# Any sucessful stress management advice? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 27, 2000, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-sucessful-stress-management-advice/15253 "2000-03-27T19:04:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SwimmingRiddles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@SwimmingRiddles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SwimmingRiddles)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2000, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-sucessful-stress-management-advice/15253/1 "2000-03-28T06:50:00Z")
Hey, kids. I have a problem. Remember when I excitedly posted that I found a new apartment? I move this Saturday. Oy. I have some stuff boxed, but not nearly enough. On top of that, my stupid professors decided to assign huge projects in all three classes I am taking due the week after spring break. I have been packing all week, and have had no time to work on them. I am screwed. I have written two of the three professors asking for an extention, which I may get from both. (maybe.) I have been waking up constistantly at 5:00 with anxiety for the past week. I am starting to get sick, I can feel it. Work is increadibly intense this week. I honestly think I am going to fall asleep right here at my desk. I realised 1/2 hour ago I schedualed a make-up exam in my stats class for today right before class. I completely forgot about it. I am having issues with my stomach. Piercing pain. Can a 20 year old get an ulser? I don’t eat meat, so that would make me think it is unlikely, and that I am just internalizing stress. Any suggestions from anyone on how to deal with all this stress? Anyone feel like visiting Vermont and packing all my stuff for me? Anyone want to do my homework? I think I’ll go home early. Screw work. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2000, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-sucessful-stress-management-advice/15253/2 "2000-03-27T19:04:00Z")
Poor Swimming—20-year-olds can indeed get ulcers. I’m surprised ALL 20-year-olds don’t have 'em. Do you know any breathing or relaxation exercises? Maybe a hot bath? Or a long, brisk walk before bedtime? Or you could take the route most of MY college friends did—drink and drug yourself into a stupor, then wake up when you’re 35 and go, “hey, what happened?” ---
**Author:** ![ChiefScott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58f4c7/32.png) [@ChiefScott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChiefScott)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2000, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-sucessful-stress-management-advice/15253/3 "2000-03-27T19:05:00Z")
Don’t screw work. Screw your SO. Works every time. * * * Voted **Best Sport** And narrowly averted the despised moniker **Smiley Master** Forward deployed until 18AUG00 ---
**Author:** ![SwimmingRiddles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@SwimmingRiddles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SwimmingRiddles)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2000, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-sucessful-stress-management-advice/15253/4 "2000-03-27T19:13:00Z")
oooh, Eve, I would love a hot bath. Unfortunately, the crappy apartment I am in how doesn’t have a large enough hot-water tank. (reason #345 I am leaving…) But the walk is a great idea. I think I’ll do that. Trust me, Chief, I would. But I don’t have one at the moment, which I think is actually a good thing. The poor dear would have fled for the hills in the state I am in now. ---
**Author:** ![SqrlCub](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SqrlCub](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SqrlCub)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2000, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-sucessful-stress-management-advice/15253/5 "2000-03-27T19:15:00Z")
Stress management: Technique 1: take a watergun or spritzer bottle and spray those who annoy you. Warning \* may get you in trouble, but it is usually worth it. Technique 2: Get one of those talking GI Joes to hear it say, “Attack the Cobra Tank at the Battle Station.” That is what I say to my cat when he is in attack mode. Technique 3: Put everything off until the absolute last minute by playing games like hide and go seek (we did this in college) or Uno (also in college) then get all your friends and their vehicles to move you in about 2 hours. 🙂 That one worked several times. Warning \* this one may cause you to help them in a similar situation. HUGS! Sqrl ## PS. I hope you like your new place. [SqrlCub’s Arizona Adventure](http://boards.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum4/HTML/005351.html) ---
**Author:** ![Sylence](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b19c9b/32.png) [@Sylence](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sylence)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2000, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-sucessful-stress-management-advice/15253/6 "2000-03-27T19:39:00Z")
Bomb threats work great. Why should you be the only one stressed out? – Sylence * * * “Excuse me, are you reading Torah and eating crayons?” ---
