Dealing with Stress & Negative Feelings

In summary, to get rid of stress and other negative feelings, one individual plays drums until their arms fall off, while another writes, plays guitar, listens to depressing music, watches a movie, or draws. Another individual finds stress relief in physical activities such as running, rafting, mountain climbing, or engaging in a near-death experience like jumping with a parachute. Others engage in calming activities like meditation, playing video games, or pampering themselves. Some also find release through physical exertion or transfer their stress to others through nagging. In general, finding something to concentrate on and focusing on the present can help alleviate negative feelings.
  • #1
Lisa!
Gold Member
649
98
So what do you do to get rid of stress and other negative feelings?
 
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  • #2
Anger/stress/insomnia: play drums until my arms fall off

depressed: write, play guitar, listen to depressing music, watch a movie, draw

you didn't answer your own question!
 
  • #3
Run

run

run

That or drugs.No! just running.
 
  • #4
damnit, i m just going through those feelings, what should i do??
 
  • #5
I used to go out and shoot things. Now, my medication takes care of it (along with ridiculously huge amounts of beer).
 
  • #6
Well I listen to copious amounts of happy hardcore music on di.fm and I try to tackle some kind of a new certification or additional education here and there, but overall I think the stress is easy to reduce if you change your lifestyle - become physically active, eat well balanced meals, don't eat at night, don't drink alcohol in excess, have various friends and dates and take up a hobby that you really like, maybe buy a telescope and go out at night or get a fishing rod and go fishing sometime.

But like everyone said, if that doesn't work, drugs :biggrin: (and I'm not joking) - haven't needed that yet though, but I know it works for some.

oh and then there's also rafting, mounting climbing and any other near death experience to get your juices flowing (ever jumped with a parachute?), and most popular activity - sex
 
  • #7
Do something and really concentrate on what you're doing. This cuts out your mind's forays into peripheral worries and gives them a rest. This is what most forms of Meditiation are essentially about.
 
  • #8
Cliche as it sounds, eat well and get exercise. Eating a good variety of non-junk foods should help ensure you get all the nutrients your mind needs to run well. In the short term, exercise releases chemicals that help lift your mood throughout the day. In the long term it helps stimulate neuron growth, which is thought by some to be the same mechanism by which SSRIs are effective at helping to improve mood. Once you have this basis down then you can worry about more specific strategies like the kind zoobie and moe mentioned.
 
  • #9
I can usually go in one of two directions with stress relief activities. One is to find something very active to do...build something, tear something down, wash the car, bake 6 dozen cookies, something like that. That works when the stress is something that's on the level of aggravation/frustration and I need to take that frustration out on something before I take it out on someone. At the other end of the spectrum, when I'm just overworked on a mental level and tired and just can't get myself to focus anymore because I'm overwhelmed with so many things on my mind, I need to do something calming and restful to get back on track. Then it's something like a hot bubblebath with scented candles, read a trash novel that requires no thought to follow the plot line (if it even has a plot line), cook myself a fancy meal, have a glass of wine, get to bed early, and generally just not do any work for a night to pamper myself so that I can start over fresh the next day.

Which one works best just depends on the type of stress.
 
  • #10
What Moonbear said reminded me of the game I used to enjoy, called Kudos ( http://www.positech.co.uk/kudos/index.html ) - I recommend you find a full version through bittorrent somewhere (yeah I endorse that). Basically its a life simulator, but its a pretty good way to see yourself in real life being entangled with the grand scheme of things. Its like that book 7 Habits of Highly Effective People where by changing the way you see things, and sort of changing the angle at which you see the world through the lens of perception you have a different attitude towards it. Well, at least that's in theory.
 
  • #11
Playing video games works really well for me, but then I get mad at the game.

I'm a perfectionist at games, so if the controls are slightly off, I get mad.
 
  • #12
JasonRox said:
Playing video games works really well for me, but then I get mad at the game.

I'm a perfectionist at games, so if the controls are slightly off, I get mad.

yea i have a stupid habit of breaking my keyboard when controls are off:biggrin::biggrin:
 
  • #13
cronxeh said:
and most popular activity - sex

Oh yeah, I forgot about that one. Unfortunately, so has my wife. :rolleyes:
 
  • #14
Thanks all of you!:smile:
moe darklight said:
depressed: , listen to depressing music,
It doesn't make you feel worse?:bugeye:

you didn't answer your own question!
Starting a thread at PF asking people what they do to get rid of negative feeling!:tongue:
Partly kidding, that depends on the situation and the cause! Anyway most of the time I get rid of negative feelings so quickly:smile:

Meditation, dancing, surfing the web, listening to my favorite songs, shooting the ball, breaking things down(Spanish psychologists recently discovered(?) that really works), nagging at beloved 1s (in a humorous way), transfering stress to someone else:devil:,...


ank_gl said:
damnit, i m just going through those feelings, what should i do??
Commiting a suicide?:tongue2:
(I was joking! But you know when people think of death and suicide, they might value the life more:smile:)

cronxeh said:
oh and then there's also rafting, mounting climbing and any other near death experience to get your juices flowing (ever jumped with a parachute?), and most popular activity - sex
:rofl:
Whenever a woman is feeling down, it's either because of lack of sex or PMS/T! Not to mention that women go nuts during period due to lack of sex!:uhh::tongue2:

zoobyshoe said:
Do something and really concentrate on what you're doing. This cuts out your mind's forays into peripheral worries and gives them a rest. This is what most forms of Meditiation are essentially about.
Good advice!:smile: I take a deep breath, ensure myself that I can manage this 1(task, interview, exam,...) like the past and there's nothging to worry about and then I foxuc on what I'm doing!
 
  • #15
Lisa! said:
Commiting a suicide?:tongue2:
(I was joking! But you know when people think of death and suicide, they might value the life more:smile:)

:tongue2::tongue2:hehe, now i value life more:biggrin::biggrin:
 
  • #16
JasonRox said:
Playing video games works really well for me, but then I get mad at the game.
I'm not judging here, it's only been my personal experience that I have never felt so wretched as I have after playing a video game for more than an hour or so.

This has only happened a couple of times, and I have purposely never owned a gaming set, ever. Again, not a judgment, it's just not the right thing for some people.
 
  • #17
Chi Meson said:
I'm not judging here, it's only been my personal experience that I have never felt so wretched as I have after playing a video game for more than an hour or so.

This has only happened a couple of times, and I have purposely never owned a gaming set, ever. Again, not a judgment, it's just not the right thing for some people.

I don't feel that bad. The idea is that you forget about everything going on and focus on the game.

I actually don't own any systems. It's a family system and it's a Playstation One. The old machine.

Great times too!
 

What are the common symptoms of stress?

The most common symptoms of stress include headache, muscle tension, rapid heart rate, irritability, difficulty concentrating, and changes in appetite or sleep patterns.

What can I do to manage stress?

Some effective ways to manage stress include practicing relaxation techniques, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, setting realistic goals, and seeking support from friends and family.

How can I cope with negative emotions?

To cope with negative emotions, it is important to acknowledge and accept them, identify the root cause, and find healthy ways to express and release them, such as through journaling or talking to a therapist.

What are some healthy ways to deal with stress?

Some healthy ways to deal with stress include regular exercise, getting enough sleep, practicing mindfulness and self-care, and finding enjoyable activities to do.

When should I seek professional help for stress and negative feelings?

If stress and negative feelings are significantly impacting your daily life and you are having difficulty managing them on your own, it may be time to seek professional help from a therapist or counselor.

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