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Permalink Reply by Trish on December 7, 2010 at 9:36am

I have anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder and OCD that comes along as a result fo the first two things, lol. It's really hard because I have dealt with it my whole life. I stopped taking antidepressants when I was 18 because I didnt like the feelings that you described; numbness, zombie-like and just not myself. A couple of doctors diagnosed me with depression in my teen years but I think that was just the way I was feeling in my teen years and even though I have bad days every now and then, I'm very happy with my life now. :)

To deal with stress I have a number of hobbies that keep my hands busy. I have found that if I keep my hands busy then my mind stays busy and doesnt seem to worry as much. So when I have some extra time from school, my daughter, my husband and housework I-
hoop (of course!)
make fimo/oven-bake clay beads
Make hemp jewelry
Knit
Sew some clothes
Read/Write
or sometimes I just lay in bed with my iPod and hide from the world with my music for awhile.
I also find relaxing with a cup of warm herbal tea in the winter is very nice.

I hope you find something to help you relax before your exams. Study, clear your mind, meditate, breath, and you'll do wonderful!

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Permalink Reply by Umbrella on December 7, 2010 at 9:42am

haha HOOP of course! whew shoulda saw that one coming. :P totally kidding... of course i did it's pretty much the only solution i have thus far.
Thankyou for the encouragement.
Sewing and and knitting is definitely something I wish I knew more of. Calming, yet you get awesome stuff out of it. Win.

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Permalink Reply by Trish on December 7, 2010 at 1:47pm

Hooping is the biggest thing that has helped me so far. It has worked so much better then any medication I have ever taken! : )

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Permalink Reply by Lindsey Rae on December 7, 2010 at 10:32am

Thank you for having the courage to speak up Brella- Anxiety is so challenging and terrifying at times! I have had to deal with it too… Its gets better.

I found that there are 2 approaches to dealing with anxiety, short term and long term. First, I recommend finding something that helps you in the moment. Whether its slow controlled breathing to calm yourself down, or counting. Whatever works for you to bring the anxiety level down in the moment. Practice this a lot :)

The long term is to look at why
What has helped me…
Breathing in peace & calm, breathing out anxiety and stress.
Breathing in strength & stability, breathing out anxiety and stress.
Breathing in courage & light, breathing out anxiety and stress.

Don't forget to hoop it out <3

Good luck and lots of love XOXOXO

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Permalink Reply by Umbrella on December 7, 2010 at 11:05am

Thanks for your reply!

Breathing really is a wonder, it's just remembering to get in the habit of breathing, and also that initial tension when you start. "Is this working? It isn't working? Come on, work work work. Pleaseeeee, okay it's working." Sometimes I give up before it can actually take any effect. Feels like I should be up doing something, not being proactive enough, which of course is silly, but the feeling is still there.

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Permalink Reply by GlowBunny on December 7, 2010 at 10:41am

Besides hooping (like most of us here) but I play video games...or read...both immerse me into another world and I forget about the one I am currently living in.

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Permalink Reply by Trish on December 7, 2010 at 1:48pm

YES! Playing video games is another big thing for me and I play a lot. It gives me a nice break from everyday life.

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Permalink Reply by Umbrella on December 7, 2010 at 2:10pm

Yeah I'm a total gamer. Fanatical.
But with school stress I find myself being guilty for playing with the vids when i could be studying... or stressing... haha

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Permalink Reply by Trish on December 7, 2010 at 2:36pm

I feel the same way right now. I'm planning on playing a lot when I get my winter break in a few weeks. Final Fantasy 7 and WoW, hot chocolate and no studying....yessssssss

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Permalink Reply by Umbrella on December 7, 2010 at 5:16pm

FF7 is AWESOME. do it.
I'm a huge nintendo fan, so i plan on playing konkers bad fur day over the break. Also maybe like... soul caliber.

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TeacherPermalink Reply by Lyssamarie on December 7, 2010 at 11:19am

i have panic attacks and anxiety on a regular basis but i noticed its gotten a lot better since i started hooping the more i hoop the less stress i have and the less stress i have the less anxiety i have. i deal with my anxiety with meditation and tension tamer tea. i try to look for natural things since when i was put on something it made me worse!

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Permalink Reply by Umbrella on December 7, 2010 at 11:51am

Yeah I'm trying for the natural route too! In my opinion prescription medications are great when they work, and I hold respect for them, but when they don't... they really don't! It can sometimes be worse for you to be on a medication that's not effective in it's treatment, especially when dealing with brain chemistry and all.

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