originally posted on 22-09-2014 8:53 PM

You def need your nothing days !!!! @j95

originally posted on 22-09-2014 8:37 PM

j95, that's a good point...can't have too much pizza 😛 

Alright guys, next question! 

What are the areas of life that people seem to struggle with most? Is there a way to make these things easier/less stressful (even if it's just dropping everything for a while and going to watch tv!)?

originally posted on 22-09-2014 8:45 PM

What are the areas of life that people seem to struggle with most? Is there a way to make these things easier/less stressful (even if it's just dropping everything for a while and going to watch tv!)?

 

 

- Uni/TAFE/School

- Relationships (e.g. family and friends)

- Meeting expectations (e.g. of self, parents, teachers etc.)

- Work

- Maintaining a healthy lifestyle (e.g. regular exercise, I struggle with this anyway and can sometimes get stressed that I'm not looking after myself well enough)

 

Ways to manage these could be having realstic expectations of yourself/setting realistic goals (e.g. rather than expecting to go from a C to an A, set short term goals to achieve this [e.g. moving from a C to a B]), planning your time and commitments (e.g. exercise, study, work, social life etc.) to make things more manageable and achievable for you so you don't become overwhelmed, having an open dialogue with family and friends and bringing up issues in a sensitive way straightaway when they happen (e.g. don't stew), asking for help when you're having issues at school/uni/TAFE and/or work, taking a break from things (e.g. watching TV like you said @Magga, going shopping, going to the beach etc.)... There could be loads, but these are the main ones that come to mind for me.

originally posted on 22-09-2014 8:42 PM

What are the areas of life that people seem to struggle with most? Is there a way to make these things easier/less stressful (even if it's just dropping everything for a while and going to watch tv!)?

I struggle with time management a lot. I also am really bad at saying no to people, which means that I overload myself with committments and responsibilites, usually for other people and sometimes they are things that I really don't want to do. My psychologist and I have recently been focusing our sessions on assertiveness and I've found it really helpful.

 

I also seem to get over excited and over commit myself to amazing opportunites. I've had to say no to a lot of great volunteering and social justice opportunities this year because I've learnt from last year that being over committed was a big source of my anxiety.

 

I also struggle with social anxiety. This is hard because I am always at meetings and on teleconferences, and attending events so that I can network. I am funny about food and hate it when I have to eat in front of people. I also hate going to tutes and pracs, and rarely ever go to lectures because there are so many people. This is something that I'm struggling with a bit now and need to work on.

 

Again, I talk to various different people. I stay as organised and on top of things as possible. I have lots of baths and listen to music to both pump me up and calm me down. However I do have periods of time where I do just drop everything and binge watch tv. And that's okay too! In moderation...

originally posted on 22-09-2014 8:48 PM

I used to struggle saying no to people alot too, im much better at it now and it really makes a difference! Im glad you know your limits and stick to them, very smart move, i think i need to learn my own limits!! You sound busy! i admire your persistence

originally posted on 22-09-2014 8:50 PM

I tend to get bored if I'm not busy @SJG . I love volunteering and helping people. And I get to hang out with great groups of people whilst doing it!

 

I have had to learn to schedule in 'me' time though as I'm so busy. Me time often consists of bubble baths, shopping splurges, going out for brunch with friends, painting my nails and playing with my nephew 🙂

originally posted on 22-09-2014 8:55 PM

florence, that's so good to hear! Sounds like it's been a long, tough journey. Glad to hear you're feeling better after it all 🙂 

 

j95 - I think the very best thing you can do for yourself is to give yourself that day off every so often (or even every week!) just to sit back and relax. If you're going and going without stopping you'll just burn yoiurself out, and then you won't want to do any of these things. Try to take care!

originally posted on 22-09-2014 8:56 PM

Thanks @Magga . It really has been a long journey. And I'm sure it'll keep going with ups and downs. I still have my bad days, but I've also learnt that it's okay and I can get over them. Icecream also helps...

originally posted on 22-09-2014 9:00 PM

j95 - pets are good too. We actually had a getting real session about that a month or so ago - big discussion about pets! If you get a chance you should check it out 🙂

florence - ice cream always helps! but yea, it takes a while, but it's worth it in the end. I mean, you're obviously feeling so much better now than you did back then-  and even if that isn't the case 100% of the time, it's a big improvement 🙂 

originally posted on 22-09-2014 9:02 PM

It definitely is @Magga  🙂

@SJG  - thanks for the advice re Uni. I think I should look into some of the services available at my uni. It would probably ease my stress levels a little!

originally posted on 22-09-2014 9:09 PM

What are some of the major consequences that stress and anxiety can have on our mental health? How can we take care of ourselves when things become too much?

