Rose, thanks for the advise! I really appreciate your reminding me of our previous discussion.
My activities that lessen my stress - well, I used to........ Now, I try to exercise, meditate, do relaxation stuff (deep breathing, progressive relaxation, especially right before I go to bed), practice my spirituality, do tai chi, and play this stupid computer game where you watch this ball bounce around - I've been doing that for almost a month and it really isn't about the score, something about the ball bouncing around is so so so, I can't find the word. nonthinking, nonacting, unimportant, irrelevant?
Ah, I'm kind of obsessed with this website and I'm gonna need about a year to identify all those negative core beliefs. I find this very stress relieving, an outlet, calming. I think any activity that can take my mind off of life is lessening my stress.
However, when I quit doing those things - ta da, it's still there! I guess that is why I have so many things I do. you know work, though stressful in it's own way, takes my mind of the depression and anxiety that I feel in other areas of life. So it is also?????? and klonopin is the other thing!