Nature is one of my escapes from anxiety

[DDNatureLover]

I often get 'in my head' too much, and will let my stress and anxiety get the better of me. When I can feel myself getting really overloaded, spending time out in nature usually helps. Sometimes just sitting outdoors and focusing on what's around me helps enough so that I can regain a sense of control, but other times I'll have to combine nature with another activity, such as walking, fishing, or photography. I haven't fished in a while, but when I do fish, it's more about the peace and immersing myself in the repetition, rather than actually catching fish. I usually take my camera along on my walks, so I combine the photography and walking quite a bit. The physical activity helps me to get rid of nervous energy, and the photography keeps me focused on tasks, so my thoughts don't overwhelm me.


Does anyone else use nature to help control their anxiety and stress?

 

[redpanda]

Getting outside and into nature helps me a ton. Unfortunately, it's really difficult for me to do that right now and it's caused problems. I live in an apartment in a city. There is nature around but I don't drive and public transit is unreliable here. I can't even go on a walk because I live in a dangerous area. I'm moving to Washington state so all of this will change soon! For now, I take advantage of any hiking trips I can. I also have a container garden on my balcony to retreat to. It's not perfect because it's overlooking a busy parking lot and there are tons of loud people, dogs, etc. But it's something.

 

[morgoodie]

That is a great idea and there is nothing like immersing yourself in nature to relax you. I love being able to go somewhere quiet and being able to hear the sounds of nature. I love fishing and find it so relaxing to be surrounded my the silence and hear the sound of the water and birds. I also do not care if I catch anything. I just like being out there and not have the noise of the city around me. I can let my thoughts go and feel the stress fall off my shoulders. I wish I could do it more often than I do.

 

[joshposh]

I use to take my dogs on long nature walks. It was the house and the neighbors that triggered negative thoughts and feelings that festered inside of me. Being alone with the only creature that couldn't talk back and provoke was the only way to escape. All you hear is the wind and the trees. There is no stimuli of yelling and bickering. Only my thought and my faithful dogs companionship was there. Sometimes that is what you need to reset and release everything that has turned you mean and ugly.

 

[Androlo]

Absolutely. Being with nature is something which has helped me extensively over the years and is hugely under-rated. I think a large part of the problem is the way that society is today. To be among nature and to forget the material world and just let yourself exist and be and to just appreciate your surroundings is something which many of us don't get the opportunity to do any more. Society and living in today's world is full of distractions, stresses and strains when in reality, nature is our true essence and we have become cut off from it. I often spend time among nature and when I do, I feel so much better about myself and about life in general. I feel at one with the plants, trees and animals. I feel liberated. I feel like I can think the thoughts that I want to think and not the thoughts and expectations that society expects me to adhere to. I also often go out late at night when it's peaceful and there is no-one around and I just stare up at the stars and give myself the time to wonder and appreciate the true beauty of the universe. Even more enlightening is the fact that by doing so, I have come to realize that there is so much out there and I have seen things which most people probably wouldn't even believe exist.

 

[mauricioq]

Yes, it works for me too. My favorite place is actually the beach. I love when I just close my eyes and hear the sounds of the waves and the sea, it's really relaxing. Being at the forest is cool too, but the beach is my favorite, no doubt.

 

[gracer]

I have also consoled with nature during my moments of stress, confusion, boredom, and sadness. Nature has its way of relaxing one's mind and calming the emotions that really helps a lot in overcoming the daily struggles in life. Sometimes when I feel overwhelmed by the things that are happening around me, I just look out my widow and stare blankly over the beautiful nature around me. Looking at the greenness and feeling the purity of nature relaxes me and gives me a cleared mind.

 

[Valryn]

I agree. Everything about nature truly calms me in every way. I sometimes can just look at the smallest flower, or insect and be left in awe, and happiness. This is coming from someone usually using screens as my escape from my personal stress (computers, phones). Sometimes I get so sick of it, and they really never measure up the amount of peace nature gives me. We have these beautiful trees here that grow purple flowers on them in a park up the road, and they actually enclose you in what seems to be their own little world. They surround the grassy fields within them sort of like a wall, and block out most of the noise from the city. So as you can imagine, it's really breathtaking! My favorite part is just laying on the grass and looking at the summer sky here as well. It's such a beautiful color of blue, and the clouds make you want to just hug them for how soft, and fluffy they look.


