My questions:
[*]What kind of behaviors do you exhibit when stressed?
[*]How is your normal mode of thinking altered when stressed?
[*]How do you deal with stress?
From another thread on this forum:
I become incredibly analytical, and get 'stuck' in my brain, trying to 'fix' what is making me stressed, which usually entails me trying to 'fix' something I think I'm doing wrong, because I tend to think it's always my fault and only later will realize the other person might have played a role too. I become *really* judgmental, and see the negatives in everyone and everything, and nearly everything about people irritates me. I'm aware that I'm this way, and I then withdraw and don't talk as much to people, and tend to avoid conversation and stick to myself...mostly because I don't want to talk to anyone. I become antisocial. I also beat myself up about all of this, which exacerbates the stress. At home, I'll latch onto details and might nag more than usual, because I'm irritable and I don't like the cat litter flecks on the entry hall carpet. And I'm annoyed that I'm being so petty, which further stresses me out. By this point I can't stand being in my brain, so I then try to divert myself by forcing myself out to a gym or something, or I watch tv, or I try to distract myself by playing a game or something. Temporary fix. I'm also feeling physically ill by this point, and just want to lie down, so forcing myself out and about takes a lot of willpower, because I don't feel well and have a tension headache. ;-) I tend to lose my appetite. Eventually it works itself out -- I usually end up exhausting myself mentally/emotionally, and after sleeping poorly for several nights (if I'm really worked up about something, that is! Otherwise I might calm myself down in a day or so), my body will be exhausted, whereupon my mind will shut off, I'll stop doing the analytical stuff, and it'll be over.
To a certain extent I tailor my life so as to keep things as stress-free as possible. I suppose I tend to do the preventative thing...so as to keep myself from ever getting into major stressout mode.
The above description is the cycle of a more major stressout session. If it's just moderate stress, it would dissipate within the same day, and I'd get it under control. It's major stress that blows up and goes over several days. Thankfully that doesn't happen too often.
[*]What kinds of things stress you out?
Interpersonal conflict, misunderstandings, or self-analysis stuff/digging too deep into 'why' I might do things and behave certain ways. All of those can stress me out.
Not having a grand plan in life can cause me stress. But not knowing my 'next step' in life is more of a low-level background stress/unknown that usually doesn't bother me, but every now and then flares up and causes greater stress.