Tips to reduce stress

  • Thread starter Thread starter gam3rchic
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
G

gam3rchic

Guest
Ok, based off a thread I have in the parenting section, I’m starting a thread where I’d like to hear people’s tips on reducing stress. I’m a constant ball of walking stress and it needs to change! I have hobbies that I do to relieve stress (I love to play video and computer games for example, as you could probably tell by my name 😉 ) but I still find myself being stressed out! I grind my teeth at night when I’m stressed and sometimes during the day I’ll start grinding my teeth a little before I catch myself. It’s like my whole body tenses up and doesn’t know what to do with itself. I’m TTC and the stress might be what’s keeping me from ovulating (dang ovaries:rolleyes: ).

I’m gonna start a work out regimine…I think this will help as well. What do you guys do to reduce stress?
 
I can definitely relate.

Here’s what I do that works for me.
  1. Stop. Stop what you’re doing, stop thinking. Ask yourself, which muscles are tense right now? Try to become aware of your physical tension. Try to relax those tense muscles. At first, this will not work. But practice it, and you’ll start to “learn” how to relax your body. Oh, and physical exercise DOES help a ton–take it from my experience.
  2. Once you’re physically relaxed, ask yourself what is causing you to feel stressed. Is it something in particular, or is it a general feeling of stress that isn’t about anything?
  3. Stressed about all the obligations in your life? Make a schedule. Write down everything you need to do, then do it all one thing at a time. Only think about one thing at a time.
  4. After doing these things, discuss them with a therapist. A therapist will know how to help you a lot better than we do.
  5. Forget about your day and bring on the video games! They’re fantastic stress relief.
What games do you like? I’m a Final Fantasy fanatic and DDR dork for life, but I’ll play anything once.
 
I’m really enjoying having a consistent workout routine for the first time in my life–I do think it helps!

It’s also challenged me to be as serious about a consistent prayer life as a consistent workout routine…😊
 
There are many good self-help books on reducing stress. Anxiety & Phobia Workbook is one, as is Stress Reduction Workbook. Listening to relaxation cds helps. Dollar Tree, if there is one near you has them. Exercise raises serotonin as does being in the sun a little each day. These are some of the things I suggest to my clients to decrease stress & anxiety.

Peace,
Linda
 
Hi Gamr. Sorry to hear about your stress 😦 What do you think is causing it? The fact that you are TTC? (can be a viscious cycle eh?) Or work… or can you even p(name removed by moderator)oint it?

Try some form of exercise. I know that is easier said than done. Can you walk at lunchtime?

I know you love video games, but is that always relaxing? I find hunching over a computer completely unrelaxing half the time. Your mind needs a break from the screen! (same thing goes for watching too much TV).

Do you have any pets you can walk or play with? Pets are very relaxing. (although I don’t have any so I don’t really know for sure for sure, but I have heard so).

Certainly don’t let yourself be stressed out for a long period of time.

I know it is annoying to always hear " learn to manage your stress, stress is bad for you" We hear this allllll the time but nobody ever gives any advice on HOW to manage it. And how do you manage it when you have a full time job ( or school or whatever ) and are supposed to be a functioning member of society?

Mass is relaxing… adoration, meditation (the Rosary).

I’d love to hear other people’s suggestions too.
 
Stress is based upon the peoples attitude towards the situations or conditions that are happening on your life.

If you are a Christian and really have a strong faith on Jesus Christ and His words, then no stress on your life. As HE said, "don’t worry about anything…

To believe on these words you should see HIS glory on your life. How can you see this? Jesus said “Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you and you will honor me”

So please see the bad situation on your life as a way to see HIS glory… so there will be no more worries on your future life.

shared these from my own experience.

I hope it helps you all…
 
I’ve found that thinking “oh, i’m so stressed, i need to meet this schedule and that schedule and so on” contributes a lot to stress - it basically becomes a self fulfilling prophecy.

Imagine a red traffic light at which you’re waiting on your way to an appointment.
One basically has two choices what to think when one is waiting there:
  1. “Damn, i’m going to be late, i need to get there fast fast fast fast…”
  2. “Ah well, thinking that i’ll be late won’t get me there any faster, so if i’ll be late, then so be it. I can’t do anything about it anymore right now.”
The first one increases stress, the second reduces it.
 
haha yeah but then there are “those people” who don’t seem to have any stress but they aggravate others by being late, not getting things done on time, missing deadlines… not caring enough about timeliness.

I visited a friend in Europe and we were taking the last train of the night back to his place. We were just standing around chatting and not heading to the right platform yet. I said " oh what time is it?? 12:45am? When is the last train?" and he said " oh 12:45" and I said " Well lets boot it!!" and we ran and just barely caught the train. I had no idea why he didn’t suggest we run for it earlier. He is just such a stress free guy… but… we would have had to pay for a cab to drive us 60 miles to his place if we missed that last train and in Europe, that would have cost over $150! he didn’t seem concerned about that at all. Whenever I am stressed, I think about that friend and his attitude… and wish I could be like that… but on the other hand, I would think that kind of attitude would contribute to more stress for me??
 
True…the point i was trying to make was that just *thinking *about all the deadlines which one has to meet and so on simply doesn’t help one to meet them - it achieves nothing but to make life harder. That of course doesn’t mean that one should completely forget about them 😉

It’s a much better idea to concentrate on the work that one has to do in order to meet the deadline. Constantly thinking about the deadline merely distracts, causes errors that cost even more time, and finally causes stress.
 
Sina said:
Mass is relaxing… adoration, meditation (the Rosary).
Click to expand...
Yes, yes, yes!

