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How Spirituality Can Help Stress

Posted by Teresa, Volunteer Mentor @hopeful33250, Jul 11, 2017

I recently read an article from Mayo Clinic about Spirituality and Stress Relief. Here is how the article began:

"Some stress relief tools are very tangible: exercising more, eating healthy foods and talking with friends. A less tangible — but no less useful — way to find stress relief is through spirituality.

What is spirituality?

Spirituality has many definitions, but at its core spirituality helps to give your life context. It's not necessarily connected to a specific belief system or even religious worship. Instead, it arises from your connection with yourself and with others, the development of your personal value system, and your search for meaning in life.

For many, spirituality takes the form of religious observance, prayer, meditation or a belief in a higher power. For others, it can be found in nature, music, art or a secular community. Spirituality is different for everyone." The complete article can be found at http://mayocl.in/2u8FOTm.

How has spirituality helped you to deal with stress?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Mental Health Support Group.

liz223 | @liz223 | Jul 18, 2017
In reply to @amberpep "Hi all ..... if I may, I'm going to "switch horses" here .... I would like..." + (show)
@amberpep

Hi all ..... if I may, I'm going to "switch horses" here .... I would like some input from anyone that has any insight into this. I've had depression and anxiety since I was an early teen and finally at age 45, I went to my doctor. She sent me to a Psychiatrist who put me on Zoloft. That was many, many, moons ago and I have a different Psychiatrist and now take meds. for Depression/Anxiety and Cyclothymia. I sleep great every night (my adult kids tell me I could sleep standing up!!!), but every morning, as soon as my feet hit the floor I feel this overwhelming anxiety and I don't know why. I slept well, was it dreams? I don't know what causes this, but I come right to the kitchen, take my meds. and within 45 min. it's gone. I just don't get why I wake up that way .... it doesn't make any sense to me. Input from anyone?
abby

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Great advice. Mornings are my most difficult and I find my early walk with my little dog are helpful. He's in no hurry and neither am I. Just look up at the beautiful sky, all of nature around us, peace and quiet, birds chirping, grateful for another day and most of all for God's love. Come back home knowing life is good. 🙂

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blindeyepug | @blindeyepug | Jul 18, 2017

@amberpep How cool you are learning to play the harp! Talk about calming and feeling spiritual! I love the harp. And I love Celtic music. I, too, have some Christian CD's that are my go to for helping me feel better and giving my mood a boost! Again, love the fact you are learning the harp!

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danybegood1 | @danybegood1 | Jul 18, 2017
In reply to @ryman "My spirituality is centered in God and the work that Jesus did for us. If my..." + (show)
@ryman

My spirituality is centered in God and the work that Jesus did for us. If my faith were strong enough, I would have no stress or anxiety but even when my faith is weak, I know God is in control and will be with me. Without Him I could not face the tough days.

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@blindeyepug, hi there, just saw your post. I haven't said hi in a long time. I wanted you to know how much i admire you, and i think of you often. Love, Judy

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Ann Roeder | @shorty2017 | Jul 18, 2017
In reply to @ryman "My spirituality is centered in God and the work that Jesus did for us. If my..." + (show)
@ryman

My spirituality is centered in God and the work that Jesus did for us. If my faith were strong enough, I would have no stress or anxiety but even when my faith is weak, I know God is in control and will be with me. Without Him I could not face the tough days.

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blindeyepug | @blindeyepug | Jul 19, 2017
In reply to @ryman "My spirituality is centered in God and the work that Jesus did for us. If my..." + (show)
@ryman

My spirituality is centered in God and the work that Jesus did for us. If my faith were strong enough, I would have no stress or anxiety but even when my faith is weak, I know God is in control and will be with me. Without Him I could not face the tough days.

