Ok, so before anyone tells me I need professional help, I want to say that I am seeing a counsellor this Tuesday. With that said, I would like to share this, and perhaps get advice from you all and hear your stories, too. A few weeks ago, while visiting my family in Christchurch, NZ, I was caught in the middle of a 6.3 Earthquake that killed nearly 200 people, one of whom lived down the street from my family home. It was very traumatic. I've had a hard time getting over it, most of which I won't bother you with. However, one part of it which has been particularly troublesome has been the "writers block" it has given me. Tonight has been the first time I have picked up my notebook since it happened on the 22nd February. And it was really, really hard to write anything. This is partly because, as my optometrist informed me, despite having healthy eyes, the stress of the Earthquake has caused me to lose sensitivity in my visual field, distorting my vision and making it hard for me to read and write, at least, without feeling like I'm going to throw up. Her advice was "have a cup of tea", and basically wait 3-4 months 'til my eyes get over it. Not ideal as a uni student, of course, but I guess I have to deal with it. So what I'm really asking is if anyone has dealt with stress related writer's block? How did you get through it? Or, perchance, have any of you experienced this particular condition? I just can't get into a story if I can only write in short spurts. Thank you in advance for your help,
Have you tried meditating ? You have had a trauma to deal with and it can take time to get over with. I tend to meditate when I am blocked like that.
Well, when I first got to this forum I had a lot going on in my life. When everything kept piling up, I was stressed, and I just stopped writing. Took about a 2 year break from it, actually. In that span of time, I think I wrote maybe a poem or two, but that's it. But then I met someone recently that really motivated me and inspired me. So now I've started writing again, and I'm so glad that I did. So my advice is to try and find someone or something that makes you WANT to write. Because when you're stressed, you're never going to feel like doing it. Have to find something that puts you in the mood to just go for it. And what might help is to write about what happened. You can let out your emotions and start writing again at the same time. Good luck, and I'm sorry for what happened.
Firstly, I am sorry for the loss you suffered. But I am really glad that you survived the ordeal. So know you're in my thoughts and prayers. Secondly, meditation is always a good way to deal with stress. But the way I like to meditate is to go to a place that makes me happiest, whatever is going on in my life. Sometimes this is a meadow, or the ocean, or even a bookstore. Don't do anything when you go to this place. Don't think about anything. Just feel the air around you and take deep breaths as you drink it in. Maybe have a cup of tea with you as you do this. I'd advise against listening to music, unless it's soft and instrumental. The idea is to really give your senses a break as they've all ready recieved an overload.
Biochemically as well as socially and mentally I would recommend daily half hour walks. You can enjoy the silence, music, a book or perhaps even course literature on you mp3 player. I help you sleep, it will help you brains serotonin levels and other neurotransmitters to normalize and it will help you overall health. If you don't normally exercise or walk much start out slow, perhaps just taking a 15 minute walk the first weeks.
I'm not sure how I deal with it other then I bottle it up for months at a time and then I just let it blow up, then I scream into my pillow or naw on my cheek or tounge and then I just let it go. Sometimes a drink every now and again does help a little.
I listen to really loud music, it helps slam in the inspiration and blocks out everything else and just get on with it. I find ice cream also works. But being that I also study care and this kind of thing if you don't mind me saying, it's just a matter of accepting and just dealing with it on your own pace, like don't force yourself to write stories if you can't otherwise your just putting too much of a burden on yourself. Just chill really. To note sorry to hear
I listen to pop music from 2000s. Or I draw. Watch cartoons. Try doing something you enjoy, or write something to different for a change. If you have money, maybe go on holiday with family? I hope you get over your stress problems and my suggestions helped in some way.
I personally don't feel like I deal with stress particularly well, but w176 gives very good advice and I feel that taking walks has helped me both with my stress and writer's block. Never looked into the biochemical part of it, but it certainly does help me!
I'm terrible when it comes to stress, I can't cope with it and everyone around me suffers for it too. Seriously sorry for what you are going through. I had sunburned eyes once and couldn't see well for a few weeks. It was a nightmare and I thought I was going to go blind. If you have got eye problems at the moment through the stress, you really do need to rest them, believe me, I know it's hard, but you don't want to do more harm. Just rest your eyes more than you normally would and don't do too much reading and writing, really limit it. I hope that your eyes are back to normal as soon as possible. It's not fun when you have vision issues. *hugs*
Sorry to hear that things aren't going well for you. I've had issues dealing with stress in my own life (most of it self-caused), and I can say that daily exercise and meditation are always helpful (I should probably be doing more of the meditation, myself). Another thing that might help is to just close your eyes and write whatever's on your mind. I do this a lot myself, not because I've got vision issues, but because I get so critical of what I've written I end up never getting past the first sentence. Not worrying about what my writing's going to look like when I open my eyes and just doing do it has been a great way to get my brain thinking about coming up with ideas and less about nit-picking.
