How to Calm Down After a Stressful Experience

Step-by-Step Guide

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   Step 1: Distract yourself for a while.

   When you experience a stressful situation, you may want to keep thinking about it over and over afterwards.
   
   You may dissect the situation and think about what you did wrong or right.
   
   If it was traumatic, you may keep just reliving it and thinking about it.
   
   Try to avoid this kind of thinking and find something enjoyable to distract yourself for a while.For example, you could watch a movie, play a video game, read a book, listen to a podcast, or talk to a friend about something unrelated to what happened.
   
   Continuously thinking about the stressful experience can keep your nervous system on alert and feed your stress.
   
   Keep in mind that it is normal to want to replay the situation over and think about it, but doing this can make it harder to calm down.
   
   You will be able to calm down faster if you wait to process what happened.
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   Step 2: Acknowledge your feelings.

   Don’t try to ignore how you are feeling.
   
   Acknowledge that you are stressed, upset, overwhelmed, or scared.
   
   That is okay.
   
   Trying to ignore the feelings may cause them to simmer, keeping you stressed.
   
   Instead, acknowledge them so you can move on from them.Acknowledging the feelings isn’t the same as dwelling or obsessing.
   
   Once you acknowledge them, try to let them go. , After you experience a stressful situation, you may want to talk to someone you trust.
   
   Reach out to a family member or friend and tell them about what happened to you.
   
   Sometimes just getting the stress off your chest and sharing it with someone is enough to help you calm down.If you don’t feel comfortable talking to the person about what happened, then a friendly conversation may help, too.
   
   Spending time with someone you enjoy being around can help you feel better.
   
   You may want to connect physically with another person.
   
   Ask for a hug, to hold hands, or a comforting arm around you.
   
   Sometimes, just a smile and laughing with another person can calm you. , Another way to calm yourself is to write down what you’re feeling.
   
   You may find writing down your experience, your emotions, and your fears therapeutic.
   
   Putting the feelings on paper can help you take control of your thoughts and start to calm as you get them out.You can write in a journal, type it on the computer, or scribble down thoughts on a scratch pad. , One way you may be able to calm down after a stressful experience is to change the way you think about the experience.
   
   You may be stressing because you are feeling negative or pessimistic.
   
   You may feel overwhelmed because the situation is out of your control.
   
   Try to reframe how you think about the experience by changing your thoughts to positive ones.You may tell yourself that you are fine now and got through the experience.
   
   You are strong and survived.
   
   You can remind yourself that you did all that was possible, and that is important.
   
   Tell yourself that things may not be as bad as you think because you are thinking through stress and anxiety.
   
   Try to take a step back from the situation and look at it in a neutral, calmer way.
   
   Try to reframe criticism or what you might perceive as a personal attack as feedback or learning opportunities.
   
   For example, if your boss criticizes your work performance, then try to focus on how you might use the feedback to improve your work performance.
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   Step 3: Talk to friends or family.

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   Step 4: Write down your feelings.

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   Step 5: Think positively.

Detailed Guide

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