively, if the manga has pretty art, this is a plus for me personally.
I will also draw. Some of my best work comes when I'm stressed. Though, if I'm overly stressed, this doesn't work out very well.
Sometimes I will listen to music and pace around the house and/or practice my martial arts (by myself, since practicing my punches and kicks on someone would not be very productive).

I will also clean. Clean rooms/things always make me feel happier and more at peace.

[musicaloddball]

1. It depends on what is stressing me out. If it's school or music, I will go into this high-functioning, ultra-focused, ultra-fast mode to get everything done. This takes an enormous amount of energy, and I completely crash after I get all my work done. IDK, is that healthy? If it's family stressing me out, I go into denial that anything stressful is happening and I go on with my life as if everything was completely normal. That is probably not healthy at all. There was this one time I couldn't be in denial anymore....and....I'm pretty sure I got close to going insane for real....
2. As I said before, school, music stuff, and family. My friends are all pretty nice and down-to-earth and non-stressful.
3. Planning how to eliminate my stress, venting to friends. Eating a ton of cookies and brownies helps with the school stress, but I don't do it that often.

[Yuki-Anne]

I handle stess the same way every person handles stess: by asking, "What the heck is stess?"

Sorry, had to do that.

1. How do you deal/react with stress?
I LIKE TO CHEW ON THINGS. A LOT. This leads to the added stress of gaining weight. And no, I am not some stick-thin prima donna who freaks over gaining an ounce. I have a genuine problem with weight, and stress tends to make it that much harder to deal with. Like right now. I'm stressed. I know I had enough to eat today. But I still want to eat and I may actually be tricking my body into thinking it is hungry.

2. What things in life stress you out?
EARTHQUAKES. LOTS AND LOTS OF EARTHQUAKES THAT LAST FAR FAR TOO LONG AND ARE WAY WAY TOO STRONG.
But other than that, I get stressed out by men who are either way too old or way too creepy who indicate that they are interested in me. That is not relaxing. That is the opposite of relaxing.
I also get stressed out by disorganization and lack of proper communication.

3. What are some things you do to relieve your stress?
I EAT.
Naw, but I like to play piano or go out for a walk or jog. And sometimes I cry.

[Nami]

I definitely do it both ways, I pray and eat. XDD

1. How do you deal/react with stress?

Oh my gosh. I'm like a hell-hound. Well, not at first. For me, some stress, I build it up and sit on it and just ignore it. Then something else comes up and it stacks again and I just sit on it some more, brooding this time. Then if something comes along and kicks me off the stress pile, I get angry and snap at people and become all around, unpleasant. However, recently I've learned that when I start feeling even the tiniest bit stressed, to pray and give it to God. Which, is what I've been doing.

2. What things in life stress you out?

My family. My art, never getting a story written, never being able to become a missionary (though I doubt I'd make a good one) All sorts of stuff stresses me out. ^^

3. What are some things you do to relieve your stress?

Breathe, pray, eat. A standard I live by. A tiny, tiny bit of food (comfort) isn't bad. If you know your limit. When stressed and you feel like you want a cookie and you haven't had one. Just eat two cookies and you will feel better (or whatever desert you prefer). Then pray to God and that's the miracle cuuuure~

But other than that, I get stressed out by men who are either way too old or way too creepy who indicate that they are interested in me. That is not relaxing. That is the opposite of relaxing.

<--- Thiiss has been happening to me lately. Its downright creepy! >_> I'm not even attractive. UGH!

[Mr. SmartyPants]

Well I personally roll up a joint and just relax to some chill reggae with mah frands!

Haha no I'm just kidding. I don't use illegal substances.

[Nami]

Yeah right, Smarty!! We know the truth!! D:

[Yamamaya]

I'll admit that I don't handle stress the best that I can, but I try ^__^ Most of the time, doing crafts/crocheting will help take my mind off of things ^^ Or, listen to music. That helps as well ^^

So now I know why you had such a srs look on your face when you were wearing that hat you made. It all makes sense now.


Yeah I don't handle stress well at all. I just tend to get irritable and either aimlessly surf the internet, play video games, or listen to music.

