[Soft_Landing]

Here's an interesting news article about stress and aggression.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=14403

Enjoy.

[harlanater]

Dear All There are many techniques available to help with the dread boiling in your stomach.

A. Self Hypnosis- the 7th path folds in my favorite. It relaxes your body and mind. Also your subconscience is more open to suggestion.

B- Sensory Deprivation- Depriving yourself of your senses allows you to focus more on your inner self and the steps u will need to take in life to get through this.

C- music- music always brings joy into our hearts. It also helps us imagine things and different scenerios that could play out

D-Imagination- Just pretend your somewhere else. It may sound childish but it worked than it works now

Harlan

[uNkNowN ElEmEnt]

D - yes, escapism on any level works well. Music movies a good book, what ever.

E - playing with your kids or getting down to another persons level can totally change your perspective and will benefit anyone.

F - planning out your garden layout and or improvements for next year.

G - volunteering with others

H - figuring out monthly meal plans for food storage uses

I - practising mindfulness

[evilmonkeyspanker]

J - smoke a joint

K- smoke a camel

L- watch reality tv -- warning may be bad for your health

[Ayoob]

1. Run
2. Lift weights
3. Cut down on the caffeine
4. Run some more

[MicroHydro]

My favorite, making love to my sweetheart.

[mgibbons19]

x) exercise - lift very heavy weights or chase the roadies around for a barf-worthy hour
y) loud music.
z) alcohol (doesn't work as well as the other two)

[XanthanGum]

This is what works for me:

(1.) Identify the specifc problem in a given situation, and then draw from the diagnosis what the logical solution would be. This is a concept that seems obvious, but so little do I see people practice it - they instead drown themselves with complaints and emotions, and not actually get anything done - often, they cannot accurately identify what their problem is!

(2.) Another one that seems obvious, but most people still forget in practice - plenty of exercise and healthful foods! I cannot overstate the value of this to one's own sanity - being physically active will do many wonders for one's mental health.

(3.) Reduce your "necessities" - What things do you "need" to have? The more one is self-reliant, the less one needs to depend on external aid.

Those are very broad, general suggestions that aren't specific, but are base thinking modes useful for effectively dealing with - and moreso PREVENTING stress from occuring in the first place. From this you can do a lot of brainstorming.

[katkinkate]

My favourite: getting lost in a good story or 3. If its really bad, just add chocolate.

[CarlinsDarlin]

From time to time the impending mess starts to get to me. I'm feeling a little more doomerish than usual these days. Last week I unplugged from all of it for a while and read a book. 388 pages in two days. Yep, it was a good diversion, and a good book.

Unfortunately for me, that's all it is. A diversion. The minute the book or activity is finished, my mind starts working overtime again.
Kathy

[Doly]

I think that trying to handle stress by trying to forget the stressing issue very often rebounds and you feel more stressed and guilty for not doing anything afterwards.

The best way of dealing with stress is making a list of all the ways you could possibly deal with the issue, deciding which ones you can realistically do, and then starting to do them straight away.

Only if you are convinced that there isn't anything else you could do about it right now, resort to the classic "let's forget about it" techniques.

[CarlinsDarlin]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'T')he best way of dealing with stress is making a list of all the ways you could possibly deal with the issue, deciding which ones you can realistically do, and then starting to do them straight away

[harlanater]

thats what hypnosis is for,

you can program your mind to handle it in the best way possible, without the negative feelings

[backstop]

1/. Walk (preferably with dogs) in the best country you can, for at least one hour per day, regardless of the weather.

2/. Split logs to firewood, and learn where to place and then "back" the axe for the harder ones.

3/. Take a spliff of good grass (not GMO trash) into fine country on a Sunday. Gets the week into perspective . . .

regards,

Backstop

[the_red_pill]

If it's to handle the stress from PO, then:
1. Make some changes in your life to address the issue. Maybe in the end it won't mean a damn, but you will feel better knowing that you tried to help out. Stop driving, count up the gals of gas you saved and try to prepare for the future in the way you best know how.
2. Exercise! If you give up your car, riding a bike is a great way to take out the stress on the pedals. Just think every mile is another mile you aren't spewing out gases and wasting fuel in traffic!
3. Take pleasure in simple things. Don't guzzle that beer or wine or whiskey: enjoy every sip and take your time with it.

