[BatsAndButterflies]

I broke my laptop yesterday and today I went to see if I could get it fixed and of course it is no longer under warranty so I have to either save $300 to get a new screen or buy a whole new computer... So I was stressed and worked up about that and then Dad starts fussing at me telling me to stop being all frustrated and having anxiety (as if I could help that?)

I zoned out after that and all through dinner, as I do when I need a break from everything going on around me, but I kept getting yelled at because my parents mistake my zoning out for sulking. Then they decided we should go to Wal-Mart (where of course they were restocking so it was noisy and crowded and frustrating...) And then I saw a wreck on the way home and the car was completely upside down...

The being yelled at and Wal-Mart madness made me start scratching my arm, and I haven't done that quite so much in a very long time... And now I've been home for a few hours and my heart has calmed down though it is still racing a bit and my hands are less shaky, but how do I get myself to calm down when stuff like this happens?

Thank you for any help or suggestions.

[Rohag]

Hello, BatsAndButterflies! I've been thinking about your question on and off for several hours, and frankly it's a difficult one. I'm sure you can find all sorts of self-calming techniques on the Web (example from a PsychCentral blog), but I've been trying to single out what actually works for me.

• Medications.
• Deep, slow diaphragmatic breathing -- slower than your current heart rate.
• Playing familiar simple computer games -- nothing that takes too much or too little thought.

[BatsAndButterflies]

Thank you. I recently started taking Celexa and I recently bought a book called the Tao of Music that said something about diaphragmatic breathing I should probably read that... thank you for your advice!!!