How do you handle anxiety? I usually run, but I busted an ankle.

[Anonimus.Maximus]

Basically, interviews are coming up, and I want to be as relaxed as possible. Running usually helps, but right now that's not an option. Any other tips--podcasts, books, music, etc.--would be greatly appreciated!

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[LizzyM]

Learn to knit... or crochet. It can be very relaxing and soothing.

 

[Pharaoh95]

Try another form of cardio like cycling on one of the stationary bikes at the gym.

 

[SpoiledMilk]

'There's Something About Mary' just before he meets her on their first date as adults.

 

[sliceofbread136]

Alcohol, benzodiazepines, opioids

 

[Turkishking]

Alcohol, benzodiazepines, opioids

Hmmmm

 

[PreMedMissteps]

Not kidding, but soaking in a warm bath can sometimes help relieve anxiety. With a broken foot I don't know if it's possible to hang that foot out of the bath or keep it dry in some way. If you can keep your foot dry, then fill the tub with warm/hot water (whatever feels best for you), add some body bath for bubbles, it helps keep the water warm, have some soothing music playing in the background, and soak for at least twenty minutes.

 

[Tenk]

Anything that isn't work.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Is your ankle actually broken, or are you just not able to run for a while? If the latter, you can still work out, you just have to switch up your routine.

As for me, besides exercise, I like to read, listen to stand up comedy, play music, and do woodworking (this is new--I started building furniture recently to save $800 on a table, and I got hooked).

 

[onyxbell]

Wanted to wish u good luck & break a leg for interviews, but figures it is kinda inappropriate

 

[Goro]

Basically, interviews are coming up, and I want to be as relaxed as possible. Running usually helps, but right now that's not an option. Any other tips--podcasts, books, music, etc.--would be greatly appreciated!

Practice mindfulness techniques. Breathing exercises.

They work.

 

[numbersloth]

This may come across weird, but reading/watching books/stories/movies/shows that I enjoyed as a kid really relieves my anxiety. Probably because I unconsciously associate these things with a time of significantly less stress (i.e. not college).

 

[Catalystik]

Basically, interviews are coming up, and I want to be as relaxed as possible. Running usually helps, but right now that's not an option. Any other tips--podcasts, books, music, etc.--would be greatly appreciated!

Meditation, upper-body and core workouts, New Age music (Enya), petting a purring cat.

 

[tiramisucheese]

I like jigsaw puzzles!

 

[Lawpy]

Anything that isn't work.

 

[deleted820760]

Mindfulness meditation, yoga, another form of exercise other than running, music, coloring, painting, playing with dogs.

 

[Anonimus.Maximus]

I could probably get away with some stationary biking at this point.

 

[Kurk]

I just turn it into a short energy burst to complete whatever I'm doing.

 

[boogiecousins94]

You can still do a decent amount of lifting without much stress on the ankle as long as you don't do squats or deadlifts

 

[PreMedMissteps]

Practice mindfulness techniques. Breathing exercises.

They work.

Do you have a link for some recommended mindfulness techniques and breathing exercises? I think many students here might find them helpful as the app cycle progresses.

 

[numbersloth]

Do you have a link for some recommended mindfulness techniques and breathing exercises? I think many students here might find them helpful as the app cycle progresses.

I bought a book literally titled DON'T PANIC that had lots of exercises and workbook-style activities. I can't remember the name of the author off the top of my head but I believe similar self-help style books will have both breathing instructions as well as tips and worksheets. YMMV but I've found that self-help books can really be great.

 

[CloverBale]

Honestly usually when I'm anxious or stressed out it's because I'm not Doing The One Thing That Will End My Anxiety. For example, if i'm stressed about an exam, that means I'm ill-prepared. Therefore, the best way to reduce the anxiety is to study for the exam. Of course, this is easier said than done, because anxiety often prevents you from Doing The One Thing That Will End It. Perhaps to combat this stress of interviews, why don't you prepare for them? Go online and find some practice questions. The more you feel prepared for interviews, the less stress and anxiety you will feel about them.

 

[ODea]

You're most likely having anxiety because you're thinking about all the things that could go wrong just try and think about what could go right and be confident in your answers.

 

[Kokonaut]

Basically, interviews are coming up, and I want to be as relaxed as possible. Running usually helps, but right now that's not an option. Any other tips--podcasts, books, music, etc.--would be greatly appreciated!

Perhaps something physical? Weightlifting is great for that, with ankle problems maybe more upper body. In the absence of that mindfulness, especially outdoors isn't a bad bet.


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[wholeheartedly]

adult coloring books, learn woodcarving (both require enough focus to distract you from whatever's making you anxious) other cardio like swimming or something

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

adult coloring books, learn woodcarving (both require enough focus to distract you from whatever's making you anxious) other cardio like swimming or something

Omg second coloring books and wood working. I used to color every night on deployment just to relax, and I just started building furniture a month ago, and it is so awesome and zen.

 

[Isoval]

I play videogames until I forget there's a world that exists outside of whatever game I picked up.

Works pretty well for me.

 

[wholeheartedly]

Omg second coloring books and wood working. I used to color every night on deployment just to relax, and I just started building furniture a month ago, and it is so awesome and zen.

