Jim's Cafe - Monday, Feb. 16, 2026

[Angie]

Hello SF family, I hope this finds you well as can be.

I have some serious questions for today, about anxiety and managing it.

Do you have anxiety?
If so, is it related to a situation(s) or is it generalized?
How do you manage? (this is what I am curious about)

Thanks for participating! I appreciate each of you and your input, whether it be a silly or serious question.

 

[JMG]

Hey Angie, thanks for posting a cafe for today. Great topic, it is definitely very relevant to me and I’m sure some other members too.

1. Yup, I have anxiety and have since I was a kid.

2. It can sometimes be both. I’d say that it’s “worse” when I’m triggered by something nerve wracking, but overall it is pretty much always there. Lotsa uncertainty in my life, so that equates to a minimum level of anxiety that’s pretty much “always there”. I guess I get a bit of a break from that when I sleep at least. Sometimes not even then if I have creepy/strange/confusing as hell dreams lol.

3. How I manage - hmm, well I’m not sure that I’m the best person to answer this. The majority would most likely judge me as someone who isn’t really “managing” it at all. I don’t know if that’s accurate though. I am definitely a very avoidant person sometimes, I don’t deny that. But I think the things I do most days ARE my way of coping, though not very healthy I suppose.

Playing games, reading, looking at beautiful/inspiring art (or funny too), watching cute animal videos on youtube, writing and watching inspiring/positive shows or movies all help it at least a bit though. I also do my best to try to get perspective about things, either from talking to someone about it (that is the ideal way, when possible of course) or just from trying to think of things I can do to make things “better” in some way. Not always easy, but having my mind focus on other things does seem to help with the overall “management” of it.

Sorry this reply is a bit long. Hope some of the info in it might be helpful to someone here though

Some tags: @Witty_Sarcasm @Baywasp @Inastorm @cymbele @Lane @KM76710 @seabird @FFurry

 

[seabird]

Hi @Angie I hope you are well, and feeling distinctly un-anxious.


answers to your questions:
Yes.
Mostly situational, but also I'm probably fairly high-strung People mistakently assume that my painting helps me with my anxiety. It dodsn't.
In no particular order here's what helps me reduce and control anxiety:
1. Hugs. I used to feel less anxious when I was in a good relationship, because hugs helped heaps,
2. Running and a bit of strength workouts, 3. books, 4. listening to my favourite podcasts,
5. gazing at in real life healthy plants, flowers, rivers, lakes, oceans, 6. when very anxious practicing breathing exercise,
7. frequent escapes into watching movies,
8. maintaing a not to thin not too heavy body by eating a (90% or so lol) balanced diet,

9. counteracting the horrendous news with funny or uplifting stories and movies.

thank you for the tag @JMG

☕️ 🩷

 

[Witty_Sarcasm]

Thank you for opening the cafe @Angie and for the tag @JMG

Do you have anxiety?
Yes, I've had it for a long time.

If so, is it related to a situation(s) or is it generalized?
Mostly generalized, but some situations can make it worse.

How do you manage? (this is what I am curious about)
Meds manage the worst symptoms like panic attacks, otherwise I just distract myself as best I can.

 

[Fbr27]

Do you have anxiety?

Yes.


If so, is it related to a situation(s) or is it generalized?

I really don't know. I think I have anxiety mostly with becoming close to other people. It is hard to explain, but I don't have problems with talking in public or talking with unknown people. My problem is feeling like I'm "hurting" someone.


How do you manage? (this is what I am curious about)

I beat myself until I try or I don't try.

 

[KM76710]

I have always been lucky in being relatively anxiety free, the downside is the dulled emotions so no downs, but also no real ups. More unaffected by so much.

 

[AmberMarie]

Do you have anxiety?

Yes, i didn't think i did... but then when i was in res... i learned i do.

If so, is it related to a situation(s) or is it generalized?

Both. Mostly the things that caused me trauma throughout my life.

How do you manage? (this is what I am curious about)

i use deep breathing a whole bunch. Also hydroxyzine. It works very fast and gives me a small boost... or kick in the pants... that i kneed

 

[FFurry]

Thanks @Angie @JMG ...
Do you have anxiety? ☹
If so, is it related to a situation(s) or is it generalized? It's a feeling of impending doom, like cancer, fire, natural disaster, burglary, more deaths in the family, and all sorts of other things beyond my control or influence that can all too easily get me any time 🙁
How do you manage? (this is what I am curious about) Temporary "relief" from a few drinks (makes me not care and wonder why I normally do) and pushing it to the limit on certain exercises (so that pain is the only thing that exists for the time being). But I have no long-term solutions and keep seeking them.