Calming the mind - in healthy ways

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Heya!

My recent diagnosis got me thinking about my relationship with drugs - alcohol (now) and cannabis (past). I notice that I tend to use them as an escape, a sort of selfmedication, when things get too much.
There are situations that give me a strong desire to just not exist for a minute or so. Like after I've just tried to chat with an acquintance while in a full train. Brrrrrr... Anyway, moments like these leave me feeling like... I can't encompass all that's happening. The world and my experiences simply don't fit in my skull, and it hurts trying to squeeze it in there by force. It's hard to explain, but I hope you get the idea.
Back to my main point: the feeling is rather unpleasant and at moments like these, a joint or a pint can be a real angel. They throw a blanket over my perception, so that I feel fuzzy rather than overwhelmed. Much nicer. But............ It's unhealthy and I don't want to develop a real addiction.

I could really use some inspiration, some healthier alternatives to try out!

What do you guys do when you really need a vacation from your overworked mind?

Deep breathing, meditation, yoga, bike riding, going outside and listening to the birds and watching their behaviour.

Weighted blankets calm some people. I don’t have one but I get my boyfriend to lay on top of me when I get overstimulated and it helps. I used to carry heavy textbooks around with me in my backpack at university even though I would only read them at home. I think getting out of your mind by becoming more aware of your body helps to calm the mind. Sometimes I sit on my hands and that calms me a bit.

Besides a consistent meditation practice and Tai Chi, I like shinrin yoku; "forest bathing". I practice it similar to Thich Nhat Hanh's 'kinh hanh'; walking meditation; doing my best to refrain from thinking, simply walking in open awareness of the forest's sights, sounds, and smells, in complete 'noble silence'.
It does wonders for me.

Two things works for me:

Nature.
Wear suitable clothing and walk through the bush, forests, along beaches.
Take your time and let your mind wander.
Sit down once in a while, take a deep breath and look around.
Notice the sounds and smells around you.
The birds overhead, the colours of the leaves in trees as they get blown about in the breeze.
The different smells. Does it smell like wood or of rotting tree litter?
Can you see any other animals around?
Feel the texture of the rock you're sitting on, it was made millions of years ago and will still be here long after we're all gone.
Grab a handful of soil. Is it moist? Can you see any insects in it?
These are the stimuli you have evolved to be sensing. Notice there's no TV, no mobile phone to distract you.
Take some more deep breaths and with each breath consciously relax different parts of your body.

Music.
This is a good one you can do at home, or anyplace else really.
Find some orchestral music and lie back in a dimly lit room.
Let your mind wander to the sound. The light quieter parts can make you feel weightless and float.
If your mind is still too loud turn the music up louder and try again. Reduce the volume after 20 minutes or so once your brain waves have synchronised and slowed down.
Alternatively - presuming you have internet access, you are logged into Wrong Planet after all. Go on a YouTube bender. Find a song you liked high school and haven't listened to for years. Play it and think about the things in your life back then. Does the song remind you of anyone? What were you doing back then when you heard it? YouTube throws up a list on the side of the page of similar music from around the same time, pick one of these out and play it next. You'll find it easy to find your groove in some old favourites and your mood improves.

That's all fantastic advice, thank you very much!

I will change my schedule around a bit so that I have one fixed moment per week when I go to the forest (I tend to put it off, even though I love it, because I have to cycle through quite busy traffic before reaching nature - time to move, perhaps), and find some inspiring music!

Eurythmic, anything particular that you'd recommend? I usually like orchestral music whenever someone else puts it on, but I know nothing about it whatsoever.

I like 'Liquid Mind'....

Ooo that's soothing...
I'm listening to some wonderful piano music now https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Bvm9yG4cvs

Give this a try, put it on in the background while you're doing other stuff to start with:

https://www.abc.net.au/classic/

Hit the "listen live" button at the top of the page.

Strength training.