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@danybegood1 Hi Judy! Your words are so kind - a balm to my soul. I hope you are doing better. It is roller coaster we all ride - the up and down of our different diseases. This forum is such a blessing. Being able to "meet" kind people like yourself who understand is truly helpful. Love, Laura

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JK | @contentandwell | Jul 20, 2017

@hopeful33250 @danybegood1 I find that you try to really "examine" each person you are friendly with and then you can know exactly how much to put into the friendship and what to expect. The woman I am most connected with I have come to realize is sort of a "fair weather friend". I enjoy her a lot but I now know better exactly what the friendship is. When I was sick she didn't call when I was recuperating. Her husband would call my husband occasionally but I never heard from her, she didn't visit me, nothing.
JK

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6 replies
Mentor
Scott, Volunteer Mentor | @IndianaScott | Jul 21, 2017
In reply to @contentandwell "@hopeful33250 @danybegood1 I find that you try to really "examine" each person you are friendly with..." + (show)
@contentandwell

@hopeful33250 @danybegood1 I find that you try to really "examine" each person you are friendly with and then you can know exactly how much to put into the friendship and what to expect. The woman I am most connected with I have come to realize is sort of a "fair weather friend". I enjoy her a lot but I now know better exactly what the friendship is. When I was sick she didn't call when I was recuperating. Her husband would call my husband occasionally but I never heard from her, she didn't visit me, nothing.
JK

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Hello @contentandwell and all on this discussion thread. I don't have a whole lot to add to this discussion as I am a Freethinker and not a spiritual person. However, I did want to add one aspect to the friendship discussion above.

As some of you may know my wife battled brain cancer for 14+ years. It was an intensely isolating experience. For my wife, for our grown children, and for me. Luckily one of our daughter's friends gave her some early advice. She had lost her mom to cancer just a year or so before and she said this "you will be shocked by who you DO NOT hear from and you will be just as shocked by who you DO hear from." I was thankful for this advice, which rang very true. Had someone asked me ahead of time to guess who would stick with us and who would ghost on us I would have been completely, totally wrong!

We were lucky to each have one friend, and not who we would have expected, hang with us and provide wonderful support from afar for the years of our journey. Most family and almost every friend, some of more than 40 years, chose to ghost on us -- until she died when of course they all wanted to tell me how much they cared...

I came to appreciate the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. "In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends."

The only advice I can find from our experience is you don't know who your true friends will be until you are in the caldron.

Peace & Strength

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pdilly | @pdilly | Jul 21, 2017
In reply to @contentandwell "@hopeful33250 @danybegood1 I find that you try to really "examine" each person you are friendly with..." + (show)
@contentandwell

@hopeful33250 @danybegood1 I find that you try to really "examine" each person you are friendly with and then you can know exactly how much to put into the friendship and what to expect. The woman I am most connected with I have come to realize is sort of a "fair weather friend". I enjoy her a lot but I now know better exactly what the friendship is. When I was sick she didn't call when I was recuperating. Her husband would call my husband occasionally but I never heard from her, she didn't visit me, nothing.
JK

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Thank you for posting that @IndianaScott even though it made me sad. I love that MLK quote.

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Mentor
Teresa, Volunteer Mentor | @hopeful33250 | Jul 21, 2017
In reply to @contentandwell "@hopeful33250 @danybegood1 I find that you try to really "examine" each person you are friendly with..." + (show)
@contentandwell

@hopeful33250 @danybegood1 I find that you try to really "examine" each person you are friendly with and then you can know exactly how much to put into the friendship and what to expect. The woman I am most connected with I have come to realize is sort of a "fair weather friend". I enjoy her a lot but I now know better exactly what the friendship is. When I was sick she didn't call when I was recuperating. Her husband would call my husband occasionally but I never heard from her, she didn't visit me, nothing.
JK

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@pdilly and @IndianaScott Yes, that was a great quote! Teresa

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Mentor
Scott, Volunteer Mentor | @IndianaScott | Jul 21, 2017
In reply to @contentandwell "@hopeful33250 @danybegood1 I find that you try to really "examine" each person you are friendly with..." + (show)
@contentandwell

@hopeful33250 @danybegood1 I find that you try to really "examine" each person you are friendly with and then you can know exactly how much to put into the friendship and what to expect. The woman I am most connected with I have come to realize is sort of a "fair weather friend". I enjoy her a lot but I now know better exactly what the friendship is. When I was sick she didn't call when I was recuperating. Her husband would call my husband occasionally but I never heard from her, she didn't visit me, nothing.
JK

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Sorry I made you sad @pdilly It wasn't my intention. Like I said -- I stayed out of this thread for a reason. I tend to focus too much on the realties of my years of experiences as a caregiver.

Glad to hear you liked the MLK quote. He was an eloquent, strong, and amazing man for sure!

Peace & Strength

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