Blacksmithing is pretty awesome and zen, too, but can be a bit hard to get into or find a good space to get setup. Pounding metal is a great stress reliever though and a hell of a lot of fun.

 

[Boogy'sChick15]

adult coloring books, learn woodcarving (both require enough focus to distract you from whatever's making you anxious) other cardio like swimming or something

Or learn wood burning (pyrography). While studying for the MCAT this summer I set aside time to unwind, and I wound up finishing 3 pieces. It has the relaxing qualities of drawing along with the satisfaction of watching wood burn lol plus it makes everything smell like a camp fire

 

[wholeheartedly]

Or learn wood burning (pyrography). While studying for the MCAT this summer I set aside time to unwind, and I wound up finishing 3 pieces. It has the relaxing qualities of drawing along with the satisfaction of watching wood burn lol plus it makes everything smell like a camp fire

That's something I've been curious about. All my stuff is mixed up and in boxes in my garage since my move and I'm really anxious to find my carving knives and some pieces I was working on. Unfortunately, I wasn't as diligent labeling my boxes as I should have been and was more interested in completely filling them, even with random unrelated items...

 

[shortcoatdream15]

-

 

[Boogy'sChick15]

That's something I've been curious about. All my stuff is mixed up and in boxes in my garage since my move and I'm really anxious to find my carving knives and some pieces I was working on. Unfortunately, I wasn't as diligent labeling my boxes as I should have been and was more interested in completely filling them, even with random unrelated items...

It's very fun and a very cheap hobby too. An elementary wood burning tool for beginners is about $20-$30, and Michael's sells all kinds of little wood planks for $5-$20. I did 2 pieces with that tool, which turned out pretty great, so my mom decided to get me a professional toolkit for my birthday, which was a bit more expensive lol ($150). But this one allows me to add a lot more detail, and it will last much longer than the beginner one.
I haven't sold any pieces yet, but I have had a couple inquiries and have been told my stuff could sell for a couple hundred, so we will see lol

 

[IgEdoc]

PC gaming and pinot noir does the trick for me

 

[Prometheus123]

Deep, slow breathing, inhaling as deeply as you can, pushing the air into the bottom of your belly with force. If possible, do this outside on a sunny day. Barefoot on the earth is best. Listen to music you you find beautiful at the same time. I know this sounds a little weird, but try it, you may be surprised how good it makes you feel.

My current favorite podcast is Found My Fitness by Dr. Rhonda Patrick. She's one of the few health podcasters I still listen to because she cites her sources and interprets evidence reasonably conservatively, yet she also pushes out into the cutting edge. Fascinating, potentially useful one day, and entertaining (if you're into that sort of thing).

 

[astrostellar]

Anything that makes me feel productive. I feel you on the exercise thing; exercise makes me feel productive and accomplished, thus assuaging my anxiety. But aside from exercise, I like cleaning the house, making checklists, accomplishing massive amounts of errands, and working on projects (art/writing, musical practice, building something.) If, at the end of the day, I feel like I accomplished something or made lots of progress, it ebbs my anxiety. Usually.

 

[NickNaylor]

There are a lot of different things you can depending on your interest and the severity of your symptoms.

Stuff you can do on your own: physical activity (even if it's just going for a walk), mindfulness activities (e.g., meditating, yoga, coloring books, etc.), reducing anxiogenic stuff in your diet (i.e., caffeine, workout supplements, etc.), and making lifestyle changes (e.g., making sure to maintain as healthy of a work/life balance as possible).

If you're interested in professional help, therapy can be extremely helpful. It doesn't have to be the "tell me about your mother..." type - CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) is very pragmatic and skills-based and is the most evidence-based psychotherapeutic treatment for anxiety there is.

 

[Prometheus123]

There are a lot of different things you can depending on your interest and the severity of your symptoms.

Stuff you can do on your own: physical activity (even if it's just going for a walk), mindfulness activities (e.g., meditating, yoga, coloring books, etc.), reducing anxiogenic stuff in your diet (i.e., caffeine, workout supplements, etc.), and making lifestyle changes (e.g., making sure to maintain as healthy of a work/life balance as possible).

If you're interested in professional help, therapy can be extremely helpful. It doesn't have to be the "tell me about your mother..." type - CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) is very pragmatic and skills-based and is the most evidence-based psychotherapeutic treatment for anxiety there is.

+1 to this whole thing.

In addition to learning CBT with a professional, you can also learn the philosophy it's largely based on, Stoicism. I've heard that The Philosophy of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Stoic Philosophy as Rational and Cognitive Psychotherapy is good, although I haven't read it so I'm not sure how useful it would be. I highly recommend one of the classics of Stoicism, The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius, which is freely available online here in text and here as an audiobook. Seneca and Epictetus are also great Stoic philosophers and resources with practical tips on dealing with many kinds of problems, including anxiety.

 

[Perpetually Perplexed]

Basically, interviews are coming up, and I want to be as relaxed as possible. Running usually helps, but right now that's not an option. Any other tips--podcasts, books, music, etc.--would be greatly appreciated!

What do you do for fun? Do that.