Thread: How do you really soothe yourself?

- listen to relaxing music
- talk to my mommmy.
- play/cuddle with my cat.
- write
- meditate/ yoga.
- drink lots of water/ tea
- take some vitamin C, and sleep to dream.

= )

Well, some stress relieving things I do are definately draw, write, and vigorously dance the shit out of my apartment. Sometimes the music just gets to me so well that my body starts shaking and I get the shivers, now that's a good feeling.

The stuff I write when pissed off is definately not for the light of heart, though, but getting a good image of it is very satisfying.

It depends entirely on what's stressing me out.
I know it's not "politically correct", but self-injury helps when I'm at my very worst (when I'm in an internal "rage" or overly depressed). A couple little "cat scratches" is usually enough to "ground" me. Now-a-days, I usually work on one of my tattoos instead (x-acto knife and cigarette ashes).

If my mind is just too cluttered and rambling, binaural beats from my iPod Touch does the trick (Mind freek and MindWave are best IMHO).

If I want to disassociate (usually for creative purposes), the Musical "Jekyll and Hyde" usually does the trick.

If I'm feeling paranoid or angry for no reason, hard rationalization and delving deeply into my subconscious normally works.

Not to sound too intrusive, but where do you inflict the scars? On your wrists, thighs, where? I do it on my chest, but that's just because it feels good when aroused.

Also, who's seen Saw 3 where Amanda takes that hunting knife and digs deep into her thigh? FAPFAPFAPFAP

Meditation.

Me? When I was a kid, it was always my upper thighs, then my calves. Eventually, I moved to my upper arms.
Now that I'm "tattooing" myself, I have a butterfly on my thigh, a crescent (sp!) moon and star on the inside of my wrist and the other half of my "symbol" on the outside of that same wrist, and I have three lines that look like scratches at the very top of my "thigh" (?) along the top corner of my bikini line.

Whenever I've signed my name since a young teen I always make a mark something like a long curvy "Z" with an almost "U" shape in the middle of it, then I add the moon and a little * . It means more to me than my name lol. But it's concealed beneath a wrist watch most of the time (my hubby is NOT a fan of body modifications to say the least!!)

I also pierced my naval 14 years ago and my lip recently. I'm *thinking* about piercing my nose next. I do my piercings when I'm angry or in an otherwise "bad place" and I don't feel a thing (until afterward of couse )

Instrumental music and being in great outdoors [preferably combined] usually does the trick for me.

Stretching really helps at the end of the day too, as long as it's done slowly and with the conscious effort to relax; different from the kind you'd do in the morning. There's nothing better.

Sometimes I write haiku too. It slows me down; puts me in a quiet and reflective mood.

Whatever makes you feel the most at ease [the most yourself] I suppose, and quiets excess noise.

this is odd but when i get ready to sleep i rub my foot back and forth on my sheets very slowly... i don't do it on purpose just sometimes i catch my self doing it.

I can't believe nobody has mentioned exercise!! A good hard workout... get the endorphins flowing, and afterwards you feel blissed out completely.

Yeah, back before the operation on my arm, I used to work out alot. It's very satisfying when angry, etc. Especially when listening to pumping music. It just became a chore to me, though, and I had more fun NOT doing it after a while.

VILD...kinda fun to try and place yourself in an entirely different setting, down to the exact sensory experiences.
Music...I'm always plugged into it.
Chillin' to custom isochronics.
Makin' custom isochronics.
Browsing the net.
Eating...which I can get away with, due to my epic metabolism.
Sleeping...derp.

...although really, I'm a pretty naturally chill dude. I don't need to consciously relax...I just am, all the time. It is very rare that I should ever encounter stress, and when I do, it is often fleeting. Guess I'm just lucky.

mostly when i want to relax I just breathe deeply and clear my mind with meditation. That's clinically/therapeutically proven to be the most effective way to relax and relieve stress/tension



and of course masturbation/sex...in fact, I think I might do this right now lol

EpicDreamer!! I do that too lol!!! But I usually rub one foot against the other. After awhile it starts to hurt though lol.
It gets on my hubby's last nerve, but seeing as I only share his bed once every couple months, it's not a real problem

*Eidt*
Oh yeah, I pierced my nose. I did it with a thick/large/disinfected safety pin, then I forced a 16 gauge snapable lip ring in it. But *GRRRRR*, I got the angle wrong. I bought a real nose ring and it sets in the whole perfectly, but it doesn't go all the way through oddly enough.
When my hubby sees it, I'm going to have to find a way to relax ASAP lmbo.

Whenever I get frustrated and edgy, usually after a large bout of studying, I like to just lay down on the floor. Seeing things from a different perspective and feeling the cool floor makes me less tense.

I like looking at shapes on the wall, carpet/flooring/ceiling and making mental images from them (like seeing forms from clouds).
My kids say I'm weird for it lol but it is oddly relaxing.

I honestly feel that music is one of the best ways to tap into/express/affect your emotions. Like if I'm ever feelig angry I just blast whatever metal I find appropriate through my iPod, and it's like the anger just dissapears. Likewise I find just picking up my guitar and thrashing out a good metal jam will deal with whatever negative emotions I'm feeling. By the same token, playing the right music can really chill you out (the first song that comes to mind is "beyond The Grey Sky" by 311. I also find that song good when I'm just feeling kinda down, helpsto pit thongs into perspective).

For me, its playing a videogame, smoking a blunt and popping heads off in a fps shooter.

For me I practice the Option Method in these turbulent but fertile moments to find acceptance of myself and my feelings, identify & release limiting beliefs.

Theres also EFT or the Emotional Freedom Technique. You can go to thier website at www.emofree.com.

There's also Mantra Meditation. I like to use the 108 beads to count. I think it helps deepen the practice

My favorite is the Option Method by Bruce di Marsico. It is amazing and profound.

Happy Trails =0)

Haha, Zhaylin, I like to watch the clouds too. I get lost for ages just watching them move into figures and break apart, it's great. I like to try and get into the little details, too; they give me a lot of ideas for creatures in my books. That's some good shit, right there.

...dabble with Photoshop. I suck at expressing my artistic side in the physical world, but programs I can handle.