What impact does a little stress have on you ?

[Basilico]

@Dechi , I'm sorry that you have so much anxiety in your life. It sounds like you are really trying to do everything you can to help yourself, and having a therapist who you feel good about is a great support!

What you describe reminds me of my grandmother, who is a habitual worrier - as I've listened to and observed her over the years, I've come to understand that she actively seeks out situations to worry about. Things that have absolutely no reason to concern her will keep her up all night...and when she runs out of things to worry about, she starts worrying FOR other people!

Do you have specific things you do on a regular basis to reduce stress; breathing, meditation, gentle yoga, coloring, etc...? I know these aren't cures, but having some kind of activity to shift to when you are feeling that you are not coping with stress might help (or not, I'm sure you have thought about this already). One thing that I find to be really relaxing is playing Tetris. I kind of zone out and just focus on figuring out where to put the shapes and then somehow my stress tends to melt away. Do you have go-to diversions like that?

 

[Dechi]

@Dechi , I'm sorry that you have so much anxiety in your life. It sounds like you are really trying to do everything you can to help yourself, and having a therapist who you feel good about is a great support!

What you describe reminds me of my grandmother, who is a habitual worrier - as I've listened to and observed her over the years, I've come to understand that she actively seeks out situations to worry about. Things that have absolutely no reason to concern her will keep her up all night...and when she runs out of things to worry about, she starts worrying FOR other people!

Do you have specific things you do on a regular basis to reduce stress; breathing, meditation, gentle yoga, coloring, etc...? I know these aren't cures, but having some kind of activity to shift to when you are feeling that you are not coping with stress might help (or not, I'm sure you have thought about this already). One thing that I find to be really relaxing is playing Tetris. I kind of zone out and just focus on figuring out where to put the shapes and then somehow my stress tends to melt away. Do you have go-to diversions like that?

Your grand-ma sounds like me ! I have a bit of OCD too, it surfaces when my anxiety rises. I do think about really crazy amd unlikely things and worry about them.

I like to play games on my tablet : mostly solitaire, chuzzle amd pinball sometimes. Tetris is in my top 5 favorite games, but they don't make it like they used to, or I haven't been able to find it. I have a speed version but it's much too stressful.

I also do mindful breathing when I go to bed. For a few minutes. I know I should do it 3-4 times a day but I always forget.

Thanks for the tips and the grand-ma story, it made me laugh when I needed it. Not a good day :-( Tomorrow will be better.

 

[Basilico]

I like to play games on my tablet : mostly solitaire, chuzzle amd pinball sometimes. Tetris is in my top 5 favorite games, but they don't make it like they used to, or I haven't been able to find it.

I like the original one, along with the old-school Nintendo controller (which for me is key). I have a Nintendo Wii which has a bunch of those old games, including Tetris, and the controller is the same as is originally was.

Do you like Dr. Mario by any chance? If you are a Tetris fan, I bet you'd love that game!

 

[Dechi]

@Basilico I don't know Dr Mario but I mastered the first original Mario game when it first came out a long time ago ! I have an old Nintendo game, can't remember the name, it was the second or third console.

I'm sure I would love Dr Mario ! Maybe I should buy myself a game. But I have to get my back better first, sitting is painful now.

 

[Basilico]

Dr. Mario is not related to the Mario Bros. series...it's a "Tetris-like" game that involves colors rather than shapes. I got my mother-in-law hooked on it (she plays it on her iPad). When you are able to sit and play, consider giving that game a try!

Do you listen to any podcasts when lying down? I find some of them are really good at taking my mind off of things when I'm anxious/upset. Ones like Car Talk, This American Life, Radiolab are really good (and free!)

 

[Dechi]

Dr. Mario is not related to the Mario Bros. series...it's a "Tetris-like" game that involves colors rather than shapes. I got my mother-in-law hooked on it (she plays it on her iPad). When you are able to sit and play, consider giving that game a try!

Do you listen to any podcasts when lying down? I find some of them are really good at taking my mind off of things when I'm anxious/upset. Ones like Car Talk, This American Life, Radiolab are really good (and free!)

I don't see Dr Mario in the App store. I'll look again.

I've never listened to any podcast. When I'm lying down, most of the time I try to sleep. But with my back now I might have to lie down more. I'll check them out, thanks !

 

[Basilico]

I don't see Dr Mario in the App store. I'll look again.

Do you have an Apple device? My MIL plays on her iPad. I'm not sure if it's available for other platforms.

 

[Dechi]

@Basilico yes, I have an ipad. I've been looking for it for 30 minutes. It's not in the app store and nowhere to be found. It looks like it's not available anymore :-(

 

[Basilico]

@Dechi - I figured out why you can't find it! On the iPad it's called "Pill Mania HD" instead of Dr. Mario, even though it's the same game.

 

[Dechi]

@Basilico Yes, I found Pill mania hd ! Thanks, I'll try it right now !

 

[Basilico]

Let me know if you have any questions about the rules (though I'm sure you can find those out easily online or in a little demo video).

It took my MIL a few games to get the hang of it, and now she's hooked. I hope you like it!!! (I won't take it personally if you don't!)

 

[Dechi]

@Basilico Right now I just don't understand how to match the colors to make the pills disappear. I'll check online but if you have any tips, I'm a taker !

 

[Basilico]

BTW, a recent conversation with my grandmother just came to mind and made me think of this thread.

So in the past years, she's always confiding in my that she's worried my younger cousin (who's in his mid 20s and still living at home with his parents) hasn't found a girlfriend after his last breakup a few years ago. And of course she's worried for him, that he's unhappy without a girlfriend (he hasn't said this, she's just assuming), she was so worried that he wouldn't find someone else, blah blah.

Well, he finally did meet a new girl, fell super in love, and they are inseparable and he's very happy. So now, my grandmother is super anxious because she's assuming that my cousin's mother will be upset if the two of them l decide to get married and he moves out of the house, because then my Aunt will be really lonely, and have such a hard time (again, assuming here, not based on anything anyone has ever said). Plus, ignoring the fact they all live in the same 3 family house along with this cousin's sister. So PLENTY of people living in the same house, no one is getting lonely any time soon.

So either my grandmother's all worked up about the POSSIBILITY that my cousin MIGHT be lonely, or she has to seek out some kind of scenario where someone could theoretically be lonely for her to worry about. This hypothetical future that my Aunt might be lonely if my cousin moves out is actually keeping her up at night!

 

[Basilico]

@Basilico Right now I just don't understand how to match the colors to make the pills disappear. I'll check online but if you have any tips, I'm a taker !

Ok, so you need to have 3 (or 4, now I don't remember) of the same color either horizontally or vertically to make a line that disappears.

You can move the pills to the right or left.

You can also flip the pills around to change which side the colors are on.

When a row disappears, the remaining colors fall down.

The point is to keep trying to get the remaining colors to disappear.

After you understand these basics, I will share some strategies for how to do it more efficiently.

 

[Dechi]

@Basilico that's very typical. I now have strategies that I learned with my therapist for those kind of thoughts. I need to revise them more frequently but they mostly work for stuff like that.But I find that even if I get rid of those thoughts, more anxiety rises from day to day living, which are harder to manage. These anxiety patterns are less obvious and they grab you before you even realise they even exist. And when you do realise, they're gone because they only last a few seconds.

For the pills, ok, I was trying 3 but it didin't always work, so I guess it's 4 !

 

[6666]

It's part of what makes us unsociable. We literally do not have the energy to carry stress.

Well said. This illness isolates us. There are a few people I can interact with w/o worsening of illness though.