This might be a pretty dumb question, considering relaxing is supposed to come naturally, but...
Without going into /too/ much detail, I'm a week or so into my senior year of high school, I was forced to stop therapy due to private reasons (none of which were my own--I feel like I NEED it to cope), and I'm CONSTANTLY overloaded with stress. Both in class, and at home. I can't sleep without going into a panic, I have physical symptoms 24/7, nightmares are frequent, I'm a hypochondriac, and I have severe anxiety/clinical depression. So far I have also not found a medicine I can take that works for me.
My former coping methods have...failed me to say the least, and only seem to stress me out more lately. I'm constantly in a state of stress, and I've had more than my fair share of breakdowns within the past couple of months.
...Essentially, what I'm asking is--how did you all learn to relax? How do you manage it when you're under stress everywhere you go? It seems almost impossible lately and any advice would be appreciated...
Have you tried meditation or toga? Personally I haven't but I've heard those are absolutely great for relaxing.. There's also relaxing drinks, oils, a ton of things you can do.. Reading, writing, coloring, jogging. I'm on buspar, it's working ok so far, it's strictly for anxiety so it wouldn't be helpful for depression.. But I also have severe health anxiety and it will actually make me have good days. (I'm only three weeks in so don't get me wrong, I still have some really bad days).. Is there a school counselor you could have weekly meetings with??
How do you relax or cope with it?, Well honestly I am not completly sure. It can be very difficult at times. I personally don't take any drugs, right now atleast, so I have to just distract myself before it happens, when I feel the anxiety coming on I quickly find something to occupy my brain, YouTube, friends, really anything. This can be a problem especially at night or when I am in a situation where I can do that. Well in that situation I kinda embrace I guess the anxiety and thoughts, I try to figure them out, not to the point where I will feel like I will cry or fall apart but just enough to well distract me with what I am try to distract myself from. I don't know it is something I sometimes do, it may not be completly healthy but it can get me through it. Hope that helps. I have not at all figured out all the tricks or even close to it. I just do, that is all... Do.
I used to listen to CDs at night when I couldn't switch off thunderstorms weird I no was just the sound of it and the rain made me feel relax