How do you guys deal with anxiety?

[boiler_92]

Sex.  Lots a and lots of sex.   

Seriously though, I practice yoga daily and for me it really helps level my emotions. 

Also, as has been noted, get off the doom forum(s)!  Prep for what you can, and try to forget the rest. 

And don't forget to keep living and enjoy what we have now while we still have it!

[sittingstill]

Thanks for the responses guys, it is very much appreciated.

I just went for a very long walk/run, and it helped tremendously. I think the exercise is just what I needed. I have considered taking up meditation, does anyone have a good source for some techniques that would help?

For meditation, there are techniques that are associated with religions such as buddhism - you can look up a local zen, tibetan, or vipassana (insight meditation) group.  There are also techiniques which are not necessarily affiliated with any religion, such as Trancendental meditation.  google will help you find local options.

The best option is to find a group to do it with - it works best when you make it a part of your eveyday life, like brushing your teeth.  Doing it alone is hard, most end up giving up.  Good luck - meditation is the single most important thing that has kept me sane over the years.

[honeydee]

What works for me:

taking a Calcium/Magnesium supplement
lots of strong oatstraw tea
Rescue Remedy when I start to get antsy
Chesnut Bach Flower remedy when I really think I'm going to go batshit crazy
long hot bath
ditching the kids with the in-laws for the afternoon works wonder as well
I have a great therapist--I'm starting to figure out the things that trigger my anxiety and just that has been really really helpful
I pray--I was raised Catholic and although I don't consider myself one the prayers I was taught as a little kid come easily and the repetition is calming (I am the weirdest mix of spirituality you'll ever meet--agnostic but not quite)

If all else fails a big fat martini (vodka or gin, I prefer Belvedere or  Tanqueray 10)

[booklvr777]

A really long, hot shower.
Making a list or just mentally listing to yourself what you can be thankful for, the good things in your life, etc.
Some nice, calming music.
Wine, lots of wine.

[ThePoint]

Is there any method you find particularly useful to deal with anxiety. I have had a lot of trouble sleeping lately, which has probably added to my anxiety in a positive feedback loop.

 I feel as though I really can't find a way out of the coming collapse, simply because I became peak-oil aware much too late in the game. I fully accept that a dieoff will likely happen, although I am unsure of the timing and magnitude. My other fear is the dieoff will cause resource wars, and I will have to join the army or something in a few years.

Any help would be awesome guys!

What I've found to help me the most, the cure to anxious, fearful reactions has been awareness of what exactly is going on that has altered how I am experiencing this moment of being alive. If say a thought of helplessness arises I'll think something to the effect of "there is a fear that nothing can be done". This also helps you with any emotion.

Doing this also has the side effect of making one benign.

[the Black Hunter]

Lots of exercise, staying away from the city, good companionship, being around our animals, doing the stuff that needs to be done, getting lots of sleep, limiting the coffee.

[vision-master]

Dogs can be very calming. 

[Shamaness]

I tried out a new idea yesterday, after I noticed I was feeling "twitchy" the previous evening.

I decided to take a day and not READ anything.  Oh, road signs of course as needed, and such.  But I didn't get on the interwebz, didn't pick up any books or magazines.  I don't watch TV or listen to radio usually, nor read newspapers anymore, but I do spend loads of time reading books and websites.

This seemed like a good idea, because I have a tendency to read doomy and self-help/spiritual stuff...both of which can really leave me feeling like I "should" be doing, thinking, feeling differently than I am at a given time.  (Which is part of the intention...but it also can crush confidence.)

So NOT reading (anyone else's opinions) allowed me to hear what I was really thinking.  It was very peaceful!  All signal, no noise.  Well, monkey mind chatter, but even that was good, because having my mind clear made it possible to start seeing patterns even in the seemingly random.  And it was much easier to start doing stuff I wanted to do anyway, and get it done easily.  Whew.

I'm going to make a regular practice of this - fasting from the world's chatter.  I find that it works as well as occasionally fasting from food!  Very renewing and freeing, in a calm, happy, hey-I-like-myself sort of way.

[ArmaGoof]

As a man thinketh, so shall he be.  Emotions are the result of thoughts.  Change the input and the output will change accordingly.  Or, conversely, forget about what's bothering you by thinking about something else.

Whenever someone complains to me that they are really worried about something, I ask them if they would like me to chop off their leg to help them redirect their thinking. Of course, they say NO! but I remind them that for the 3 seconds they were considering my proposal, they were NOT worried about whatever it was they were worrying about.

As doomers, we have an accentuated burden consisting of MANY choices of thought that revolve around scenarios that include our possibly imminent demise.  Well...so what?  Are you sure you won't die tomorrow, anyhow?  Those guys at Ft. Hood sure didn't think they were going to die yesterday.  When it happens, there won't be a frigging thing you can do about it, if you even see it coming.

So how does one redirect their own thinking away from that which generates anxiety, which I believe involves thoughts that ultimately degenerate into envisioning some horrid rendition of one's own death, whether it be figuratively or literally?  The possibilities are endless, many listed above by the fine people of this forum.

Make your own list of things that do NOT result in you thinking thoughts that result in anxiety.  Then whenever you feel anxious, pick one. 

[ExRanger]

Not believing in anything I just sit,
listening to my breathing
After thirty years
It still goes in and out.

Albert Coelho

[Candy*Land]

Good Nutrition = free medicine

Good Sleep = Free medicine

Planning fun things (pref. with other people) = free medicine

Reaching out (pref to other people) for help/solace, etc, etc, etc = free medicine

Relaxation (music, vagal nerve breathing) = free medicine

Positive Self Talk = free medicine

Excercise, though, is... THE... MAGIC... BULLET
Excercise for stress reduction

Excercise for pain reduction

Excercise for depression and anxiety control

Walking, whatever -- 250 minutes a week.

Women -- waist below 35 inches.

Don't forget to follow your bliss -- doors will open. Joseph Campbell is your friend. 

[doctor zaius]

1. Take a long walk or hike in a quiet forest.

2. Get stoned.

3. Get a massage.

4. Get laid.

5. Gardening/landscaping.

6. Sitting down with one or two friends over a cup of coffee or tea and just chatting about life.

7. Go swimming in the ocean on a hot sunny day.

8. Take a long, deep sleep.

9. Watch a funny movie.

10. Watch a really good movie.

[doctor zaius]

1. Take a long walk or hike in a quiet forest.

2. Get stoned.

3. Get a massage.

4. Get laid.

5. Gardening/landscaping.

6. Sitting down with one or two friends over a cup of coffee or tea and just chatting about life.

7. Go swimming in the ocean on a hot sunny day.

8. Take a long, deep sleep.

9. Watch a funny movie.

10. Watch a really good movie.

11. Just say "Fuck it. I don't care anymore."

[pamela]

I hide. 

[Candy*Land]

I've found that my dog can comfort me when I'm very upset -- nothing else comes close (besides the excercise for anxiety - MAGIC BULLET). 

But, the excercise is preventative, if you're in a bad place and need something now, I highly recommend drugs (I take the 'legal' kind) and or your favorite pup.

THIS TOO SHALL PASS. (not that that's a good thing  )

((((((((((((((((hugs to all around))))))))))))))