[frankthetank]

Exercise...

A nice long walk or bike ride can do wonders. Nothing like getting some blood pumping.

[dinopello]

A lot of good suggestions. I feel so relaxed when I'm playing around with my dogs. It makes me happy just thinking about it

Oh, and listening to music. Especially watching and listening someone play music. So wonderful.


Worrying is the worst. Stop worrying about stuff that hasn;t happened yet. Either do something or whats the point in worrying ? Easier said, I know. Do as I say, not as I do.

[coyote]

For me there's one stress reliever that beats all others: spending time outdoors, in the wild. Once I get away from the mass of fellow humans, breathe the fresh air and notice the surroundings, however humble... the stress begins to fall away, the small problems are put into their place, and the joy of being alive comes into sharper focus. And a glimpse of rare wildlife, a unique rock, the unexpected waterfall, the odd head-tilting conversations with lizards, are just icing. I go out with no expectations, and so I'm always struck by what I find. The longer I stay out there, the better and longer-lasting the recovery. Every so often I just have to go clean out in the desert for a weekend, or more if I can manage it. Does wonders. Should be a requirement for any program of therapy.

[Chris25]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('coyote', 'F')or me there's one stress reliever that beats all others: spending time outdoors, in the wild. Once I get away from the mass of fellow humans, breathe the fresh air and notice the surroundings, however humble... the stress begins to fall away, the small problems are put into their place, and the joy of being alive comes into sharper focus. And a glimpse of rare wildlife, a unique rock, the unexpected waterfall, the odd head-tilting conversations with lizards, are just icing. I go out with no expectations, and so I'm always struck by what I find. The longer I stay out there, the better and longer-lasting the recovery. Every so often I just have to go clean out in the desert for a weekend, or more if I can manage it. Does wonders. Should be a requirement for any program of therapy.

[Heineken]

This will sound very odd, but the greatest stress reliever I know is walking on my hands. I taught myself this skill while a teenager and have kept it up for 35 years. I get a tremendous endorphin high when I do this upside-down, physically demanding activity.

See, Heineken is even weirder than you suspected.

[RonMN]

Playing the piano...Being outdoors...etc., is what I call "Brain Food". For me it's fishing, or reading, or many other things I like.

If you recognise that you are stressed...you need to take some "me time" and give yourself some "brain food". Just giving your dog a big hug can do the trick.

[dinopello]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Heineken', 'S')ee, Heineken is even weirder than you suspected.

[Heineken]

The great outdoors isn't quite as relaxing when you practically live in it. For me, it's a source of endless work.

Still, I wouldn't be anyplace else.

Has anyone mentioned yoga? It's a fantastic stress-killer.

Yoga is particularly suitable for an environment like Manhattan, since it uses very little space and almost no equipment.

[Heineken]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('dinopello', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Heineken', 'S')ee, Heineken is even weirder than you suspected.

[HorneyGeekBoi]

I can imagine it, you are impoverished and without food. Your lucky enough to have a woman who is safe, trustworthy and uninfected. You realise that those latex condoms, made from oil are no longer available, or are prohibitively expensive. You realise the pill, made from petrolium distillates, are no longer affordable. You are stressed, so you decide to have sex anyway... She gets pregnant, and not only do you have to worry about being hungry yourself, but you have to worry about your new child not starving to death. Infact, without the medicines, expertise (surgeons, midwifes, doctors), and equipment, giving birth may quite possibly kill the woman, it doesnt seem that much of an enjoyable thing to go through anyway... These things will come at a premium... if available at all... Yes, sex may releive stress for a couple minutes, but then the resulting 18 years from them will make you wish you never did it. The last thing you want in peak oil is to be forced to take care of some offspring and your partner for the forseeable future, given that the economy is going kaput, and you dont know where your next meal is coming from...

Personally, I think stress levels will actually decrease. Thats right, decrease, because the people who survive well will survive mostly in communities. And the exposure to other people, will function as stress releif. You will feel better by doing things for your neighbours, and engaging in bartering and trade and mutually helping each other out. Today we are stressed, because we work for faceless corporations, doing things we hate, completely removed from nature or other people, and then we come home, and moost of the time there is no community. Perhaps a few friends, and family, but even these days, we arent even that close to those who are important, mostly due to life... When communities and extended families come back into it, I expect society to be very different, and there will not be so much stress, the way we think of it today...

[Ferretlover]

IMHO, stress is equal to a loss of the control over one's environment.
To lessen stress, do something over which you have control.

