How do you handle stress?

[Mindy]

And especially when there's a lot of it? Any suggestions are most welcome. 

[Michaelangelo]

Stress seems to be an unwelcome theme for a lot of us this year.  I know my family has had our fair share of it as of late, with one thing or another.

To deal with it, I normally find a place to rant about it (here or myspace has been my two places), than I let it sit in there for a bit.   I make a list of the things that need to be handled and try to figure out which would help unload the stress the fastest and if it's due first.   I try to take a couple hours a day without focusing on the stress, be it RPing, watching TV, or planning trips just to give my heart and brain a break.

Other good things:

- Hot baths
- Hot Tea (tension tamer is a good one)
- reading stories (real or fictional)

I hope things get better for you, and I'm really sorry you've been stressed.  *hugs*  Do know you have friends here who are thinking about ya.

[cowabunga14]

I usually draw, read comics, or play video games.

[TurtleNinja]

I tend to do a few things, depending on how stressed I am.

If I'm really, really stressed, I go to Starbucks or the local Chinese place. I could be having the WORST day of my life, and I go to either of those places, I quickly forget why I was ticked in the first place, or at the very least, I'm not as ticked as I was.

Starbucks, it's all about the caffeine. I'm a cheap drunk(or hyper, in this case), so a good coffee and something sweet has me calm and giggly to my husband's amusement. The Chinese place has a good, quiet atmosphere where you can sit, and the people who run it know us, and usually all it takes is some soup, sweet & sour chicken and a pot of tea and I'm nicely mellowed.

If I'm not as stressed, or just irritated and need to blow off steam, I play videogames, usually Battlefront II or Bounty Hunter, depending on what I'm in the mood for. There's something about blowing the crap out of things that can be very therapeutic, particularly when I'm blowing up a particularly STUPID videogame baddie.

There's one particular scene in Bounty Hunter with three baddies standing around looking very stupid when I have Jango standing not terribly far away(enough that were I up where they are, I'd be seeing anyone where I'm standing). A well-placed rocket not only obliterates them, but it's highly amusing to watch them looking around as the rocket's incoming.

So find a good videogame and blow things up or beat things up, depending on what your fancy is. It's a good stress buster when you can't actually go out and kick the snot out of it for real. 

Hot baths also work for me. I like hot tubs, but that only works when I'm at a hotel somewhere. At home, I go for a nice, long bath/shower and maybe a cup of mandarin orange tea English style(ie: with milk in it). Eating chocolate also works.  Or find a favorite song. Music can help me at times, too.

[Amicitia]

What kind of stress? This is my basic three-step strategy.

1. Stop. Breathe.
2. Focus on something you can reasonably do to improve the situation. Do it.
3. Reward yourself.

For the kind of stress caused by out-of-control situations, remember this: Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.

[Raphael]

Music - loud/rocking helps

Venting - LJ or just yelling at random people 

Watching funny tv/videos

Wearing decorative vegetables (*smirk* actually relates to funny videos...)

Being silly - practice random acts of "I don't care how old I'm supposed to act, I feel like doing something silly".

[Kazari]

I rant to people who are stressed as well about the same stuff. Write fanfiction, Play SIMS or watch tv!

[moronqueen]

If I can't find a cure for what's causing the stress in the first place -

Lose myself in stories, excersize, vent, breathing excersizes, tea or hot coco, depending on the mood, and if I need a complete distancing, I'll have a few drinks.

I go light on that last one, of course...it's more of a last resort, since I believe everything has a place, so long as it's not abused.

I'm still bristling and fantasizing about punching a certain coworker as hard as I possibly can, so I'm gonna work on curing the problem and screwing 'em over by QUITTING. 

[Ninjara]

  My way to deal with stress is like Amicitia's most of the time.

  1.  Stop.  Breathe.  Which is done by deep breaths through the nose and exhaling fully through the mouth.  About three of those will usually prevent me from going into total Phael mode and wringing someone's neck.

   2.  Doing something reasonable to improve the situation.  Yep.

   3.  And the reward. Yes.  By all means, do the reward.

    However, the one thing that I've found that works the best, and will keep stress rolling off of me, like water off a duck's back, is..... a hot rock massage.  A hot rock massage will keep me ironed out and bomb-proof for a month.

    This is why my enemies are still alive today.

     
   

[HUN]

These are all excellent ways to release the ol' pressure.
I guess I can add a few.

I know this is out of my character, but when I wake up in the morning, the first thing I do is Thank God for waking me up to a new day and I give the whole day to Him. Of course, how effective that is for others depends on your belief, but it always works for me! 

I went through some serious stress last week when  my daughter was rushed to the hospital and had to stay for a week. I stayed with her uncles while her mother stayed with her in the hospital. Her uncles provided comfort and companionship for me. It always helps to be in the comfort of those who care about you when you go through tough times.

After a hard day, I usually release with spiritual songs and/or cartoons on TV. Laughter is really the best medicine! Doctors all over have approved this medicine, so enjoy it! 

[BubblyShell22]

If I'm stressed about math, I usually leave the problem alone and do something else. I read, watch TV, listen to music, or write fan fiction to help ease my stress. It usually works, too.

[Mindy]

All of your suggestions have really helped. Thank you so much!

[BubblyShell22]

You're welcome, Mindy. Good luck!

[Brinatello]

Due to my sister having terrible anxiety attacks and extremely high blood pressure lately, the doctor recommended meditation sessions.  Seriously!  Splinter had it right all along!  It's very relaxing and keeps your body at ease from all the stress.  I'll sometimes put on soothing music and curl up in the bed with my kitty, or if he's being anti-social, a plushie or two works good.

Hope you feel better, Mindychan!  *HUGS*

[NinjaNette]

Hmm... how to handle stress... I would say just go with the flow. Like, ignore the stress and think nothing but positive thoughts. I'm not really sure how to handle stress. Usually, I just ignore it and keep my mind on other things. Kind of work better when I'm under a lot of pressure. XD Really, I don't have stress on my shoulders. There will be like, maybe a small ball on my back when given a back massage. Sometimes I'll just write a story about my surroundings or what is bugging me. I guess that's why I don't have much stress.

Tips to get over stress..
1) Write down what is bugging you.
2) Take a nice long bath/shower.
3) Drink Herbel Tea or any type of Tea that Master Splinter probably drinks.
4) Watch a funny movie.
5) Listen to music.
6) Kick boxing.
7) Meditate.