Just realize you are still enjoying the oil party right now and the party may not end with a big bang as some doomers think!

[uNkNowN ElEmEnt]

I second the just add chocolate part! I've found the emotional therapy technique to be very useful if you will genuinely open your mind to it. They use it for war veterans with a huge success rate.

you can find instructions to do it on the internet and if you take a course like I did it is pretty much the same as you find on the net.

[Vexed]

-pull weeds
-write
-hug wife
-guitar
-basketball
-walking
-cheese

[Graeme]

12 Ways to Stay on Top of Stress

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'A')ll this craziness and high-speed living isn't going away. Since we can't change our genes, we have to create a map to navigate this crazy life. What can you do to try and stay on top of the stress so it doesn't affect your health, happiness, or waistline?

1. Exercise. Amen for endorphins. Believe me, they've helped me many days with my perspective. If you have to work out, then go take a brisk walk and get that blood flowing. It isn't about working out to lose weight -- it's about being healthy and staying sane.

2. Eat the real stuff. Crappy food (fast, processed, and loaded with sugar) doesn't help your chemical brain and body handle stress. Living food, real food, helps support your mind and body while it's trying to deal with the million things coming its way. Every time I reach for the chocolate, I'm looking to feel something from it. Don't get me wrong -- if it's just a little here and there because I enjoy the taste of it, great. But if I'm using it the minute I feel overwhelmed, then that's when that food is no longer OK to eat. It doesn't make the problem go away, and then I just feel bad about eating the food to pacify myself. Grab green food instead. Put things in your mouth that are going to support your immune function and keep you levelheaded.

3. Notice. Try not to let the stress overtake you. Recognize the situations that cause the stress and notice them coming your way. You have a better shot at fending off the full effects of the stress when you can anticipate it.

4. Get it off your chest. Talk to a friend or partner about the stress. Sometimes just getting it off your chest can help unload some of the burden.

5. Keep your sense of humor. If you do have the chance to talk about it, try to see the irony and humor in the wacky bits. I think someone is dead in the water once they lose their sense of humor.

6. Stay grateful. My daughter has large lungs and verbal skills she likes to display. Just when I start to wishfully think about her being quiet, I remind myself to be grateful that she can talk to me at all. In almost all of our problems are boatloads of blessings. "Oh, I don't feel like going to the gym." Well, Amen that you have the means and the health to even be able to wrestle with the idea of going to work out. Make a habit of saying thank you. You will notice the sunny spots a lot more often, and not just the gray skies and storms.

7. Ask, "What's the hurry?" Have some fun. We're always so busy going somewhere, we miss just enjoying the moment. If an opportunity comes your way to do something fun, take it.

8. Take a deep breath. When you feel the stress getting to you, take a moment. Get away, even if it's just for an hour, to be with yourself and your thoughts. Some people like to take a walk, meditate, lock themselves away in a beautiful bath, or go to church. Find the peace and the silence.

9. Keep it simple. Simplify where you can. Does Junior really need to be in 78 activities at the age of 5? Do you have to go to every little party or gathering you're invited to?

10. Turn of the TV. A lot of it is bad news anyway, and it robs us of hours that we could use to be getting other things done. Since everyone complains that they have no time, get some by unplugging from the tube.

11. Sleep. If you're rested, you have a better shot at handling things. Not to mention, you may not stress out as easily if you have a chance to recover at night.

12. Drink water. I have said it before: Americans consume 21 percent of their calories through liquid consumption. Hydrate with water. Help you entire system function better just by drinking enough water. Oh, and by the way, if you don't think that weight loss and proper hydration have a relationship, think again. Shift the paradigm on its side -- don't think about exercise and nutritional eating just as something you have to suffer through to get into those jeans. Instead, think of them as armor that will protect you in this crazy world, with all of the bazillion details you deal with every day.

[davep]

13. Switch off the computer and relax. Maybe listen to some music