"Manage"? Yeah, I mean like to manage muh mental health or to improve upon myself. A little bit of a different vibe than my Reduction Advice.
Starting out with the three duhs here. I do weight-resistance stuff ideally 3x a week. With cardio throughout.
Sleep is king.
Duh.
Guide coming.
Again, another disclaimer here. This section contains ~opinions~ and advice. I'm not some super health perfectionist, and you don't have to listen or agree with me. Also it's obvious that I'm kinda having fun ranting lol. We're good here?
Alright, I don't want to sound like one of those people who say shit like "HaVe YoU tRiEd WaShiNg YoUr PiLLoWcAsE" to people with acne. Seems like common advice, right? No caffeine? But I see caffeine being drunk everywhere I go (at least here in 'Merica). Coffee, soda, energy drinks, whatever. There's someone online I used to follow who would complain about non-stop panic attacks while drinking multiple Monster Energy drinks even at night. One Monster Energy 16oz can (the tall normal one) has 160mg of caffiene. For reference, many doctors advise reducing your caffeine consumption to like 100mg if you have anxiety issues.
But if I would point this out, people would say stuff like "oh you're focusing too much on the energy drinks... it's not a big deal... blahblahblah." Am I going crazy here? This has to be a psyop by food companies to drink this shit at all times . Or "oh I can drink a triple expresso before bed, it doesn't affect me." Everyone's body works differently, but I suspect most are downplaying the effects of caffeine at the very least.
My advice if you get anxiety? Cut out coffee (or whatever beverage) for a week. Seriously. When I get anxious episodes, I will abstain for a week. For the record, I am noted that I am someone who seems caffeine senstive overall. I think it's less bad when I'm actively doing something. Like if I'm walking around somewhere or packing or hiking around, I won't get anxious really. But if I'm just sitting at my desk, 3 cups can make me tweak out.
And this is coming from someone who absolutely adores coffee and will drink it black. The smell of fresh beans >>>> .... ahhhh... Abstaining for a week can be painful... Especially since I love the calm atmosphere and look forward to my morning cup. But I also don't want to tweak out or become an addict.
I honestly don't like soda or energy drinks at all. They make my mouth feel weird and sticky. They also kinda hurt my stomach. Energy drinks are the worse. I don't care or judge if you drink them, but it boggles my mind how so many people buy them constantly. Or the weird marketing tactics that some energy drink companies use. I'll ramble about marketing at some point, but what the hell are the fancy-ass "Alani" drinks with the aesthetic packaging? It gives me social media viral drink whatever vibes; like moms on TikTok get addicted to it or something... At the very least, we can hopefully all agree that kids don't need energy drinks at all [insert doom face]
What do you look like when you get anxious?? I get irritable, can't stop thinking (!!!) about whatever... I overthink. A lot. But my sure-tell physical symptom is the left-side of my chest hurting. And the bottom of my left arm. It sucks. It feels like I have heart damage. I've looked it up before, and Doctor Google will diagnose me with heart attack which probably doesn't help. Anyways, I try to step back, re-evaluate myself, and then take steps to reduce my habits.
"Psychic damage"? What the hell is that, Amy? It's a word I made up (kinda, not really)! Okay, more like just use. It means essentially doomscrolling or just sites that contribute nothing... but make you stressed for whatever reason.
So what sites give psychic damage, digital self-harm, whatever? Social media! Yay, anti-social media rant number 9302230 on Neocities! :D But seriously, even social media behaviors like dumb drama, dumb discouse, dumb follower / clout obsession give psychic damage. TikTok telling you that you need to spend $$$ on gatcha games, figures, bodywash, perfumes is psychic damage. Xitter saying you aren't "allowed" (lol) to have an opinion on something, like [XYZ] character, or draw fanart is psychic damage. Seriously quit it. If something is negatively affecting mentally that you wouldn't even care about outside of the internet, then really reevaluate your life.
