Ways I can prevent stress – how I’m doing so now:
- Sleep – try to get 8 hours a night, take meds to help sleep soundly, take them early enough to help fall asleep on time
- Dance – ballroom dance class
- Sing – use iPod while doing chores (need new headphones)
- Enjoy nature – Putah Creek
- Get a massage – massage chair (need to set it up for easy use in the den)
- Listen to music (especially soothing instrumental stuff)
- Cuddle with the cats
- Exercise
- Eat healthy foods – reduced the sugars & carbs in my diet, adding whole grains & more fruit
Ways I deal with stress (usually to prevent/avoid an anxiety attack) – negative side:
- Picking at things – probably bad for my skin & clothes/blankets, annoying to my cats
- Read – makes it hard to get anything else done
- Surf the web for art & download it
- Organize something – it’s hard to stop before I’m finished even if I’m exhausted.
- Sleep – makes it hard to get anything else done
- Cuddle with the cats
- Eat, especially carby foods or sweets (bread, pizza, ice cream) – bad for my health & waistline so I try to avoid this as much as possible by not having the most tempting comfort foods in the house
- Enjoy nature
I’ll add more as I think of them.
Dealing with me when I’m stressed:
- Don’t make me think. Most questions will be answered with “I don’t know” or “I don’t care.” and it’s also usually better to be quiet or talk about something simple/unimportant that I can ignore if comprehension is too difficult.
- Expect that I will take everything you say literally and seriously unless PLAINLY untrue. Example: Saying the moon is made of cheese I won’t believe, saying you hate pizza (even though I should remember it’s your favorite food) I will believe. I will not get teasing or sarcasm if it requires thinking or memory. My reactions to what you say will be based on taking you literally and seriously, even if that is incorrect. If you don’t want bad reactions, watch what you say. If that’s too hard, don’t say anything.
- Things that normally I don’t even notice will bother me. Sounds, sensations, etc. If I’m feeling especially fussy, I’ll want you to go away so that I don’t snap at you for something that’s not your fault. I’m not rejecting you, I’m protecting you from me.
I am the same way! I’ve been reading your blog all morning and thinking “OMG, we are similar in our ways”
Like, when my daughter asked me who God was, I decided to take her to church – but do I go – oh no, much to forced religion for me. I would sit in her Sabbath school class and do arts and crafts for the hour though before we’d leave to get a donut and take her to her dance class. I also suffer migraines, anxiety, depression, moodiness, and sciatic problems. Your blog is a great read, and I feel like I’m kind of catching up with you after 17 years.