How do you relax?

• mindfulness meditation (youtube it)
• get enough sleep
• cut down on caffeine and alcohol
• if you smoke, cut down till you quit
• sex, masturbation
• take a long walk on a beautiful day
• go out with friends and family that make you laugh, and you can talk to and get your problems off your chest (cheaper and more fun than a therapist)
• remember that bad things happen and will continue to happen, but you're still alive and breathing. you've gotten jobs before and will do it again. hell, you might get a better job. and you can always go back to school when your ready. the road to success is paved with fuck ups and failure. forget the past, because in the long run no one will remember your mistakes, not even you. and no matter how old you are or how much time goes by, it's never too late to change the road you're on.

good luck :)

I watch episodes of my favorite tv show. I find the familiar to be very soothing and since I have all the episodes memorized, it relaxes me a lot. Friends help a lot too.

Crocheting. It's one of the best relaxers out there. I like to find a pattern that doesn't require a lot of counting and just let my hands work. It quiets the soul and the mind. Also tea. Making and preparing tea for myself is very soothing.

Gardening. This year I've rapidly expanded my houseplant collection and I'm starting an outdoor patio garden (if the weather ever warms up, grr). There is something very zen about gardening that makes everything less stressful.

ASMR videos on youtube. Literally the only thing that helped me relax when I had terrible anxiety.

as someone in recovery, i used to just get high. i dont recommend it to anyone who isnt in top mental/emotional condition, the magic wears off quickly and it soon becomes more like maintainance.

When I have some anxiety, the physiological symptoms are like having a bumble ball in my chest (yeah remember those? My RES link button doesn't work, I'll post a pic at the bottom). Sometimes it's really helpful to visualise what you're feeling and then flip it. So for my anxiety bumble ball, I just imagine grabbing onto it really tight, shutting it off, and throwing it out the god damn window.

What does your guys' anxiety look like and how can you 'turn it off'?

Here's a bumble ball: http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lgjgzw1VQO1qgy8gio1_400.jpg

Booooooooooze!!!!

I'm in almost the same situation. Been working at same place for 4 years, new manager cut my hours to nothing. (I'm trying to see the positive light in knowing I can still write on an application "still with company" instead of having gaps. Personal life is a little stressful among other things. To help feel less stressed I play chess, exercise and read( I do socialize every Friday night). I feel like I might as well get smarter and hotter while looking for a better job with more opportunities, it was a dead end retail job.

I'e had anxiety issues for as long as I can remember. Same kind of unrealistic visions have played through my head since I was about 6, laying in bed trying to go to sleep. I read, a lot. I put myself into the stories, either in place of one of the characters or just in that world. I listen to music, sing, usually to something upbeat. Pets help. I've had rats for a few years now, love them to death and they're really low maintenance. I have three awesome cats who play with me. Friends and family, unless my anxiety has gotten so bad that it's become crippling, being around certain people helps keep the lesser anxiety at bay.

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Yoga, yoga, and more yoga.

My university offers free classes for students, and I've memorized the routines so I can do them at home. Whenever I get upset, I stretch. It calms my body and my mind.

I live in a purple haze. I know I need a better solution but it works for now. If there are any breastfeeding moms in the group, nursing will calm you and strengthen the bond. Even if you feel like you don't want to be touched one more damned second, nursing will fix it.