bionerd
New Member
To deal with stress I used to distract myself from reality with fictional characters, fandoms, and the like. I would often play out scenarios in my head involving my favorite fictional characters and their lives. I would spend a lot of time on the internet as well, another way to not face reality.
Now I'm a few years older and wiser. I'm aware that I have genetic mental illness- namely anxiety and depression- and that a lot of the time how I feel is not normal. But it's normal to me now, as I'm continually learning how to properly cope with it. While distractions seem like a good idea to get rid of the stress, in the long term it really doesn't help. I've learned that I have to recognize my negative feelings and confront them. I step away from electronics and other distractions. I find a quiet place, away from the stressful situation, and ground myself in my surroundings. I've found that being outdoors and in nature helps me relax the best- I can look around and remind myself that there's a bigger world out there, and my troubles are tiny compared to it.
There's no magic cure for anxiety and depression. You have to take it as it comes, and focus on trying to feel better in that moment. Live in the present. I'm figuring out what helps me and trying to keep moving forward with getting better. It's a process, a journey. Just start with grounding yourself. Breathe. Touch something. Calm down. Then, try some different things to ease your mind and find out what works best for you. It could be exercising, listening to music, drawing, sitting outside- something like that. Whatever makes you feel good, use that and adapt it to the situation.
Life really sucks sometimes, but you just gotta clear your mind and keep going til the next day.
Now I'm a few years older and wiser. I'm aware that I have genetic mental illness- namely anxiety and depression- and that a lot of the time how I feel is not normal. But it's normal to me now, as I'm continually learning how to properly cope with it. While distractions seem like a good idea to get rid of the stress, in the long term it really doesn't help. I've learned that I have to recognize my negative feelings and confront them. I step away from electronics and other distractions. I find a quiet place, away from the stressful situation, and ground myself in my surroundings. I've found that being outdoors and in nature helps me relax the best- I can look around and remind myself that there's a bigger world out there, and my troubles are tiny compared to it.
There's no magic cure for anxiety and depression. You have to take it as it comes, and focus on trying to feel better in that moment. Live in the present. I'm figuring out what helps me and trying to keep moving forward with getting better. It's a process, a journey. Just start with grounding yourself. Breathe. Touch something. Calm down. Then, try some different things to ease your mind and find out what works best for you. It could be exercising, listening to music, drawing, sitting outside- something like that. Whatever makes you feel good, use that and adapt it to the situation.
Life really sucks sometimes, but you just gotta clear your mind and keep going til the next day.