What are some of the things you do to combat anticipated increased stress/anxiety?

I have realized lately that I handle stress and anxiety very badly at home. I mope, question everything, and become ridiculously fearful... I have an exam coming up and I feel that negativity ramping up again. It probably isn't helping that I just started talking to my therapist about this stuff. My instinct right now is to shut myself in my room and not talk to anyone for fear I will either annoy them or start a fight... From what I have read here, those who have been the loved one who is pushed away don't like it. Perhaps I should walk around outside or wander around at the store.

I'm just so afraid of annoying people because I get to feeling like I am not in control of my fear; there are so many good people in my life I feel that I don't deserve and I don't want to become too much for them because I know my perception is skewed right now. Its like I need a giant disclaimer banner!

Lucky,

I guess the one thing I would do....Would be to ask myself if my fears, and irrational thinking/feelings were justified?????

The exam that you have to take... Have you studied for it??? Have you done all that you can do to be prepared for it???? If yes, then there is nothing to be worried or upset over. You can only do the best that you can. being upset and putting more stress on yourself is counterproductive. It will only make you screw up more. Try to relax, and accept that you are doing the best that you can.

Lucky,

In college I reduced my anxiety by staying organized.

I had my schedule laid out by day 2 weeks in advance at all times, and had it printed out so I could take notes on it. Knowing what was coming at me and being able to see it made me less anxious. It also reduced the number of stressful situations I encountered as I was able to avoid more of them. At the time I mocked up a calendar on excel, however I have since discovered Google Calendar which I like better.

Same with exams. I start studying by making sure I have all the notes and practice exams available, so I don't get anxious about possibly missing material. On a sheet of paper I outline the subject matter I need to know for the exam, as well as highlight the ones that need more attention. This made me less anxious. I would also work intermittently with other students throughout the studying process, and we would fill in each others gaps of knowledge and teach solution technique. Working with others made it less stressful.

As for my weird, distorted, and irrational social fears/beliefs... the last few months I've taken the attitude that I'm going to prove to myself that they are wrong. And so I have been doing that, going out into the world and proving all those funny beliefs and fears to be wrong. They just melt away...

Hope something in all of that helps

Good advice, thank you much! Though I'm not worried so much about what to do about the exam itself as how to just reduce the stress in general when I want to take my mind off the exam completely and stop that downward spiral before it begins... like taking walks, watching TV, playing a round of tennis, going shopping, stuff like that.

Last night I took a wonderful walk with my husband and we picked up some ice cream and ate it while we walked back home. It was a very peaceful night after that. :D

I only buy clothes with pockets.

Because I keep my touchstones of grounding in my pockets.

Like: a purplish marble
a coin that says one day at a time
my first pets rabie vaccination tag (1964)
a stress squeezie ball that is the Earth
a small super ball
an egg with silly putty

When I squeeze the marble, coin, tag, balls it reminds me to focus

If I really need to distract I pull out the super ball and start bouncing and catching after about twenty times I really do start to change my perspective and add an additional 30 to 50 bounces to be sure.

If I'm sitting at a desk or in a place I can't bounce, I finger the putty for a while, reshaping and warming it, rolling it into a ball, flattening it ......

Necklaces are good things to, to play with or fidget with.

Every morning I pick what strikes me for the day. I don't know why but it works for me.