Stress and Anxiety

The inspiration for this post(and I guess it's a reply to it as well): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3B5u2ObnLs

I am a shy, awkward, nervous, anxious, and generally neurotic person. Stress and worry are consistently a part of my life. My mind rarely stops and I am constantly over-thinking and over-analyzing. I would certainly like to be able to turn off my brain at times, but in a lot of circumstances my nature can be a blessing.

Coping with the anxiety and stress is important for me. My tendency toward stress and anxiety is part of what makes me who I am, but it also could easily lead to my own mental breakdown. The best coping mechanism for me is what I will call my inner Bobby McFerrin. I always try to keep the little voice in my head that says, "don't worry, be happy," healthy and prevalent. The best way for that to remain in decent shape for me is adequate sleep, but of course my overactive mind can create periods where getting proper amounts of sleep difficult. For those times it is all about distraction. I can find distraction in varied ways that will focus my mind on something other than what is keeping me stressed and worried. Perhaps the best therapy for me is playing my guitar. I can be angry or worried, but once I've picked it up and started playing, I calm down. Another distraction for me is video games. Playing games that are just fun like Rock Band or Saints Row 2 can provide a great distraction for me. Sometimes when nothing else works just sitting in my room with the lights off and curtains drawn and listening to music helps. At lot of times listening to sad music helps me out greatly.

Thanks for reading

-Michael