 

 

- Low self-esteem

- Low mood

- Avoiding things (e.g. uni)

- Low motivation

- Being irritable with others and not wanting to spend time with people

- Panic attacks

- Development of a mental health condition if it is sustained over a long period.

 

I like to talk it out as a self care strategy when I get overwhelmed (e.g. with family, friends or my psychologist). I also like listening to music, taking a drive to the beach, taking a bath, scheduling regular leisure time for myself, and mindfulness. Re-adjusting how much work I am taking on also helps, but I don't always remember to do it!

originally posted on 22-09-2014 9:06 PM

Stress can be so bad for mental health - it can lead to depression, anxiety, anger issues, as well as physical symptoms (I'm sure we've all experienced headaches from excess stress...). I think it's good to take time to be alone and relax (read, write, play xbox...) as well as spend time with friends and get out of the house for a bit. You need a balance! 

originally posted on 22-09-2014 8:58 PM

Great thing to remember, it always gets better and things always change @florenceforever

Oh i miss my dog so much!! @j95 pets always cheer you up 🙂

originally posted on 22-09-2014 8:54 PM

Painting my nails is one of my down times too, mine are so chipped at the moment 😞 yuckkk haha @florenceforever

originally posted on 22-09-2014 8:55 PM

Yeah I need to do mine big time right now @SJG ! I'm thinking a nice lilac for spring time 🙂

originally posted on 22-09-2014 8:40 PM

For me its uni, dealing with troublesome housemates, family problems and work. With uni i always make sure i ask for help when i need it, it took me a while to learn this. With housemates i always try to be honest and kind. With family i just makes ure i stay in contact as often as possible, they are the most important! And work, well i guess i just keep doing it!

originally posted on 22-09-2014 9:05 PM

I think when things don't go as planned is when it can get hard. People like me have had our life planned out since we were 12 years old, and when things go wrong, it can be hard to accept your situation, let alone tell everyone else who asks. For my example, I haven't gone to the uni I wanted to, have dropped out of the one I did, and am very, very broke. The hardest part is talking to people who have such high expectations for you and telling them that it isn't working out, and you feel like you've let them down. The upside is that I have an amazing job (the one I was at uni to get anyway), and I just need my friends to remind me that just because things don't go as planned doesn't mean that you've failed: sometimes something better comes along. I'm lucky because my best friend is one of those amazing people that makes you feel better just with her presence, so when life gets tough I head over to hers, her mum cooks comfort food and we watch girly movies and binge on junk food. Sometimes all you need to feel better is a friend (or two) who truly knows you and to just chill out and have a break from the stress and troubles, and figure out how to face them when you're in a safe, stress-free environment.

originally posted on 22-09-2014 9:11 PM

hey! @Caity1912 welcome to the session 🙂 that so true! its so hard when life doesnt go to plan, whether they are your plans or someones plans for you, its really hard to accept. Ive had to learn this the last few years, not everything works out the way you expect, but its not always a bad thing! it can lead to great things 🙂 and youre friends sound really great, its so helpful to have people you feel 100% yourself around!

originally posted on 22-09-2014 8:45 PM

Nice one sjg! I'm the same, it took me a while to actually ask for help with uni stuff. Tutors are always happy to help! And so are friends and family. 
Haha work is a bit different - can't really skip it! But taking some time off is great if you can manage it. 

florence, seems like you're getting better at dealing with all of these things! It's cool to see that you're aware of your capabilities. Keep at it 🙂 

originally posted on 22-09-2014 8:48 PM

It's definitely been a long journey @Magga ! It's really only been this year that I've really gotten on top of things. Lots of conversations with mentors/psychologist/KHL counsellor.

 

It feels pretty great to be in a place where I can say all this. The past year 8 have been all over the place and I haven't felt like this. I've learnt a lot about myself and my capacity. I've learnt to do what I need to do to be okay. Having a much more stable mood also feels pretty great 🙂

originally posted on 22-09-2014 8:44 PM

I'm not good at asking for help at uni. I really struggle with it actually. What do you do @SJG ? Who do you go to first? 

originally posted on 22-09-2014 8:51 PM

Dont be afraid to email your lecturer! They usually have allocated time every week to talk to students. Thats what they are paid for! my mum always tells me to make them earn their money 🙂 Also you uni should have student services, they can read over your work and help you with referencing, wording etc and librarians should can help you with research (which can be so helpful) @florenceforever