The pull of bad habits

I was talking to my therapist about some things that were stressing me out lately, and she asked what I was doing to cope with things. And I came up blank. I gave up alcohol, gave up caffeine, quit napping, started eating healthy foods, worked on removing pretty much all my unhealthy habits, and in their place I added nothing that provides the same level of immediate catharsis. I mean, exercise sortof does it, but I don’t always have the energy or pain tolerance for that. Does anyone have suggestions on stress relief activities that aren’t self destructive but still immediate, low-energy, and fairly passive activities?

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You could read. Or sign up for one of those international pen pal sites. As I recall, you are multi-lingual. Just off the top of my head.

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How about drawing, making music, or journaling?

Something that uses the creative part of your brain.

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I used to look at memes a lot, but now I play a game on my phone. I like the game, Its literally just mowing, it’s pretty chill.

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I’ve probably said this too many times already, but deep breathing really does work, at least for me anyway. Taking really deep breaths, letting it out slowly and becoming very aware of how your body feels are all very relaxing

By the time I have taken five breaths, I can feel the stress melting

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I read that vaping 0 nicotine is actually harmless or so I read… Only reason I still do it is stress and it’s harmless

@Ninjastar

Take a cold shower in the morning. It will give you an immediate boost in energy and it also reduces anxiety.

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I’m finding that doing some hobby stuff helps destress somewhat. Like I’m making kits and painting things and it’s pretty relaxing. Maybe find something that is interesting to you and setting aside some time to do just that. It’s hard but doing something fun or that stimulates you mentally really is good.

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There are all kinds of flavors of herbal tea. They’re really neat.

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Audiobooks are awesome

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Playing video games

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Some things that I find helpful include meditation, listening to music, walking, drawing, reading and believe it or not cleaning the house! Meditation is actually a lot easier than most people think that it is. Try something as simple as Headspace.com or TenPercent both are available on Google and Apple Apps. Meditation is the selective direction of your attention. Sometimes an amount as small as five minutes can make or break your day once your get into it. And really all it takes is a little determination to make it a habit. (21 days). As far as music goes listening to music in the background that is set at 428megahertz is the most comforting for anxiety and 528 for positive mood and getting you up off your rump without banging a beat that can be annoying after awhile. Try reading something educational that doesn’t cause emotional mood swings at night before bed and above all turn off that TV. Wallking a simple ten minutes in the morning and again at night is enough to get your aerobic exercise in without over exhurtion. Drawing can help you to organize your thoughts and is especially helpful in helping you to remember your dreams and lists if done near that time. And cleaning the house helps you stay organized. We all feel better when we are organized and it reduces the level of stress that you experience by as much as 40% according to some experts.

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i listen music and watch movies/series. and sometimes i go for a walk with my dad or mobile team girl.

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I have a travel sized colouring book and a case with markers in it. It’s helpful for me to focus on colouring instead of whatever is stressing me.

If you’re into crafts, studies have shown knitting activates some of the same rewards in the brain as meditation does.
Scarves and hats can get too repetitive, but I like knitting socks. They’re not too hard to learn, and they don’t take forever. Once you’ve got the basic recipe learnt you can experiment with variations in pattern and style.
It helps me divert focus from unwanted things without overloading my brain, and it keeps me from having restless hands.

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The wim hof breathing excersise, takes some energy but makes you relaxed and tingle.

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@Ninjastar wow you have managed very well by quitting those above mentioned self damaging habits. You are an inspiration to me. I wish you good luck.

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Thanks. I do actually feel better without those habits.

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That is great, good you quit these habits!

But…I dont know. For me, decaf coffee works, because it tricks me into thinking im having a real coffee. Creative writing helps. As does chatting with a friend. Knitting. Dancing. Writing someone a card. Healthy snacks i genuinely like, such as raspberries.

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You could try an adult coloring book. You could go for a walk outside in the fresh air. If you can focus you can read adventurous books that let you escape for a while…

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By the way, great job getting healthier!!!

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