How do you cope with stress?

Listening to music that relates to my stressful situation always works. Gives me a medium to express my feelings and let out my emotions thru someone else's words.

 

Another is exercise, just running and lifting till the sweat starts coming hard, relieves some of the stress off my shoulder.

I drink coffee and imagine there's an attractive red-haired female with her arms around me. 

Yup, for me it's doing the 2 things I love and that's listen to music and playing pool. I reckon always having some time to yourself, to keep yourself happy is the best way to take that little break the mind needs and then just get back to gunning it after. Obviously we have to be practical and all. Exercise, etc, things that require energy, release endorphins etc or something like that and helps relieve the built up tension we have within us. Even just doing some press ups and small home exercises will help someone tremendously.

I prefer to drink.

 

A few cold ones reorients the perspective and a couple hours with friends at the bar has a way of making things better.

Haha, that's certainly one way.

I like playing music and certain video games (music/rhythm or fighting usually). Exercise is another great one, I always feel pretty good after a solid workout.

 

Of course, kicking back in a comfortable chair with a good album on is something wonderful too.

Playing a good videogame has always been something that has helped me take my mind off of stuff

Alcohol and drugs are decent ways of unwinding, but speaking from personal experience (and I'm being 100% serious) don't let it get out-of-hand. You might find yourself NEEDING that drink or hit to deal with stress. And from there comes addiction. It happened to me, and let me tell you... few things are as stressful as that.

 

/end public service announcement

 

 

On a more positive note, I also enjoy thinking about women to unwind.

Agreed, MuppetFace. I drank too much some years back. It pushed my blood pressure up, but no legal problems, still went to work/class, and I never get ornery. But I knocked it off entirely for about a year. I've gone dry for a few years at a time, too.

But the previous job was stressful and kept me to all hours. Three or four drinks evened things out and helped me get to sleep. Never had hangovers or missed work, but it certainly helped.

Coffee + music

A walk along the river listening to old music, lay down in the park under a tree and read, a matinee, wine, food; all those things alone, preferably, accompanied by Christina Hendricks would not be a bad thing either.

Edited by JIGF - 9/26/10 at 12:18am

I should add that pets are wonderfully helpful, too. I'm a cat person, so having one around helps a lot. At my new place, there's a calico kitten in the alley out back. I think she was dumped or abandoned. Very affectionate and I'm working on her. She was nervous about being brought inside, but that can be fixed. I'll turn her into a spoiled lapcat. It'll be good to have a cat I can pick up and doze with on the sofa. Always makes me feel better.

Music + reading is my remedy.

 

Ambient music makes me relax, and the book takes my mind of whatever might be worrying me.