Spring Break
The guide to better living
Three R's to relieving stress
Laura Griffith/Verge editor
Issue date: 9/9/05 Section: The Verge
The problem.
I'm a worrywart, not gonna lie. Almost nothing in the world can make me feel better about something once I've set my mind to worrying about it.
It's not like I'm looking for trouble. I didn't wake up in the morning thinking, "Gee, what can I drive myself crazy about today?" But most days, I find something, however miniscule, to drive myself crazy about. Then I go out of my mind trying to convince myself that everything will be OK. Sometimes it will, sometimes it won't.
My problems range in degree of seriousness, from serious financial problems to losing track of my Cardinals hat (which I usually end up finding somewhere in the bottom of my closet after freaking out to my roommate about it first.
What it does to me.
It starts with a small problem that comes to mind. And it could be anything. Then, it seeps into my brain, blocking out happy thoughts and other goings-on of the day until it's all I can think about. I can't sleep, or get other work done. A nervous feeling brews within and at times, I feel like I might throw up. I know I'm being overdramatic most of the time, but that knowledge doesn't help me calm down one bit.
How I deal:
I have three ways to deal with the stress. I call them my three R's: Research, review and regurgitation.
Research.
When a problem is bothering me, my first response is to learn more about it. Forget self-help books, instead, I look to the Internet and friends who have dealt with similar situations. Internet sites work to an extent, until I get frustrated and find contrasting information on my problem. I don't know which sites to believe, so I look to my friends and family. They may want to smack me for asking a seemingly unending amount of questions, but they understand it's what I need and are happy to help. At least I think they are.
Review.
I go over the problem in my head millions of times. Sometimes, I sound like a schizo, repeating things to myself while trying to sort out the problem in my own head. After picking through every tiny detail of a situation, I try to rationalize with myself. Maybe I shouldn't be so worried, I think. Then I try to calm down and figure out a way to make it better. Writing it down helps. And I realize, when I go back through my journals months or even years later, exactly how crazy I'm being for no reason.
Regurgitate.
No, I don't literally throw-up. People who know me will tell you I would almost rather die. (There I go, being dramatic again.) They'll also tell you I talk way too much and end up repeating half the things I've said. I "regurgitate" all the details I've been going over in my head, just to be sure they make sense to other people, and maybe I'm not completely crazy.
It's not because I like the sound of my voice (because really I don't), but rather because I like to hear whether or not my problem sounds rational to other people. Half the time I realize I'm being an idiot.
I go through all of this for problems that really started out as nothing. Maybe a little Prozac would do me some good.
I'm a worrywart, not gonna lie. Almost nothing in the world can make me feel better about something once I've set my mind to worrying about it.
It's not like I'm looking for trouble. I didn't wake up in the morning thinking, "Gee, what can I drive myself crazy about today?" But most days, I find something, however miniscule, to drive myself crazy about. Then I go out of my mind trying to convince myself that everything will be OK. Sometimes it will, sometimes it won't.
My problems range in degree of seriousness, from serious financial problems to losing track of my Cardinals hat (which I usually end up finding somewhere in the bottom of my closet after freaking out to my roommate about it first.
What it does to me.
It starts with a small problem that comes to mind. And it could be anything. Then, it seeps into my brain, blocking out happy thoughts and other goings-on of the day until it's all I can think about. I can't sleep, or get other work done. A nervous feeling brews within and at times, I feel like I might throw up. I know I'm being overdramatic most of the time, but that knowledge doesn't help me calm down one bit.
How I deal:
I have three ways to deal with the stress. I call them my three R's: Research, review and regurgitation.
Research.
When a problem is bothering me, my first response is to learn more about it. Forget self-help books, instead, I look to the Internet and friends who have dealt with similar situations. Internet sites work to an extent, until I get frustrated and find contrasting information on my problem. I don't know which sites to believe, so I look to my friends and family. They may want to smack me for asking a seemingly unending amount of questions, but they understand it's what I need and are happy to help. At least I think they are.
Review.
I go over the problem in my head millions of times. Sometimes, I sound like a schizo, repeating things to myself while trying to sort out the problem in my own head. After picking through every tiny detail of a situation, I try to rationalize with myself. Maybe I shouldn't be so worried, I think. Then I try to calm down and figure out a way to make it better. Writing it down helps. And I realize, when I go back through my journals months or even years later, exactly how crazy I'm being for no reason.
Regurgitate.
No, I don't literally throw-up. People who know me will tell you I would almost rather die. (There I go, being dramatic again.) They'll also tell you I talk way too much and end up repeating half the things I've said. I "regurgitate" all the details I've been going over in my head, just to be sure they make sense to other people, and maybe I'm not completely crazy.
It's not because I like the sound of my voice (because really I don't), but rather because I like to hear whether or not my problem sounds rational to other people. Half the time I realize I'm being an idiot.
I go through all of this for problems that really started out as nothing. Maybe a little Prozac would do me some good.
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