For those of you who were talking to me on my post about feeling like life isn’t working out well for me, I quit my job because I couldn’t deal with the way my boss was treating me. So I’m unemployed at least until the holiday season is over. My fiancé keeps telling me to view it as a vacation and a time to focus on family and to worry about work once the holidays are done, and I love him so much for all his support. But what did I do today? In a fit of anxiety over being unemployed, I went to the mall and spent $120 I don’t have on stuff I didn’t need just to make myself forget how anxious I was. I don’t know what to do about my tendency to eat/shop away my bad feelings. I can’t tell my fiancé I spent all that money, he’ll be so disappointed. How do you guys relax when you’re stressed or anxious?
If I feel I have to buy something, I get art supplies. Colored pencils or pens or markers and notebooks. I’ve found that it’s the act of unwrapping and examining that’s soothing for me, so this is an inexpensive way to fill that need.
Otherwise - take walks. Exercise. Play with pets or kids. I make spreadsheets of what I need to do, or books I like, or television characters I hate. It’s weird and dorky but calming.
your fiance sounds like a really nice person and i agree with him…take it easy. 
take care 
I really like those ideas, I’m gonna try them all and see what helps the most. I know my dogs make me feel calm, so next time I’m stressed I’ll go and cuddle with them. Thanks so much for the input, I really need all the suggestions I can get
He is, and thank you! I’ll be sure to take it easy during this season, you enjoy your holidays as well 
Sometimes a nap… a walk… someone way to burn off the energy of anxiety will help. Talking to someone… I’ll go hang out with a buddy or my Gf or my sis and just try to not keep ahold of the thoughts that keep me anxious…
Art helps too…
Hope you feel better soon.
Thanks for your suggestions and support, art always makes me happy so I’ll get back into that and see if it still helps
When I get in social situations with people I’m not completely familiar with I have to have alcohol. It will probably kill me. Oh the things we do trying to cope with anxiety. I pretty much keep to myself now. I think some people are disgruntled with me because I haven’t been coming to see them, but I don’t need more drinking buddies, as much as I love drinking. I don’t want to get in a situation where I am expected to drink.
He sounds like a real nice guy! Can you return the stuff that you bought back?
@crimby that sounds really difficult to deal with, but I guess sometimes avoiding certain situations is just what you gotta do. Like I shouldn’t go to the mall if I know I’m stressed.
@Bipolar_Bear I wish I could but I’ve opened it all already. I bought a ■■■■ ton of face cream and hand lotion and such. And he is a very nice guy, he’s always looking out for me when I need it, even if I don’t always want it haha
Exercise is my go to for anxiety. Then it’s studying. Then it’s NyQuil 
I have a gym membership that I never use so I should really give exercise another try!
Don’t do it again. It’s under you’re control. Of course there are such things as shopoholics but hopefully your situation hasn’t sunk to that level.
Yeah I’m not that bad haha and sometimes I do just need someone to come out and say “Stop that.” My fiancé does it all the time. It’s a real reality check. Like yeah I can stop this, I have control over this
Stop that! Hows that?Lol.
Haha perfect! 