Notice how all of the dumb crap wouldn't even EXIST outside the internet? If an opinion can not exist outside of Xitter, then that's not a good sign. There are genuinely evil people who do things like kill people for fun or hurt kids, right? Then there are serious assholes. Like people who scam old people or do hit-and-runs. Then maybe just jerks like people who steal donuts in the break room or something. I'm not saying nobody is allowed to be criticized like it's kindergarden or something, but take a step back if dumb discourse is making you anxious. Are you actually evil or a serious asshole like the examples I've listed above? No?? Then don't have a moral crisis over fandom discourse.
Here's what I recommend, use a website blocker for sites that give you psychic damage. Take a break, it's not going anywhere. Block sites on your router or use an browser extention. And seriously consider going off of social media. Seriously. Delete Tiktok and anything the Zucc owns. It's trash. (Unless you run a business off or need them for commissions or something. But I digress.) And avoid dumb stuff from Tumblr or Xitter or something. I think Japanese fandoms are onto something being block-happy. Everyone has "landmines" or dumb crap they don't want to see. So it makes sense to just block people and move on with your life. Is this thing that's making you anxious going to matter in 5, 10 years? NO? So why not just block or unfollow or mute someone? Life is short.
Omg, Tumblr did so much damage to our generation. It's not funny to say "I hate myself xD". Point at a trash can and say "me!!" I'm sorry, but nobody thinks that's funny. It's just kind of awkward in real life.
I think that self-hate comes from a defensive mechanism a lot of the time. People tease me (or they might) -> I know! I will be ~self-aware~, so it won't hurt as bad. Except now you condition yourself to be critical all the time, so you can be prepared before they insult you. Congratulations, the voice in your head is now your own bully.
I miss when things seemed authentic. You can make fun of Shadow the Hedgehog or cheesy, edgy stuff like that all you want. I would rather take that over the stuff I see constantly nowadays. You're watching a fantasy show and a character says "ERHM, am I really seeing a flying DINOSAUR??" OMG STFU!! I've seen this called the "Marvelization" or "Marvel movie effect". "Millennial humor" (sorry millennials). Yeah I know this is not an original complaint, but I don't care. Self-aware weebs too... just admit you're cringe and move on with your life!
ANYWAYS, stop making these jokes all the time if you do. It makes you see every little mistake you make.
Instead of wasting your life being negative or hypnotizing yourself into scrolling away, maybe try creating? Drawing is nice and many people here on Neocities like it. If you are stressed, draw for enjoyment instead of trying to pump something out. Try writing out your feelings. It doesn't have to be poetry, it can be writing about anything really. Creation doesn't have to be artsy-fartsy either, you can teach someone something. Learn something actively.
Part of what makes le oldweb cool is how much less passive it is. There's definitely a business incentive to keep people passive and CONSOOM product. Transformative works help distract and focus the mind. Plus, it's more likely some form of media or information will be beneficial to you instead of taking up more headspace.
Back in the day, people had to go out of their way to listen to music, read books, etc. Instead of constantly playing filler noise, appreciate the music you hear. Slow down and taste the food you eat. Etc. I don't even like how grocery stores play music constantly. All of the noise... the singing, the sounds of people talking, the carts moving... cause psychic damage.
Anyways, I also want to emphasize that avoiding ADVERTISEMENTS really helped me be less anxious as well... think about it. They are literally propaganda for you to spend money on useless crap. I sound like an edgy high schooler, but whatever. Stop looking at random short-form videos of people selling you Amazon products you "totally" need. Stop looking at people showing off their consoom collections if you are vulnerable. Just stop. Remove meaningless crap from your headspace and focus on things that actually matter. You know? Like your friends and family? Things worth protecting? Knowledge? Things that advance humanity? Nature? blahblahblah you get it...
This is a HUGE one that I'll talk about in my food/diet section. And it doesn't apply to everyone. But when you've had issues struggling to eat or eat enough, it can aggreviate anxiety and stress 1000%.
Look up what hypoglycemia is. Essentially it's when blood sugars drop periodically below normal. Usually about 2-3 hours after you eat or when stress. A lot of hypoglycemic / low blood sugar symptioms are like that woozy feeling you get in your head and body, wobbling standing up, and feeling really anxious or irrate. I struggled with this a lot throughout my life, especially when I wasn't feeling motivated to eat or cook... leading to a binge, wasting money on food, or usually anxiety.