Watching Madoka or End of Evangelion when you're stressed is more likely to make you depressed.

Also this is the true identity of Smarty.

[TopazRaven]

1. How do you deal/react with stress?

To put it simply, not well. I'm unfortunatly a highly sensitive person and it is VERY easy to upset me or stress me out. The most commom reaction for me is to break down after the stress has piled on. I'll literally make myself sick to the point where I feel as if I have to vomit and sometimes I lash out at people or cry depending on what it is that is causing the stress. Though I refuse to cry in front of other people. If I need to let it out I usually find somewhere private. For example last year when I started working at Freindly's as the fountain girl. My job was to make deserts for the waitresses as well as do take out. Most of the time I was alone and when things got busy I'd stress out terribly. It didn't help that I never managed to master the cash register either and if I did something wrong the waitresses would yell at me and make me feel worthless. I ended up quitting because I couldn't stand it anymore. Bad choice considering I haven't had a job since then and that was my first job to begin with. Time to look through the jobs section in the newspaper...why must I be so sheltered and anti-social?

2. What things in life stress you out?

Everything. I'm paranoid and always worried that I or someone I love are going to die or be seriously hurt. I worry about hell a lot as well. Meanwhile being yelled at usually pushes on my stress button as well as being rushed, crowds, arguments, not getting something done on time, people being mad at me, etc.

3. What are some things you do to relieve your stress?

Eat, watch TV, hug my pets and cry.

[Sapphire225]

Watching Madoka or End of Evangelion when you're stressed is more likely to make you depressed.

Madoka depressed me, End of Evangelion left me in...



What stresses me is college, my seemingly perpetual state of being broke, my family being a little dysfunctional, and people in general.

[FllMtl Novelist]

Just out of curiosity, place your vote in the pole then answer the following questions:

1. How do you deal/react with stress?

2. What things in life stress you out?

3. What are some things you do to relieve your stress?

I'm not sure if I deal with it in totally healthy ways... >_>;;

--I figure out a way to fix the problem if it's within my power to fix. When I don't know if it's fixable, I'll think about it a lot, and almost constantly search for a solution until eventually I find one, the problem fixes itself, or I move on. And if it's a problem I can't fix, I decide I'll pretend it's not there... and usually proceed to obsess about it. >_>;;

--Emotions. Relationships (any kind, but some waayyy more than others >_>;; ). Possibility of danger, in some forms (I'm not paranoid all the time, but some stuff really gets me going).

--If there's a person available that I can talk to, I'll talk to her/him. Usually just talking about it helps, or at least makes me less fidgety. Also, oftentimes the person can suggest a solution, or say something that makes me feel somewhat better. Bonus. However if I can't talk to anyone, usually I hide in my room. I might waste time online until I can talk to someone, or try to distract myself in other ways. I don't usually pray during these times. Please don't lecture me.

Also, sometimes if I'm stressing I'll eat more. In contrast, sometimes I'll stubbornly ignore the desire to have a cookie.

So, maybe I don't deal with it in the most healthy ways, but I think I've been doing better lately than I used to.

[mysngoeshere56]

I haven't dealt with it in a very healthy way, but it's something I'm working on fixing. I've talked with some of my counselors in the past and they think that in addition to Major Depression, I might have a case of PTSD (Posttraumatic Stress Disorder). I had a lot of very troubling things happen to me when I was a kid, so it led me to have a greater sense of fear and anxiety. I had a lot of anxiety attacks back when I was in high school...

But, I'm currently working on changing my stress handling for the better.

[aliveinHim]

I'm super weird when it comes to stress.

1.) How do I deal/react with stress?

When I'm stressed, I'm hyper and I can't sit down and concentrate. I start running around acting like a maniac until I have to force myself to sit down and work. I'll sit on facebook, here or youtube or any anime website watching a few AMVs.

2.) What stresses me out? When I procrastinated on an assignment and my bedtime is creeping up.

3.) What relieves stress? Gum, candy, pocky, a piece of fresh fruit, a glass of water, a trip to the bathroom, playing outside with the neighbor kids, playing with my younger siblings.

[Sammy Boy]

I have found that many things in life can cause us to feel stressed.

