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PenAndPapers

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Living alone, how do you cope up with anxiety, depression and stress from work or from the current events?

A few days ago my roommate just moved back to their province and I'm the only one left now. I'm used to living alone but not in this kind of situation where I'm limited on things that I can do like going outside to unwind or go to the mall, eat in a restaurant, see some of my friend, play outdoor sports.

Lately I find my self having hard time going to sleep at night, I'm having panic attacks which I didn't experienced before, worrying about things, getting sick and hard to focus at work. I'm worried that this can affect my performance in my current job.

Any advice on how to cope up in this kind of situation? Thank you keep safe and God Bless!

Oldest comments (41)

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yellow1912 profile image
yellow1912

Depending on your personality, living alone can be a blessing. But we humans sometimes yearn for a human touch, so these are things that helped me:

  1. Doing exercise regularly (indoor is fine)
  2. Being easy on self (having a beer at the end of the day is fine)
  3. Keep yourself busy (personal projects etc that can keep your mind wandering)
  4. Pick up new hobby

You cannot go outside at all or don't want to? If you can go outside, even alone is fine. I also used to have lots of Yahoo messenger calls and chats to feel that I'm not alone (back in the day when Yahoo was still a thing). Now you have zoom, team, slack, discord, and so many more options.

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penandpapers profile image
PenAndPapers

I'm able to go outside but having this thought in me that when I go outside I can get infected is what stopping me. Your totally right I should do more of video chatting my friends and family and pick up new hobby. Thank you! :D

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jizavala profile image
jizavala

The things I do like everyday:

  1. Fight with people in social networks because... CHAOS and illumination :v
  2. Do Exercise.
  3. Video Games action is better cause you use your reflex and a lot of concentration.
  4. Take a lot of breaks.
  5. Take it easy on everything, if you don't have the willingness to work just don't
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penandpapers profile image
PenAndPapers • Edited

Thanks so much, yeah I've been a bit hard on my self lately, not having much of break at work and worrying about deadlines. The last one sounds like fun I'll try to do that :D

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jizavala profile image
jizavala

Glad it helps you, worrying about deadlines is our default, but even the deadlines can be changed unless is a life death situation, but in this part maybe you need to talk with your manager or if you are freelancing maybe make a more relaxed planification with more days to reach your goals.

Or maybe you can use a journal it helps a lot mostly with the noise in your brain caused by trio of the dead brain :v

regards.

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mbirkenkamp profile image
mbirkenkamp

to the point of exercise, there is a lot of research suggesting that depression can be lessend by exercise (mostly running, but other cardio trainings help, too). For seditary workplaces (especially at home where you don't bother anyone), you could try these mini stationary bikes that go under your desk.

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mccurcio profile image
Matt Curcio • Edited

Duuude...

I know that your viewpoint is the cool way of pop culture but I have to strongly disagree.

  1. Fight with people? In a time when social connections are strained and people are physically distant Alienate the people around you? Make all your friends mad and hate you?

  2. Do Exercise, YES everyday on schedule if you have to.

  3. Video games for the most part are Para-social. They (for the most part) tend to cut you off from necessary and uplifting human interaction.

  4. [and 5] Take breaks, Yes. Be easy on yourself. Don't fall for 'negative thought traps.'
    BUT if you are talking about sitting around the house and doing nothing versus setting a daily realistic goal, get something done and feel a sense of accomplishment, I say feel some accomplishment.

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jizavala profile image
jizavala • Edited

Ma friend, you are waaaaaay too misguided, is not pop culture, is my way of cope with the problems the OP mentioned, is not the cool way, is the lazy way, the path of the procrastinator, the path of the chaos if you add the point number one. That's why I said is something I DO, but as the fight has started read my answers is funny or at least to me :v

  1. Answer to your point number one, fight with PEOPLE the keyword is PEOPLE, I never said fight with your friends or family in what part of my answer I said fight with your family or friends and feel good about that and the other keyword in that sentence is CHAOS yes, or as we like to know, thanks Batman for this, "Some men just want to see the world burn". If you think I like to fight with my family you are pretty much right, they hate me? Maybe yes, but I don't care :v

  2. Answer to your point number three, he ask how you deal with anxiety, depression and stress, where in all the holy post is said about human interaction, as I know cause I am someone with anxiety, depression and stress, people or human interaction as you said is a no no for me, people is just stressful as to go to a meeting that easily can be a email, depression is nothing about uplifting my friend, depression is way too deeper than shallow human interaction, depression needs meds or a good psychologist or both, if your anxiety is chronic well, you need meds and something to cope, and no, people is not the number one method to cope with anxiety. You need to put your brain to work in something different because work is killing you with all the three. Videogames helps cause you use other parts of your brain and playing make you feel something were accomplished even if is not real a lot of games has social interaction normally the mmorpg, WoW is an example.

  3. Answer to your point number four, take a break goes to just sit in your front porch, or wherever you like and see the horizon or the people walking or even a bird jumping from branch to branch, you don't need to accomplish nothing, you just need a break, just laid back and breath, just that, people tend to say you need to accomplish something in the day or you fail the day, to me accomplishment is know that I work as hard as I could, I don't eat candies cause I need to lose weight but hey if you couldn't do it, is alright too. You need to go to your own pace, you are not running against anybody, just you and your life, ma friend is ok if you need to feel you accomplished something is good.
    You need to rest heck even doing exercise the people said rest is more important than reps, muscles are a combination of rest, food and workout, and as someone with a goal in lose weight I learned that I need to do 45 min tops of working out 4 days and 8 hours of sleep and rest three days, so rest is a kind of accomplishment.
    My daily realistic goal is eat your meals, do fasting, do exercise, work if you feel you want to do it, or at least try if after 5 min you don't want to just go with the flow and last but not least smile and laugh if by the night I accomplish at least two of these well the day was good is little victories, baby steps or as Creed taught me One step at a time. One punch at a time. One round at a time, but I like my modified version that says, One step at a time, One day at a time, One goal at a time, made sense? Maybe not, but works for ME.
    So after that letter for you point number four, I can resume that answer as "Do nothing is doing something".