I recommend: eating WHOLE foods (not simple sugars). Having easy comfort meals on hand in case of an emergency. Having a protein or fat snack inbetween meals (like nuts or cheese or hummus).
DISCLAIMER: all drug use discussed here is legal.
If you are someone who keeps smoking weed even though it makes you anxious, stop. This is your sign. STOP SMOKING WEED IF IT MAKES YOU ANXIOUS.
I don't want to sound like a DARE, Reefer-Madness person, but a lot of people downplay weed addiction. Seriously, I knew people when I was younger who told me they got high every second they could. Some guy literally told me he couldn't take a shit without lighting up first. I'm not even kidding.
Weed is incredibly great at making people drift though life. That can be a good thing or a bad thing if you are an addict. Maybe reflect on yourself if you smoke so much that you don't remember anything or don't have other hobbies.
Weird title but stop constantly overthinking about how you are perceived in the third-person. This advice is especially tailored to anxious women.
Most people are concerned with themselves primarily and have the memory of a goldfish. I will keep repeating that until the day I die. When was the last time you thought about something super cringe a rando did? It's likely not on your radar, right?
I'll write more about the fear of perception more on my website. But I think it all comes down to low self-esteem and lack of control... "People viewing me in the third-person might not like me. They might think I'm dumb or ugly. They might attack me. I must be a perfect person at all times to keep myself safe. Please don't hurt me."
I've noticed a lot women will constantly think about how they look to other people. It's like they don't see themselves as a person rather some idea to be perceived. An object rather than subject. Like an anime character. Isn't that an odd way to think if you examine it? It's like you're dehumanizing yourself!
Not every person is supposed to look like a supermodel. We're exposed to so many pretty people everyday through the internet, more than we would ever see as an ancient human. You have no obligation to look pretty to the world. There's no obligation for femininity. There's no pretty tax or anything for women. Most people look... average. And that's okay! We have a lot more worth than looking good or fuckable at all times :)
A lot of female relatives I know who wear lots of makeup every single day seem to overestimate how much the world would notice them without makeup. "I can't go to the grocery store without skin-colored paint on my face!" Seriously, I knew a girl in high school who would wake up an hour early to put on sweatproof makeup before going to the gym. I am here to tell you... the world doesn't care. I'm not a makeup-hater. Shimmery eyeshadow is really fun with a cute outfit, whatever. I like looking cute. But for me at least, life is a lot easier just not bothering (or at least obsessing!) for the most part outside of special occasions... You don't have to come up with an excuse to justify not wearing makeup or clothes you don't want to to some invisible force. You can just... be.
Again because this is a senstitive subject. No problem with women having fun with makeup. Have a problem with women feeling obligated or conditioned to.
This isn't a hot take or anything, but think about how many insecurities are just invented every single day completely due to constant media and internet consumption. Tiktok made some filter that flips your face and now some ladies are sad their face isn't symmetrical. Or you get recommended a bunch of ladies talking about how lame this color is or how this body type is in style or something. I watched a Kidology (Youtuber) video on labiaplasty and didn't even know that something I WAS SUPPOSED TO feel ashamed about before. Advertising causes psychic damage! Avoid it! Recognize marketing and propaganda techniques for explicit and subtle ads. Don't go out your way to look at ads. Get UBlock.
I'm not a fashion person (there's so many good fashion people here on Neocities)... but I like to wear clothes that:
Trends cycle. I dislike hidden alternative intentions behind things. This includes people trying to make you feel bad about yourself so can buy something to fix the problem.
Also for funsies, I like wearing browns, white through gray through black and then pops of green or teal. I like the 60s, 70s, 90s, and mid-00s. I like white eyeshadow and shimmers. I like New Wave stuff. I like horse girl vibes. I like tomboyish clothing. I like men's styles more sometimes and will just buy my size in the men's section. I like tote bags and backpacks. I like crocheted pieces. I like "hippie" or bohemian clothing... Nobody asked, but I'm going to share anyways!
Alright, that was enough cringe ranting for now, but I'll be back...I'm outta here... later...