A couple of weeks ago, I had been trying to get up to date on the forums here and spent many hours reading. It was not a wise decision. There are too many things to do to be prepared.
I made a tequila sunrise, nuked some popcorn, and started watching 1950s black and white sci-fi movies. There's nothing like watching some shapeshifting, multi-eyed aliens with rayguns attempting to possess the bodies of us humans!!
Worked like a charm! *giggle*

At other times, I inventory what we have to determine what we are going to need; or, I go to my sewing room and make more quilt blocks. Creating something over which the decisions are entirely mine is quite satisfying.

Enjoying the outdoors is not an option at this time because all I see is how vulnerable our property is to the future zombie hordes.

[WildRose]

Handwalking, eh? Sounds cool! My brothers and their friends and I (in our early 20's) were known to join hands in the malls and walk in a funny kind of straight up-and-down skipping motion, and the reaction we got was similar to the one you described while handwalking. It was just fun. My husband used to disappear to the other side of the mall until we decided to act normally again.

Lots of good suggestions for stress in this thread. I find listening to music, singing and dancing great for stress. Also, exercise. Long walks with my dog. Swimming (just plain boring lengths) is a great relaxer, mentally and physically. I find I can get to place mentally where it just seems there is no end to the pool and my effort seems effortless. Making time for fun really helps to zap stress, whether I see a funny movie with friends or take my kids on an outing. Particularly peaceful are the trips out fishing with my husband and kids.

Of course, those methods are fine for coping with common, everyday stress from modern woes. When I think of times I've had to deal with severe stress, however, I've had to dig a little deeper into my own reserves of strength to get through. Thinking about a problem logically, weighing the pros and cons of possible actions to deal with the stress, reaching out to good friends to vent or bare one' s soul, and repeating to myself that the problem will pass, tomorrow will be a better day, etc., all have been helpful. It's hard to remain determined to see things through in times of severe stress, but I have learned that from watching a few key people in my life when they have been in really trying times.

[billp]

Morales and Payne have been under stress for 15 years.

How about a threat from a crooked judge for a sanction of $10,000 for each of us received today.

Fortunately our criminal complaints affidavit reached Kirtland AFB commander Col Feehan on August 1, 2007.

Working together helps manage some stress. Very accurate records posted on Interent also helps.

Our opposition is extremely dangerous. We explain to former president Carter.

Let's all hope for peaceful settlement before matters get FAR WORSE.

Now it's time for a cold one.

[Heineken]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('WildRose', 'H')andwalking, eh? Sounds cool! My brothers and their friends and I (in our early 20's) were known to join hands in the malls and walk in a funny kind of straight up-and-down skipping motion, and the reaction we got was similar to the one you described while handwalking. It was just fun. My husband used to disappear to the other side of the mall until we decided to act normally again.

[TheDude]

This is a cool thread. It should be duplicated over in PFTF.

Which Peanuts character was going Thoreau? Lucy, maybe? Did she bust Charlie in the chops in the last panel?

[Gerontion]

I cook. I always find that being alone in the kitchen for an hour or two will alleviate even the worst tension and stress. I think it’s because, for me, cooking is a flow experience. When I’m busy cooking I often lose my sense of self and become overwhelmingly involved in the action, entering a kind of semi-meditative state. And then there is also the extraordinary reward of providing food for others. The downside is the daily work out trying to keep that spare tire around my waste deflated! But then this too is often immensely rewarding in its mental - as well as physical - payoff.

[Heineken]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('TheDude', 'T')his is a cool thread. It should be duplicated over in PFTF.

Which Peanuts character was going Thoreau? Lucy, maybe? Did she bust Charlie in the chops in the last panel?

[Heineken]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Gerontion', 'I') cook. I always find that being alone in the kitchen for an hour or two will alleviate even the worst tension and stress. I think it’s because, for me, cooking is a flow experience. When I’m busy cooking I often lose my sense of self and become overwhelmingly involved in the action, entering a kind of semi-meditative state. And then there is also the extraordinary reward of providing food for others. The downside is the daily work out trying to keep that spare tire around my waste deflated! But then this too is often immensely rewarding in its mental - as well as physical - payoff.

[bshirt]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Heineken', '
')Being lonely can indeed be stressful, but as I look back on my life, bad relationships with people were the most stressful experiences I endured. By far.

People can mess you up but good.

One of my dad's sayings was, "There are worse things than being alone."