**Author:** ![Milossarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Milossarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Milossarian)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2000, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-sucessful-stress-management-advice/15253/7 "2000-03-27T19:46:00Z")
Eve’s right. I walk my dog a couple miles every night after work. (I work out of my home.) It helps you to unwind physically, and to ‘wind down your head’ as you think through and work out stuff during the walk - plans for later that evening or for the work or school day tomorrow, inner bitching about something that happened during the course of the day or someone you feel wronged you, etc. To help this mental undwinding process along, don’t wear a Walkman while you take these walks. On days I’m unable or unwilling to go on these walks, I really notice it in my demeanor. Not to mention my dog gives me ‘that look.’ * * * “Nothing is so firmly believed as what is least known” - Michel Gyquem de Montaigne ---
**Author:** ![ChiefScott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58f4c7/32.png) [@ChiefScott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChiefScott)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2000, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-sucessful-stress-management-advice/15253/8 "2000-03-27T19:56:00Z")
Says Milo: > [@](#): > > Not to mention my dog gives me ‘that look.’ ## Dogs can not be SOs. Voted **Best Sport** And narrowly averted the despised moniker **Smiley Master** Forward deployed until 18AUG00 ---
**Author:** ![Demo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/demo/32/8472_2.png) [@Demo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Demo)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2000, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-sucessful-stress-management-advice/15253/9 "2000-03-27T20:51:00Z")
Go to the pet store and look at the fishies. I would say to get a fish tank but, as you are moving soon, that might add to the stress. Watching fish can relax me anytime. * * * Whether you’re fat or slim bubble your ting. Fellas if you need help, use ginseng. –Wyclef Jean ---
**Author:** ![Dirty\_Devil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Dirty\_Devil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dirty_Devil)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2000, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-sucessful-stress-management-advice/15253/10 "2000-03-27T21:38:00Z")
Speedballs. Works everytime. ---
**Author:** ![David](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@David](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2000, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-sucessful-stress-management-advice/15253/11 "2000-03-28T00:27:00Z")
Take a walk and then read some books by Hugh Prather, preferably Notes to Myself. Also, if you have a friend who is somewhat organized and togehter get them to help you make a schedule of what to do and when to do it. A friend of mine helped me do this one semester when I was about to lose it. ( I had been sitting in a sandwhich shop for two hours, staring out the window, too afraid to move because I had so much to do.) Good luck! ---
**Author:** ![David](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@David](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2000, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-sucessful-stress-management-advice/15253/12 "2000-03-28T00:28:00Z")
Take a walk and then read some books by Hugh Prather, preferably Notes to Myself. Also, if you have a friend who is somewhat organized and together get them to help you make a schedule of what to do and when to do it. A friend of mine helped me do this one semester when I was about to lose it. ( I had been sitting in a sandwhich shop for two hours, staring out the window, too afraid to move because I had so much to do.) Good luck! ---
**Author:** ![techchick68](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ea5d25/32.png) [@techchick68](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/techchick68)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2000, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-sucessful-stress-management-advice/15253/13 "2000-03-28T00:36:00Z")
SR, Do you have any relaxing music…something that you can kick back on the couch for 30 minutes to and just wind down? I realize that taking 30 minutes of your time may be a hard thing to work with, but if you do it, the time that you use to decompress will give you a lot of energy for tasks that are seemingly overbearing. Also, “baby” yourself for now. Take your books and go to a restaurant. I know this sounds like a stress/antistress thing, but if you can study a little while having your meal handed to you it can do wonders. Take a bath with candles in the room, boom box with mellow music. Read something other than school or work related before you go to bed, it works wonders. I hope some of those help you out, I hate that feeling and well, those are some of the things I do to decompress. ---
**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2000, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-sucessful-stress-management-advice/15253/14 "2000-03-28T03:32:00Z")
Buy yourself a bottle of bubble solution, sit in the hall or outside and blow bubbles. Make sure you have a couple of extra bottles in case someone else wants to join in. ---
