any ways to relieve stress?

[bbaek]

for those who seemed stressed out, even when they seem to be doing nothing... can anyone post up ways where they can relieve their stress that works quite effectively??

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[Newman8r]

try hatha yoga. 15 minutes a day - works a lot better than you might think

 

[Newman8r]

Also, it may sound obvious, but easy things to do include having a healthy diet, regular exercise, and the proper amount of sleep.

 

[Rendar5]

masturbation is a great one!

ok, the above is really the best advice. Eating well and regularly is great for dealing with stress.

 

[Ambs]

Sex?!?

Ok, no really, I agree with the others.. EXERCISE! Run your ass off... eat a balanced diet... Don't overdo it on the caffeine... and get your sleep! Try talking to friends and family... it's always nice to vent... GO OUT! And what you do you specifically enjoy doing? What really floats your boat? Do that!

And above all, have faith that you WILL be fine... Believe in yourself...

 

[Cat's Meow]

Prayer

 

[rambo]

Hit the gym. Or a punching bag.

 

[sdnstud]

strip club

 

[Newman8r]

strip club

that could get expensive, better make sure you bring lap dance coupons with you

 

[Biscuit799]

Sex, but unlike the previous poster (haha, get it? poster? nevermind...) I'm not kidding.

 

[FrauBlucher]

I'm going to take this thead as an opportunity to try to de-stress SDNers. Futile? Perhaps, but I have to try. To everyone who's thinking "I'm stressed out. My life sucks." I say RELAX. If your biggest problem is doing poorly on the MCATs, you have a blessed life. The best way to stay calm is to put things in perspective! If you are getting/have had clinical experience (which is probably all of you) you should be able to do this. I work in an ED; I may have been rejected by a couple schools, but I wasn't hit by a car on my way to work this morning. My dad didn't have a heart attack and die last night. I have ten fingers and ten toes and can breathe and walk on my own. Bad stuff happens to people all the time (read the "medicine sucks" thread in the EM forum if you don't believe me). And truly, life can suck sometimes. Parents get sick. Friends die suddenly. Save your emotions for things that really matter (and orgo is not one of them).

I really want to go to med school next year. Really. If I don't get in I will be unhappy, but it won't be the end of the world. I'll do something interesting next year, get new experiences, and reapply. This process tries your patience like no other, but think of how lucky you are to even have the opportunity to apply to medical school.

Another general rule of thumb for not stressing: if you can't control it, don't worry about. If you've already taken a big test and are worried about the grade, forget it. The test has been taken. Losing sleep isn't going to raise your score. If you're late to an appointment and sitting in traffic, put on some good music, because swearing at other drivers won't get you there faster. If you have an exam in less than 24 hours, stress-induced pre-test cramming probably won't help you that much. If you're stressed about the april mcats now, then try to turn it into a positive stressor and make a study plan. Stressing about the april mcats on april 15th is only going to hurt you.

General de-stressing tips: Stop reading SDN! (easier said than done?I'm sure you're all as addicted as I am). Spend time with friends who have different interests. Exercise, as already mentioned above (I definitely recommend martial arts), and eat well. Watch a mel brooks movie. Have a beer and read People magazine. Not every minute of your day needs to be spent in productivity. Thirty minutes of relaxing can go a long way towards productivity anyway. If you're jittery and stressed you won't be able to concentrate as well. Not to mention you can have high blood pressure, chronic pain, and many other stress-related health problems.

And to every undergrad and high school student on this site: College is NOT a means to getting into medical school, so don't think of it as one. College should be an amazing four years of your life, and if you spend it worrying about the next step (med school admission) it won't be. Take the opportunity to enjoy yourself. Do what makes you happy!! Find something you enjoy (any EC, medically-related or not) and dive in. Adcoms will see you as passionate and committed, even if you are president of the ping-pong club and haven't saved underweight aids orphans in africa. Take classes you want to take and do the activities you truly want to do. Do something related to medicine (research, shadowing) so you're sure what you're getting into, but don't do it because you're pre-med and feel obligated to.

Sorry for the long post, guys. Thanks for reading, and I hope this helps!

-E

P.S. since it's tomorrow...I hope you all have a wonderful thanksgiving. Please try to be thankful for what you have! And to everyone who is truly stressed out and having problems (serious illness, hard times financially, etc) I hope everything works out for you. This, too, shall pass. If you are spending tomorrow with your family and friends, don't let them drive you crazy: be grateful for them. And good luck to everyone applying! May the mailman be good to you this holiday season.

 

[MohMan]

thank you for giving the greatest advice ive ever received.....

 

[LiNk]

herbal tea
icy hot
stretching
merlot
masturbate
vaccum
mow the lawn
race my honda

in an interview I told them I read, walk my dog, I chat with my bro

 

[booblahblah]

for those who seemed stressed out, even when they seem to be doing nothing... can anyone post up ways where they can relieve their stress that works quite effectively??

go out with your friends . enjoy your senior year .

 

[FutureFemmeDoc]

I use the following: running + exercise, dancing, sleep (+_ _ _ ), venting to my mom

 

[bgreet]

Drinking, and having some fun!

 

[JohnHolmes]

masturbation is a great one!

ok, the above is really the best advice. Eating well and regularly is great for dealing with stress.

Hijo, where are you at school now? PeNiS? Hows bonnie?