You're not alone! Nature is a wonderful escape, and I'm glad there are more people out there that still cherish it!

 

[amy88]

Nature has often been my grounding point too. The peace, the tranquillity, the feeling that I can breathe - they all help in terms of making me feel less anxious. I find that exercising helps a lot, and that goes hand in hand with being outdoors. I love to hike, to cycle and to swim - and all those things get me out amongst nature.


Even if it's just heading to my local park with a good book, and sitting under a tree - it helps me feel much more at ease and less anxious.

 

[hades_leae]

Sometimes when I start to feel claustrophobic, I feel like I need to leave the planet in order to find peace because I hate being around so many people and start to panic.


I always find peace like you do by finding nature. I would love to walk into forest alone just to explore and cool off but there are non where I live. I would go fishing but not where I live, I just usually walk in parks alone when no one is really there to keep myself calm at times.

 

[justsayyes]

I agree, it does work for me too. I take a walk sometimes or go to the beach and watch sunsets, it really brings me to present moment, appreciate nature and be grateful. I also forget about anxieties and problems even for a few moments. It's refreshing to not feel so anxious all the time and not feel like the weight of the world is in my shoulder.

 

[DDNatureLover]

Yes, the beach definitely helps me. When I'm feeling overwhelmed, I will often go to the beach and just sit or stand, looking out into the vastness of the ocean. It's a good reminder that we're just one tiny being, and our problems are really not quite as overwhelming as we think. I keep a few beach mats in my trunk in case I get the urge to go, so I don't need to spend time packing things up, and occasionally I'll grab a book (usually short poems) and sit on the beach and read them while doing my deep breathing. I'm glad so many of us are helped by nature.


Re: not being able to really escape and get out in nature, even just having a house plant can help, and I also have a container garden. I will often sit out there, watching the birds and squirrels and sometimes just the sky and clouds. Occasionally, if I can't sleep, I will sit out on the balcony and look at the stars, it never fails to relax me.

 

[Alex]

Nature is a great stress reliever, but these days unless you live near a park or a beach it's much harder to find somewhere peaceful. I used to live near a beach and it was great, but I have lived in cities most of my life and it's hard to find a park and not get knocked over by a jogger or dog walkers.


Sadly many places are over crowded too, so I try to go when I can very early or late at night, just because I prefer not to see people or have to interact with them too.

 

[errdo19]

I never have used nature and I haven't really found my place yet that can help calm my anxiety. I think it is amazing you have found something to calm your mind. The thing that amazes me about anxiety is its uniqueness in everyone. Just like it manifests differently in different people, it is also relieved by different ways in different people. Personally I thin nature would cause me more anxiety because I don't like dirt or bugs and being around them causes me to feel anxious.

 

[DDNatureLover]

Everyone has different likes and dislikes, and it definitely sounds as if nature isn't going to help you relax errdo19. One place I used to be able to sort of zone out and shut down my brain was in a movie theater, during the matinee performance. Back then, a lot more people were working during the daytime, and I would often be the only person in the theater. Even if there were a few others, they were usually the same sort of people, off to themselves, not with a group or being rowdy, so they didn't interfere with my peace. I'm sure if you try different activities, you will find something that works for you.


Alex I'm sorry you have to live in that environment. I was displaced from this area (well, the next closest area that I actually prefer to where I am currently living) when my income was disrupted after I became injured, and I ended up living in a congested city area that was definitely detrimental to my peace of mind. I craved quiet, the water, and green space. My landlord pointed out that there was a park down the street, but apparently he was unaware that a patch of dirt filled with drug users/sellers, prostitutes and thugs didn't constitute a peaceful place in my mind. I was very glad to be able to move back down this way, and I'm still hopeful to end up somewhere like where I lived before, where people understood boundaries and noise limits. I hope you find that place, too.

 

[simonsaysdifferent]

Nature is my prime stress reliever. Between being able to find complete privacy in the woods and the prospective being in a natural habitat gives me, being in nature is my go-to.


DDNatureLover has a good point. I used to have 7 small house plants scattered throughout my room and they made the atmosphere much more calming.