Thanks for reading.

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mccurcio profile image
Matt Curcio

jizavala,
Your right, every fam is different, every person is different and to that I say,

Your happiness is important, may you be happy

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scroung720 profile image
scroung720 • Edited

I was feeling the same way. Then I realized that now I have the time to do all the things I always wanted to do but didn't have the time. I have finished recently 5 online courses from Coursera and I am taking other 5 courses right now. It feels great to expand your view of things I am taking courses on design and productivity and it is really interesting for me. Besides that something that has helped a lot is a Nintendo Switch game called Ring Fit it helps you to do exercise indoors and it works. I believe this is a good time to learn a new hobby, new language.

Another thing that I have seen is that some people does not know how to work from home put a schedule and don't work extra hours, in my case I try to work 7 hours at day and trying that worst case to be 8 hours.

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penandpapers profile image
PenAndPapers • Edited

Thank you that's a really nice advice, I'll try to look for something new to learn. I'm currently interested in learning other JS framework like React or Svelte.

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arthurespinoza profile image
Arturo Espinoza Quintero

Well... Sometimes if I feel very lonely I stop the job or the tasks I am doing, then I make a cup of coffee or any hot drink and start playing videogames or watching series.

The point here is that you must keep your mind distracted, do something you like and you enjoy

Hope my words make any help. Greetings

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penandpapers profile image
PenAndPapers

Thank you, I'll try to keep myself busy and do things I enjoy more. Keep safe and God Bless! :D

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richardoey profile image
RichardOey

Hi, I also feel the same too, but not exactly in the same situation. You could identify your feeling, and it's good because you are still aware with your condition. I don't think I am the right person to suggest you something because until now, I am still facing the anxiety, envy with someones lives, and have too much expectation in lives, and you must know in the internet, meditation is the effective way to beat this state of emotion. I do regularly meditation every morning now, and it affects me a little bit. Maybe, after several months practicing this, I could feel the difference significantly. Moreover, learn about Stoicsm is a good way too. The point is, mindfulness. I learnt some from these videos, hope they could help.

youtu.be/vzKryaN44ss

youtu.be/w6T02g5hnT4

youtu.be/R9OCA6UFE-0

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penandpapers profile image
PenAndPapers

Thank you so much for your advice! I'll try to meditate more, I've only tried in a few times and I can say meditation really helps me to clear my mind and help me to focus more after. Keep safe and God Bless :D

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mccurcio profile image
Matt Curcio

Very nice vids,
Thank you

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valentinbcn profile image
Valentin

I just moved to another city for a new job 3 months ago, I know no one, so sometimes can be hard but trying your best is the best options, here is a couple of things I like to do

  • Playing video games
  • (i had to build my own computer)((good fun))

  • I joined a meetup group, sometimes I go sometimes not, meeting international people it's fun, i'm a social person

  • I had a girlfriend the first month, It didn't work, I'm moving along

  • I just joined a climbing class last week

  • I stopped taking online class and stuff like that, now I'm just playing video games, listening music I feel the need to chill in a way

  • I bought a shitty bike and rebuilt it entirely (still shitty tho) but sometimes I take it and just visit the town (I take it to go to work too)

Some moments are really hard, the loneliness is hardcore but I try to enjoy being alone and find way to meet people, things will get better with time and good will :)

(sorry for my bad english it's not my native langage)

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penandpapers profile image
PenAndPapers

Thank you so much that was a really nice advice :D

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mby profile image
Buğra Yıldız

This is your most valuable time. You're not alone, so don't feel alone. Take time to enjoy stuff around you, let the universe exprience itself through your eyes, hands, thoughts.

Go to the 25th hour maybe?

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penandpapers profile image
PenAndPapers

Thank you so much, now I feel a lot better. :D

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mccurcio profile image
Matt Curcio

OK, got me...
What is the "25th hour maybe?"

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mby profile image
Buğra Yıldız

You take a cup of something you like to drink, go outside.

Then you stop, find somewhere away from the crowd but still sees it. You sit and start the watch all the fuss from there. Life becomes a movie alike scene at that time, you suddenly start to enjoy seeing those lost-in-future people.

that's 25th hour everyone

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hrishio profile image
Hrishi Mittal

No.1 thing I would say is get outside as much as possible (based on restrictions where you are).

Do physical stuff - build things with your hands, exercise, go for long walks.

Don't be too hard on yourself. This is a weird time for everyone. If productivity dips a bit, it doesn't matter. This too shall pass.

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juliofagundes profile image
Julio Fagundes

+0.01 cent
Go get new friends, experiences, by keeping open to know new people. Small Talks are always good to show a little from you.
Invite ppl to go a common places in town.
Go outside, travel, even alone.

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metruzanca profile image
Samuele Zanca

When you say work is stressing you out, do you actually mean that its challenging? If maybe it's stress related to talking to people e.g. some kind of presentation or not feeling adequate then I'm sorry but it's all self inflicted and you need to work on yourself instead of blaming the workplace. If. The prior, you need to work on speaking publicly if the latter then you need to remember that they hired you, if you were inadequate you'd be fired. If none of these and its actual stress then it's probably a sign that is the wrong job or bad workplace. Work shouldn't be stressful.

In regards to the outside world's happenings, simply learn to give less of a fuck. Not giving a fuck is really quite invigorating.

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penandpapers profile image
PenAndPapers

Hahahaha that was really nice advice thank you. :D

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