Dealing with anxiety

[Do_The_Evolution]

As most of you know i've been living a shitty time, this leading to huge amounts of stress and anxiety.

Since i've been living with it for the past 15 years or so, i know how it works and luckily i have a great therapist who teached me to focus on things when i'm about to have a panic attack.

So yesterday was one of those days and instead of puking or fainting, i grabbed a post-it and tried to focus on making a list of things or activities that ease my anxiety. I came up with maybe 8 things but since i'm in pain and i can't do much, i decided to sit in a very comfy bed/sofa and sketch those things. I didn't sketch them all yet, but it helped me focus on what i was doing and thinking of calming things made me feel better.

I'm sitting at my desk today and i'm trying to turn those sketches into actual little drawings just to keep focused on something. I'll show you once finished if you like.

Have you ever tried to ease anxiety with your creativity?
If so, what do you do?
Have you ever tried to turn a bad moment into a drawing, a song, a poetry, a sculpture or whatever is your skill?

I'd love to know! Post pics!

[dreamshell]

show us!

it's hard for me to be creative when i'm already feeling down, but when i get into the flow of writing, hours will fly by so that's less time i might otherwise spend miserable. & i do feel much more content after a good day banging out words than when i don't.

[Do_The_Evolution]

show us!

it's hard for me to be creative when i'm already feeling down, but when i get into the flow of writing, hours will fly by so that's less time i might otherwise spend miserable. & i do feel much more content after a good day banging out words than when i don't.

That's a great way to deal with all the downs! I perfectly get the content feeling of doing something instead of liein in bed like a mummy and doing NOTHING.

I'll show you once I complete one. I'm being super lazy but I'm doing it. Like slowly. Between naps.

[dreamshell]

recovery isn't being lazy, do that rip van winkle shit

[Do_The_Evolution]

I'm painting! Let's see if I can post something tonight or tomorrow

[KeyserSoze]

@dreamshell should also post some of their writing

[dreamshell]

no u?

what i'm writing rn is for a contest & like i said in another thread, there's technically a restriction on putting it up anywhere else. the host site doesn't show a lot of what's there if you don't have an account, either.

i'll pm the google doc to interested parties, i guess.

[KeyserSoze]

Oh I'm sorry I didn't see that. Well, do you have anything you are allowed to post here?

[Buttweave]

I've always had severe anxiety, among many other things, but about 3 years ago things took a turn for the worst. Long story short, due to bad side effects of a medication I was on for a year, I started losing my memory, forgot how to form words, had a hard time comprehending things, etc... on top of that, my anxiety caused/causes me to shake uncontrollably and heightens my disociation. I taught myself how to crochet during this time because it helped keep me focused, was calming, gave me some control, and was easier to do while shaking.


I do a lot of cross stitching and embroidery as well to help keep me focused when my hands are working better.
I like to craft in general so there are other odds and ends.

[Do_The_Evolution]

@dreamshell should also post some of their writing

I absolutely agree

[Do_The_Evolution]

I've always had severe anxiety, among many other things, but about 3 years ago things took a turn for the worst. Long story short, due to bad side effects of a medication I was on for a year, I started losing my memory, forgot how to form words, had a hard time comprehending things, etc... on top of that, my anxiety caused/causes me to shake uncontrollably and heightens my disociation. I taught myself how to crochet during this time because it helped keep me focused, was calming, gave me some control, and was easier to do while shaking.


I do a lot of cross stitching and embroidery as well to help keep me focused when my hands are working better.
I like to craft in general so there are other odds and ends.

Oh gosh!!! I'm in love with these!! They are beautiful!! also I'm terribly sorry about what happened. I have several collateral effects on my anxiety such as obsessive compulsive disorder, Which is not terribly severe like some others, but I have derealization and depersonalisation. Those can be much stronger. So I usually draw repetitive patterns like thin lines or dots to keep focused

[Do_The_Evolution]

Mkaaaay so here's the first little doodle about my anxiety relief. It's really nothing too fancy, it's just for the sake of drawing and focusing on something

[dreamshell]

golly you're both so talented

@Buttweave i love the patterns & the tmnt 8-bit-looking thing & the cat that dgaf

@Do_The_Evolution so cute! i love the little details w/ the shower basket & the expressions of the cloud faces & the meltiness

[JimothyZombie]

I think I accidentally deleted my comment

Evolution, you're style is cute and playful but also quite obviously well honed.
Buttweave, I've commented on your awesome stuff before. It's still awesome. I particularly like your pop culture stuff <3

I have often done creative stuff to deal with anxiety and depression, but I got to be careful otherwise it feeds into my tendencies of avoidance.







That last one I never finished. I was modelling a parasol to go with it. I should finish it up because I think I did end up almost getting it done. found it

[Do_The_Evolution]

I think I accidentally deleted my comment

Evolution, you're style is cute and playful but also quite obviously well honed.
Buttweave, I've commented on your awesome stuff before. It's still awesome. I particularly like your pop culture stuff <3

I have often done creative stuff to deal with anxiety and depression, but I got to be careful otherwise it feeds into my tendencies of avoidance.







That last one I never finished. I was modelling a parasol to go with it. I should finish it up because I think I did end up almost getting it done. found it

That's great Jim! I wouldn't be able to do those things I like that we all can do different things!

[JimothyZombie]

Yeah, it's awesome to see a diversity of things. I haven't done any of this in ages. Last year I spent maybe two solid days trying to do one thing and it just wasn't working, and that was it for the whole year :/ I miss it. I love modelling things, and texturing and lighting. And animating.

[JimothyZombie]

Also, yes you would. It's all practice. It's more a matter if it was your thing or not. 3D isn't for everyone. I think I like it so much because instead of it being purely artistic it can also be ubergeeky.

[Buttweave]

[/quote]
Oh gosh!!! I'm in love with these!! They are beautiful!! also I'm terribly sorry about what happened. I have several collateral effects on my anxiety such as obsessive compulsive disorder, Which is not terribly severe like some others, but I have derealization and depersonalisation. Those can be much stronger. So I usually draw repetitive patterns like thin lines or dots to keep focused
[/quote]

Omg, that shower self care pic is adorable as hell! I live it lol
I've been lurking on your situation as well and I'm sorry you're going through everything that you are as well
Lol that's me with the depersionalization/derealization! As my psychologist put it, I'm just not "living in reality" due to the disociation and focusing on repetative things helps with that. OCD is a bitch. While I actually don't have it to a big noticeable point, my husband does and it's exhausting for him. He usually draws to help, but sometimes it just makes it worse because it's just not 'right'.

I'm glad you're working with therapists as well. These things can take a lot of time, and I'm not always good with being patient, but the help they can provide makes like a little easier

[Buttweave]

@zombie Those are so cool! I hope you're able to get the motivation to finish the parasol because that whole image would look bad ass!

[Buttweave]

This hot mess is my 'no mistakes' piece. Basically, whatever stitch I make stays and I just have to figure it out lol gives me a chance to practice certain stitches and gives me something to do with my leftover floss from previous projects