**Author:** ![SouthernXYL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a698b9/32.png) [@SouthernXYL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SouthernXYL)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2000, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-sucessful-stress-management-advice/15253/15 "2000-03-28T03:45:00Z")
Riddles, you’re in the soup right now. Overscheduling is something 20-year-olds do, due to lack of experience. You’re still finding out what your limitations are. Figure out what you have GOT to do, and let go of the rest, or absolutely none of it will get done because you will be in the bed with a bleeding ulcer. Ultimately, the clock will tick, and the calendar pages will turn, and all this mess will be behind you. We’ve probably all been there. I know I have. Grit your teeth and get through it. Word for the day: This too will pass. Here’s a practical suggestion for the tummy: Be careful what you put into it. If your stomach hurts after you eat or drink a particular thing, cut that out for now. With me, it was salad. Also, after you eat, sit still for at least 20 minutes; don’t get up for anything. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2000, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-sucessful-stress-management-advice/15253/16 "2000-03-28T03:53:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by Dirty Devil: > **Speedballs. Works everytime.** Yeah, right. Always, somebody has to try to get you to use drugs. The solution for everything. Gimme a freakin’ break. I was gonna suggest pot. 😃 Peace, mangeorge * * * I only know two things; I know what I need to know And I know what I want to know Mangeorge, 2000 ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2000, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-sucessful-stress-management-advice/15253/17 "2000-03-28T04:10:00Z")
Nice cup of herbal tea and some of your favorite music. Sit there and do nothing for the length of the cd. Or you could just drop out of school, quit your job and go on unemployment. ---
**Author:** ![TVeblen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@TVeblen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVeblen)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2000, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-sucessful-stress-management-advice/15253/18 "2000-03-28T04:40:00Z")
In clinical terms, you’re livin’ thru a real pisser right now. (Hey, it depends on the clinics you go to.) Yep, you’re an overscheduled 20 yr. old. I can tell what NOT to do: don’t go the drug/sedative route. The damned stupidest thing I ever did was start smoking during grad school overload (2 jobs, a killer academic load and a lab that ate up hours). Yeah, it helped me sleep but put a vicious monkey on back that FAR outlasted that stress interlude. Learn how to handle stress now; take a walk, move the bod. Getting _outside_, away from all the stress cues helps immensely. It gets you out of the “stress arena” and gets the muscles and blood pumping smoothly. It’s a reality check and a soother. Remember: this is temporary! Most of what you’re worrying about won’t happen anyway and your options for effecting the outcome are limited. In other words, quit slamming your head against the wall. Take what prudent precautions you can, then let it slide. A rested mind will be a LOT more flexible in handling the inevitable weirdass curveballs life throws at ya. God, this sounds sanctimonious. But really, cut yourself huge slack. Do what you can, shrug off the rest and go enjoy the miracle of the day. Worry’s the killer; NONE of this will matter a hearty whoop in hell for very long. It’s all mental–really. A crisis is usually nothing more than a logistical challenge mutated into a clusterfuck. Do what you can, then blow it off. If you ASSUME life will be messy then it becomes fascinating rather than a neurotic delusion that you’ll ever make it neat. ::grumble, mutter, mumble:: Pompous but RIGHT, Veb ---
**Author:** ![Zyada](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zyada/32/3028_2.png) [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2000, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-sucessful-stress-management-advice/15253/19 "2000-03-28T05:06:00Z")
OK, time for me to nitpick. Stress does not cause ulcers. Ulcers are caused by a bacteria. (H. Pylori, IIRC) Stress will cause your digestive system to not work correctly, causing heartburn and other nasty things to happen down the line, so to speak. Stress will also make your BP go up and make you more susceptible to disease. Stress relievers: Exercise, sex (including auto-eroticism 😉 ), breathing deeply (a good quickie is to take three deep breaths from the stomach as deep as possible, letting them out as slowly as possible), visualization (it’s cliche, but taking a moment to remember an especially comforting or joyful time and place in your life) Here’s a movement/visualization that works well. Lift your arms up and out to the sides till they are overhead, then lower them back to your side. (You’re hands should draw a half cirle on either side of your body) As you are lifting, breathe in. Release the breath as you lower your arms. As you are lifting and breathing in, visualize energy flowing from the ground through your feet and throughout your body. As you lower your arms, visualize stress and other negative emotions flowing out of your body. (I visualize energy as light or as tingling) Good luck on everything! * * * …in a state so nonintuitive it can only be called weird… ---
**Author:** ![Pooch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/dbc845/32.png) [@Pooch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pooch)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2000, 8:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-sucessful-stress-management-advice/15253/20 "2000-03-28T08:43:00Z")
If you’ve got the money, splurge for a really good massage. An hour or more with a pro–without any thoughts of reciprocation–will do the trick. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-sucessful-stress-management-advice/15253.md?page=2)