Also, the older I get, the more I appreciate St. Benedict’s “everything in moderation”. For me, I find that applies to everything from knitting (yes, I use that to escape unpleasant tasks OFTEN!!) to chocolate.
 
Thanks to everyone for the replies so far…very helpful! 👍

I think a lot of my stress is TTC but also my side of the family is the cause of some. I recently had a falling out with my mom and she basically has cut off all communication with me. She’s been slowly doing this and torturing me for months ever since DH and I moved away. The thing is that my mom and me used to be the best of friends! And then, I made a decision that she didn’t agree with and she threw everything we had together out the window! :mad: She said things like “will any of my children ever grow up right?” and “you are a liar, backstabber, etc, etc, etc”. My recent dealings with her are the most current reason for stress.

Before that, DH and I just bought a house and started new jobs (since we had just moved ya know) but those things have calmed down. We are settled into our house now and in our jobs so that’s good at least 😃 .

Another stressor is that it seems like all I do on my days off is chores. DH is rather lazy (I mean that seriously) and I end up doing most of the work on my days off. I work 3 12-hour shifts a week so I have 4 days off. DH works M-F 9-6 and when he gets home in the evening is too tired to do anything. I do the cleaning, cooking, laundry, shopping, and take care of the pet! He’s getting better about doing chores. He needs to start working out as well because he used to have so much more energy before we were married (seemed like it anyways;) ) but he is slowly doing more around the house.

I do find video gaming relaxing as it’s a mind “dumping ground” so to speak at the end of the day. It lets me put all my energy into something else. I channel my mind into some form of entertainment, if you KWIM? I never got into reading much as I find it boring. I must do some sort of interaction, hence why I like video games.

To the poster that says they play Final Fantasy and DDR, that’s SO ME! I’m about to go play some DDR btw now that you mention it, sounds like fun right now 🙂
 
I am a college student, and today in my psychology class we did a stress workshop (how appropriate! 😉 ). My teacher pointed out: “If you’re not stressed, then you’re dead.” He was saying that everyday we experience some form of stress: expected stress (your child’s first birthday party), unexpected stress (getting in a car accident), daily grind stress, and appraisal stress (how you evaluate the situation).

Here’s the psychologist’s method of stress management:

Ask the question: Is there anything I can do about it?/ Is it in my control?

If YES:
* Evaluate options
* Implement simple, sequential “control-able” actions
* Check outcome
* Re-evaluate options if necessary

If NO :
* “Let go” (this is the most important step and the hardest to do)
* Relax, meditate on Christ’s love and how he would respond
* Exercise (funny how a good walk can make everything better)
* Social support

On top of these approaches, surrender all your stress to Jesus. Sometimes I imagine placing all of my worries at the foot of the Cross. It’s amazing what a little prayer can do!

*“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” * Matthew 11:28-29
 
-Think about the big picture. A lot of times what is stressing me out isn’t even going to matter much in the long run. (I’m a college student; what’s one bad grade in the scheme of my life?)

-Reward yourself frequently for completing stressful tasks. Take breaks in between getting things done or eat some comfort food. It will give you something to look forward to. Also, see if you can somehow take a weekend off from stress here and there. (I know easier said than done)

-Vent to friends and family and ask for help or advice if you need it.

-Make lists/schedules if you have a lot to do and that stresses you out.
 
Make sure you are applying the correct amount of value to the issue you are stressing over. E.g. prioritize!

Look at the issue from several different viewpoints to make sure you are not taking the conventional route.

Challenge yourself. I work upwards of 50hrs a week while overloading on classes at college. I meet handfuls of people who can’t believe this. Guess what, I think it’s perfectly average for me. It is a matter of perception. If I gave in to their opinion, then I would believe I should be stressed out. Instead, I believe it is a normal pace of life and it does not stress me in the big picture.

Evaluate your actual losses and gains in a certain situation. For example, a girl at my work was being discriminated against and harrassed. She was so stressed out it was making her physically sick. I told her, “Why are you stressed out? Jump for joy! This manager is ensuring your college loans are completely paid off!” She felt the possibility of getting fired from her job was a loss. No it’s not! It’s a gain. She gets out of a negative environment and away from a poisonous person. She has enough of a case to complain and sue. If nothing else, she gets unemployment.
 
Here are somethings that I do to reduce stress

Running (helps me clear my head) any form of exercise works but for me its running

Listening to music - Sometimes I need a good cry and I will play something that will make me cry or other times I want to sing and dance… music is a great DeStresser :whistle:

Gaming http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y3/adinal/Misc/ps2_addiction_by_Little_Vampire.gif- i like simulation games like to be in control 🙂

My #1 DeStresser… the rosary. I will pray, cry, offer it up and when I have completed a rosary I feel like I can breathe.
 
Most people have NO idea how to relax. TV, golf, computer games, etc. are activities. They have nothing to do with relaxing. Ninety plus percent of clinical visits, (Doctor), are stress related. Progressive relaxation (tightening and relaxing muscles), guided imagery with music, emptying the mind, filling it with positive affirmations, (scriptural), are good ways to learn to relax, yet the key is the frequency of this practice which will give you much serenity. It is true that our stress is directly proportionate to how we allow ourselves to react to situations. Try the Serenity Prayer…and live it. If you make your problems bigger than your God, then you will have great worry and much stress your entire life. If you know in your heart that nothing that happens will ever be more than God and you can handle, then you will learn to be peaceful. A little stress can be helpful in bringing out our best. Good stress is called eustress. Get a good workbook on stress management and follow some of the ideas which are appealing to you. Know that “this too shall pass”.
Exercise and eating wholesome foods is essential to fighting stress and its effects on your life. Want to be another health statistic? Ignore this message. I AM a professional therapist.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top