Dealing with High to Extreme Stress Levels

mmasters

One thing I haven't seen discussed here so I thought I would start a thread on it.

I think we can all agree the future will be very stressful and a different kind of stressful than we're used to. It wont just be stress from a hard day at work dealing with bad clients or office politics, it'll be stress from perhaps not being able to get enough food, from dealing with people acting like rabid animals because they think they are entitled to things above other people in a glut. It will be dealing with the general public unaware of PO, which for the most part will be completely screwed financially, psychologically, healthwise, securitywise and in many more ways. I particularly don't look forward to dealing with aggressive irrational people (as I'm sure I'm not alone). Although, I think we can be certain everyone wont flip out and go bezerk. People respond to threats to their paradigm and their survival differently. Some will be passive and wait for others to help them, others will take action and rob whoever has what they need.

Anyways, it could be stress from the fact we planned out things well, but then something comes along out of left field and completely messes up our plans. Or, it could be stress that bad things have happened to people we care about.

So I thought it would be good to start a discussion on ways people have found to deal with stress. Anyone have any tips, techniques, mindsets or whathaveyou to help mitigate stress, especially high levels of stress?

Just from living in New York I know a few basic things about stress. Eating healthy helps, having enough sleep helps, exercise helps, sex helps (though if you have a lot of things to do or know things will be stressful for a few days then it can be better to hold off sex for a little while). Then again I think this is just common sense.
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Heineken

This is a very interesting thread topic, since extreme stress is something most of us can relate to.

Meditation is probably the most powerful tool for coping with stress. You don't have to be an expert or have a Ph.D. in meditation; anyone can do it. Basically you just sit quietly and close your eyes and think restful thoughts, or try to visualize something like a tree, a ladder, or a colored light. You want to go to a special inner place where you're safe and calm. In time, you'll develop a technique that works for you.

Sex can cause stress as well as relieve it, since it can involve you with people and all their baggage. The graveyards are full of people who died for sex. If you have an uninfected, safe partner you have reason to trust absolutely, sex can certainly relieve stress. (Masturbation is safer and also works.)

Perhaps the future will be less stressful, not more stressful, than what we have today. Trying to hold on to what we have, or get even more of it, is the biggest stressor, as I see it. No society could possibly be more stressful than the one we have now. Once you've lost what you're trying to keep, and are facing the actual prospect even of death, an odd calm can suffuse you.

Stress for short periods can sometimes improve your performance and help you achieve a goal, but over long periods it's a killer, a misery-maker par excellence.
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steam_cannon · Expert Joined: Dec 28, 2006 Posts: 2558 Location: MA

steam_cannon · Expert Joined: Dec 28, 2006 Posts: 2558 Location: MA

Of course sometimes I feel the best way of dealing with stress is doing something constructive perhaps with some rock in the background, it's a nice way to get vengeance against the suffering one encounters. If you already aren't enjoying things, why not make things harder and do some work! At least you can enjoy the challenge! Twisted Evil

Lord Of The Rings - Manowar - Call To Arms
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIFmYnP_RDQ

All Along the Watchtower (Fark the system)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dy3xC9gs9ww

pstarr

I deal with stress in many ways. The first situation that I call on revolves around . . . . I have no stress.
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albente · Light Sweet Crude Joined: Aug 20, 2004 Posts: 1361

Historically in the Western world sex and alcohol were (and still are to a good degree) the main go to drugs for stress relive.
In the near future you might want to refer to 'indifference', since neither of the above might be available in natural form much longer.

Gerontion

Battle_Scarred_Galactico · Intermediate Crude Joined: Apr 07, 2005 Posts: 970

I'm on "Bumpy Plateau Sex" at the moment.
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Chesire · Heavy Crude Joined: Jul 13, 2007 Posts: 267

BigTex

This sounds crazy, but take a "news fast"; during the news fast you don't read, watch or listen to any news for a few days or more (if you can do it). Trust me, if anything really important happens, someone will tell you.

I took a news fast of one week last year, and it was an amazing experience. It's also harder to do than it sounds, especially if you are a news junkie like lots of us here are.

benzoil

I think an old Blues singer once said that the only two things a poor man has to console him are wine and women. This might have explained why he was poor (the latter will cost you for sure!) and had the blues.

One thing to think about is how the face of stress will change. Right now you hear much made about people not having enough time. Cell phones and soccer practice and long commutes and demanding hours in the office, etc., ad nauseum. That's a very different stress than having to walk 3 miles to the grocery store because there's no gas for private citizens this month.

In other words, some sources of stress may go away. The new sources of stress, however, sound more dire. How do I feed my family without a job? keep the house? keep the mistress (blues singers only)? fend off the zombie hordes (doomers only)?

What I'm saying is that right now people relax from heavy mental stress with things like exercise. If you spend all day planting potatoes, however, then maybe you won't be jogging later. The new sources of stress may, in fact, be more rewarding in a twisted sort of way. Why? Because they matter. Again, that's a strange take on it, but one that may have some merit.
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TheDude

You need to have ample Proven Reserves of Sex, too.

Zinc? Is that what causes the sour/sweet/salty smell? Can you smell sweetness? Revealing too much here?

Music I use to chill with covers the spectrum, listening to Joni Mitchell right now. 24 hours ago though it was the Butthole Surfers and Husker Du, though. Odd bedfellows.

You're in Manhattan and you come to us for advice on stress? Did you get mugged by a Dalek or something?

Took me a few tries before I remembered this site has a problem with umlauten. Scheiss, thought I was banned for calling Oilismastery a moron...
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Grifter

Feel a bit embarrassed to admit it but I find unpacking and repacking my toolbox or bugout bag to be a great stress reliever.

Tending the garden also helps.

benzoil

NEOPO

I meditate to the following video Lateralus

Spiral out...keep going...

When the internets are down and the streaming videos no longer available I will sing this song in my mind...

Most people do not know what "high" stress really is, they simply believe that the higher levels they may be experiencing are "high". It is simply "high" for them thus I do not think many will manage very well when the real SHTF.

Sure driving is stressful yet try to imagine driving through a war zone and fighting for your life just to get some groceries..... yeah Laughing

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