Stress Center Peer Support

I cant remember where I saw or heard this, but it works for me on those days when i have anxiety or feeling depressed.

Once you are dressed and looking the way you like to see yourself, look at yourself in the mirror often and SMILE to yourself. It somehow makes me feel better to see myself smiling. let me know if it works for you.

One other thing I got from Dr. Oz on breathing. This comes from a yoga technique. This is opposite of Lucinda's technique - I'm not saying not to do Lucinda's but you can try this too:

Lick your lips and inhale through your mouth (the cool air inhaled due to the moist lips is eneficial) and exhale thru your nose and humm. The humming actully vibrates a certain nerve which releases endorphins. Use the same counts - Inhale on 2 and Exhale on 4.

Let me know how you like it!
Leslee

Hi Leslee..

Thanks for all of your wonderful posts!

I will try the breathing, love Dr. Oz!

I wanted to comment on the smiling comment- good tiP! I have heard smiling releases good endorphines too and of course is easier on the facial muscles to smile then frown- I have taken it to the next step- when Im driving and someone cuts me off I smile and change the thoughts.. when I get upset now I try and smile, grocery stores I smile etc. I have also started (when I am feeling really down or sometimes not) picking something I like about someone (even a stranger) and complimenting them- makes you feel much better in a round about way!

Please continue to pass the tips along! really helpful to share!

I am trying this now but it feels wierd humming and hard to exhale through your nose at the same time....

Well I cant say you actually hum and exhale thru your nose -the humming exhales ...somewhere - i guess thru ur throat. It does medically work tho keep trying

Yeah how the heck do you hum and exhale through your nose at the same time? lol I am trying and failing miserably! I do like the breathing in through the mouth tactic, though, especially with the wet lips. Refreshing!

Thanks the humm on exhale works a lot better
I will try this for a week. I'm on week 2.
Terri

I compliment strangers, and indeed my friends a lot! A good one is they smell nice, people often do smell nice! or I comment on clothing etc and it REALLY does feel good to spread a little love around! Even at my worst anxiety, and when I was really in my own head with horrible thoughts I'd always compliment people and it ALWAYS made me feel better!

My Mum 'huffs' a lot, even when she's not particularly angry, so today I said 'every time you go to 'huff' just make a content noise instead' she sounded so ridiculous she just kept laughing, and the huffing has stopped