The most obvious one for me would be my job. I work for a large company where we have an intensive workload and few resources.

Sometimes there are urgent tasks assigned to our area that affect the safety of staff in the rest of the company.

Family life can also be stressful. It is not the family itself, but certain events to do with the home, such as unexpected plumbing issues, etc.

I try not to let stress get to me, because worrying about something does not fix the problem. Often I pray to God for wisdom and resources, and then I refuse to think negatively about the situation anymore.

I also never stress stop me from sleeping. Whenever I go to bed, I tell myself that even if the world ends tomorrow, I need to have my sleep, so at least I can be a bit more mentally prepared for it.

I've found that having this kind of mindset greatly helps me get through the days.

[byrocat]

1. How do you deal/react with stress?

Not well at all! Think about walking up behind a kodiac bear and poking it in the bum with a sharp stick. That's on a bad day (not very often but they happen). Good days can range from grumbling and stomping around and banging around crockery and pots and pans up to "water off of a duck's back" reactions.

2. What things in life stress you out?

I wish I could say life, but it's generally getting over-committed on tasks and having one more person adding to my load (work); driving in commuter traffic and having to put up with people who think that you're much more important than you are and using the filter lane as a short-cut or not bothering to attempt to filter in with traffic; and not getting enough time to actually relax and do nothing for a change. House ownership and maintenace can do it as well. Having someone do the "guilt" method of asking when I have other plans, usually on vacation when I'm supposed to be relaxing......

3. What are some things you do to relieve your stress?

Hobbies, Internet (can be a stress point when my wife insists that I sit with her and watch TV shows that I don't like), Anime and romance novels (they're related and a source of total no-intellect-required flow.)

[Riggidig]

I've been really bad stress-wise these last couple of months, so much so that it has reduced my quality of life. I started using stress-reducing pills a couple of weeks back and they've really helped, but I'm worried about being too dependent upon them. I actually just posted this new thread about it here:

http://www.christiananime.net/showthread.php?t=58590

[Nanao]

1. How do you deal/react with stress?

Typically I withdraw. I'm an introvert anyway, and when I'm stressed I get even more so. I also tend to think too much. Which really doesn't help things either.

2. What things in life stress you out?

School, the future, family. Too many things.

3. What are some things you do to relieve your stress?

It depends on the kind of stress. One of the best ways for me to relieve stress is to do something creative like writing. Drawing helps a lot too. Watching a good anime is another way that I like to relieve stress. But, I have to be careful with that or I can disappear for hours. Going to the dojo really helps a lot too. Music, forms or just beating the heavy bag is a wonderful stress reliever.

[Cadence]

How do I deal with stress?

To be honest, I just don't. I think I get by purely on the prayers of others.

Once upon a time I used to listen to or play music to help me relieve stress, but now that option is out because music has become my stress.

[Cognitive Gear]

1. How do you deal/react with stress?

I react very poorly, honestly. My appetite goes way, way down (to around what I would estimate would be around 700 cals a day), and I don't really do much of anything.

2. What things in life stress you out?

Money, having too many projects going at once. Also, stress does. No, honestly it does. It's an unfortunate loop that is only fixed by...

3. What are some things you do to relieve your stress?

Either suddenly being proactive about things, by watching some movies that depress other people, by working out and cleaning, or by rocking out while going on a nice drive down the coastal highway.

That last one used to be one of my primary ways to do it, but with gas prices the way they are it just causes more stress when I realize how much money I just spent.

[Solid Ronin]

I brake peoples souls. Its soothing.

[Ante Bellum]

I don't.

[Wallachia]

1. How do you deal/react with stress?
I lie to myself. I try and find positive things and think about merely being alive. It's not so bad... I'm here... I can still think coherent thoughts... There's always God by my side...
2. What things in life stress you out?
Having a chaotic, inconsistent, stressed, sickly, wacky family full of very different people always bickering with each other and complaining to others about everyone else at almost every given moment. There's always something... always something negative happening every week and it's always the main topic of discussion.
3. What are some things you do to relieve your stress?
I can always soak up knowledge and entertainment in the form of books, movies, anime, video games, and the internet.

I can retreat into my mind...