JH

 

[acidhouse303]

what i do is fill up my jacuzzi with these awesome fizzy hand made soaps that dissolve when u pop them in. then i turn on some chill trip hop like portishead, morcheeba, theivery corp, massive attack, stars, etc... (i wired my apt for sound so there are all diff levels in each room its so hot!) anyway then i pop some moet & chandon and soak in the fun! it totally works! if youre in nyc, i can tell you where to get these kick azz soaps!

 

[shahalam]

I recently started playing racquetball about 2-3 times a week. It really helps me...plus I play with the organic chemistry teacher (small college with one chemistry teacher). Anyways, think of something you dont like as the wall and just keep hitting it. The game is fun as hell and will keep you healthy!

 

[Newman8r]

I recently started playing racquetball about 2-3 times a week. It really helps me...plus I play with the organic chemistry teacher (small college with one chemistry teacher). Anyways, think of something you dont like as the wall and just keep hitting it. The game is fun as hell and will keep you healthy!

I love racquetball, the hard part is finding people to play though - half the people I've asked don't even know what it is

 

[Psycho Doctor]

I run or play basketball...exercise works wonders to relieve stress as many have already said. also a hot shower or a jacuzzi, and of course ther eis always psychotherapy and prayer

 

[MohMan]

prayer is always a must...Ive realized thats the one thing that gets me away from everything

 

[Rendar5]

Hijo, where are you at school now? PeNiS? Hows bonnie?

JH

Bonnie's good, but I'm at Einstein, not PeNiS, lol.

 

[DrYo12]

::cue Homer Simpson voice:: mmm...stress...

 

[constructor]

i prefer doing 'roids and madly intense workouts to relieve stress...

 

[drguy22]

sleep is da bomb! or..go bug someone...i bug my lil sis...its always fun ...i just go and pull on her hair a lil or snoop in her room....it totally relieves my stress.....sometimes i even like to tell my mom i failed somethin....she freaks out..when she freaks out...she is the funniest person to watch....then i tell her the truth of course....just some wacky suggestions.

 

[DianaLynne]

I like to read comic books. (Catwoman, Batgirl, Wonder Woman...) They're about as far from reality as you can get and they're a silly larf.

I also live in the mountains so I spend a lot of time watching these woods fill up with snow. I got my ski pass today and as soon as this week is over (I'm working extra shifts in the ICU to cover some of my interview expenses) I'm hitting the slopes.

 

[rockstar2525]

KICKBOXING!!

Trying to beat the crap out of someone else always makes me feel better about myself.

 

[MG Md 2B]

I always take a break to play with my doggy. It seems she doesn't care if I'm stressed or have something important to be doing...when she wants to play, she makes sure I know that I have to take a break. 20 minutes of fetch and a belly rub later, I'm completely calm. for pets

 

[Psycho Doctor]

that could get expensive, better make sure you bring lap dance coupons with you

i initally read that as "could get explosive" don't ask

 

[Psycho Doctor]

FrauBlucher, that was an awesome post! Do you follow your own advice? Are you always calm?

 

[Fermata]

Stress?

What's that?

 

[ockhamsRzr]

SEX.

If you said prayer (eSPECIALly prayer), working out, sleeping, reading, mowing the lawn or ANYTHING else...then you are DEFINITELY not having enough sex.

For god sakes people, just have sex.

 

[FrauBlucher]

FrauBlucher, that was an awesome post! Do you follow your own advice? Are you always calm?

hahaha...yeah, actually I am.

 

[USAF_Dentman]

Here's how to relax. Kick back and enjoy...

 

[salfrankador]

Here's how to relax. Kick back and enjoy...

^^^^am i seeing things, or is that arnold schwarzzennager?!?!?!

 

[USAF_Dentman]

^^^^am i seeing things, or is that arnold schwarzzennager?!?!?!

that's arnie, back in the pumping iron days.

 

[Jmuhnie]

scented candles...relaxing and may also help set the mood for the huge loads of sex recommended by this thread

also, I lift weights a couple times a week/play basketball. any form of exercise will lighten you up

just don't forget the scented candles

 

[morganlefay]

Beating your head against the wall; I've taken it up lately, the pain brought on by this really helps you to not stress so much about the app. process. j/k

Seriously, though, I'll read (non-school related stuff), talk with my friends (who, being non-neurotic, non-premeds, help me with perspective), workout, go to the beach (I love FL, and will miss it ), and my favorite, listening to music to calm me down....I love music/singing and can't live without it! Of course, prayer helps too.

 

[NYGirl12]

- sleeping
- watching movies/listening to music
and most importantly, talking /chilling with my non-premed, humanities major friends..seriously, my free-spirited friends help me relax and be less neurotic.

 

[SitraAchra]

FrauBlucher - thank you.

 

[Mwz1024]

masturbation is a great one!

ok, the above is really the best advice. Eating well and regularly is great for dealing with stress.

I agree

 

[MADSTAB]

GAMBLE GAMBLE GAMBLE. If your old enough go to a casino or a riverboat casino. I go at least once a week ( Yes... The answer is YES if your going to ask me if I am addicted, but I am up around $1,300 total). When me and my friends go to the boats we drink, chat, and most importantly forget about everything else!!!


P.S. stay away from the slots. Best odds in a casino is the Blackjack table (learn how to play first though)


And one more thing when I pray I especially think about medschool, so thats a no go for me (not the praying just using it as an outlet for de-stressing)