When you're stressed out? This is pretty self explanatory. Most everyone has comfort items, foods, etc.

When I'm stressed, I always reach for the same items. First, my cross necklace--which used to be my grandmother's, and secondly, my favorite perfume. The cross has a long chain so that it can be hidden underneath my shirt, and my little secret of knowing it's there makes me feel better.

The perfume is a perfume that took me ten years to get from the first time I smelled it, but the fact that I loved it enough to remember it that long should say something. Now, when I know I'm going to have a rough day, I put it on, and whenever I get a whiff of it, it calms me down. It reminds me of my dad and how he'd always spray me with perfume in department stores, so it makes me feel loved. :yes:

When I get stressed out... I have to say I reach for my computer and read some crazy weird dramas >>;;;;. Which I never do usually... Just something to take my mind off of whatever or whoever it is that's stressing me out...

I find colouring with wax crayons really very relaxing, but most often these days i reach for the jar of Nutella. It's my shame :sweat:

Or i just find somebody willing to listen to me offload.

Killing things in games. Lately it's been Saints Row 3, causing havoc while playing classical music in the background. I love feeling slightly insane without having to face the consequences. XD

I hate to say it but when I'm really down, I drink and drink a lot.

I have a greenstone pendant that has no real sentimental value other than the fact I always wear it. I tend to grip that when I'm getting stressed. Other than that, I tend to reach for chocolate and solitude.

I usually go right for my i-pod and blast my music. It makes it so that way my music is the only thing that I hear. I can't hear my thoughts, and others around me, so it helps me to calm down. But I do tend to munch on food when I'm stressed, but I try not to do that for obvious reasons '-3-

@Laila: I tend to buy myself a bottle of nail polish or a little trinket/material treat when I'm down. I get what ya mean--it adds up. >>

I have always turned to playing my flute and guitar when I get stressed out, I always found that I could completely focus on the notes on the page and getting the right sound and tone I wanted out of the instrument and keep my mind off of whatever was bothering me. That was what I was able to do until I moved to this stupid town house and now the walls are so thin the only time I get to play is if I go to the practice rooms at the university, when I can't make it there for whatever reason I will turn to loud music, or get lost in some great fantasy novel.. pretty much anything to stop me from thinking about whatever it happens to be really.

i have a myriad of personal remedies really, depending on the reason why i am stressed out. i will:

a. write in my journal - sometimes well thought out poems, other times just anger rants that i dispose of later
b. talk to my best friend of 7 years who seems to always be there for me
c. play my violin
d. go for a long walk to clear my head and give myself time to think
e. listen to music at the highest volume i can, but not to the point that it hurts. the purpose is to drown out outside noise and my own thoughts, not go deaf.
f. draw/sketch in my sketchbook
g. read a book
h. stare at the ceiling of my room (which is light blue and has clouds painted on it)

also: i carry three metal charms in my pocket always: a peace symbol, a metal stone that says 'create' and another that says 'inspire'. i also wear the same necklace every day. it has a sun, tree, the words 'peace', 'create', and 'soul' on it. and i always wear a bracelet of mine that has a metal charm with the word 'artist' on it.

video games! especially left 4 dead. i want to blow some stuff up when i'm stressed.

My music and a book when not at home, violent video games when I am at home. That pretty much sums up the things I reach for when stressed.

When I am stressed out I usually get online. Get away from real life and just go to my online life. :/

@Grey: Ahhh, another violin player! You and I seem to be pretty similar. I used to wear bracelets with create and inspire on them all the time, but they broke. :(

I usually just sleep or eat something good. Good food is comforting and makes me happy. c:

I either play guitar vigorously, eat food vigorously or kill a lot of anything i can get my hands on in games...i don't get stressed often...but when i do, it's vigorous XD

I reach for a pencil and paper. It could be to write, draw, or just scribble.
Or, I don't reach for anything, if it's not accessible, and just bite my lip
or mess with my hands.

Originally Posted by Pa-chinko

Killing things in games. Lately it's been Saints Row 3, causing havoc while playing classical music in the background. I love feeling slightly insane without having to face the consequences. XD

I can agree with that. It's great to have an escape from reality.

Depends on the kind of stress. Sometimes I go on walks at the beach, sometimes I clean like CRAZY, sometimes I just curl up into a ball and sob uncontrollably.

Lot's of things. Computer games, art, movies, Bf. I'm lucky though. I don't think I have a huge mount of stress.

There is this grass field that I walk to when I'm upset to calm myself down. I love the feel of grass, especially on my bare feet. I also like to pick up a video game, usually either a fantasy JRPG or a much more violent action game, and let myself loose into the world of the game.

I also write. I write best when I'm upset.

My laptop, or my boxing gloves. :3
I'm a worry wart so I'm easily stressed out but I've
recently found new ways to relieve my stress like boxing or playing MineCraft.

It used to be food. But now, when I'm upset, I plug in my xbox and work the hell out on my kinect, until I'm to exhausted to be upset. *laughs*

Sometimes when I am really stressed out. I clean.
Now, not a cute clean as in sweep and mop.
No.
I go to the extremes of getting those sanitation wipes and I clean whatever mops,brooms...etc are not useful for.
I clean light switches, door knobs, lots of random stuff like that.
While I clean like that I listen to music that is so obnoxiously loud, the neighborhood can sing along.
Though I am never this stressed with out a good reason. So its pretty rare.
Though, my mom appreciates it... Hahaha.

Other times I go to my room, close the lights, the door and all things that make noise - wrap myself in my blankets, curl up in the corner (as my bed is against the wall and tucked into said corner) and just... cry. As much as I do not like crying... sometimes it just helps to get it all out.

I do not turn to people when I am stressed though... cause I get all crazy about it and then I just get offended when they do not understand. Either way, I just deal with it on my own. :)

Though... Destroying my nails, biting my lips until they bleed, and pulling my hair and (very) rarely pulling out the odd eye-lash are some other - more destructive ways I deal with stress. I try not to do those... but its sooo hard!

Originally Posted by Smores

I do not turn to people when I am stressed though... cause I get all crazy about it and then I just get offended when they do not understand. Either way, I just deal with it on my own. :)!

I totally understand you there. I turn into either a blubbering mess, or an angry and passive aggressive person, so I have to find ways of dealing with stuff other than leaning on people.