How does one handle overwhelming "bad" stress?

Try to get exercise every day.

Take hot baths (in epsom or other mineral salts).

Take a walk out in nature.

Try to reduce or eliminate the cause of the negative stress.

If there is truly nothing you can do to the change the situation then all you CAN do is accept things as they are, do as @marinelife mentioned, care for your physical and mental/emotional health. Read inspirational materials, and know that this too shall pass.

The WORST thing you can do is mentally obsess on things which just causes more negative feelings and stress.

We DO create our own reality by the thoughts we keep.

Look to change what you can, even if that is only your attitude.

I handled the stress of being a cop for 44 years this way:

I have told myself so many times(while looking at a death scene), that there is nothing I can do to help in this situation. The only thing I have to offer is a hug and sympathy for the family members.

Sure, I will investigate and hopefully find the guilty party, but that does not help the victims family. Once dead, always dead.

I left my problems at the front door and my home was off-limits to police work. Not many people can do this and I understand why. I was just fortunate.

Question: do you have your act together, when it comes to your financial and domestic world? If not, my suggestion is to write everything that is bothering you on a piece of paper. Study that piece of paper to see if you can find a way to resolve some of your problems, without being stressed out.

If all else fails, do what I do. Buy a 6-pack of Michelob Light.

Come to the realization that there’s nothing you can do to make the bad stuff just go away. You’re going to have to work through your problems as they happen, and just worrying about it isn’t going to help.

Take on each challenge as it comes, and celebrate the small victories. Reward yourself for having completed a task – buy yourself a fancy coffee, watch a movie, or take a few hours to do something you enjoy.

This might work, do some volunteering in your free time. Cooking in a shelter might be great. Plus, watch some good inspiring movies like Its A Wonderful Life etc.
Try it, you might be surprised it actually works!

I know it sounds like a trite placation, but seriously:

Step 1: Don’t sweat the small stuff.

Step 2: Realize that it’s all small stuff.

What makes me think that there is actually wisdom in that advice? 20+ years in the high tech industry gives one quite an insight into the nature of stress.

Realize that sometimes, you just have to do what you have to do, and then do it. I’ve found that procrastinating things doesn’t help stress at all.
Also, set up a reward system for yourself, and make sure to set apart “you time” where you can do things that make you happy.
Exercise is essential in dealing with stress, namely walking.
If you’re having trouble sleeping or just to calm your mind whenever, write out all the things that are bothering you (and burn the paper if you’d like). It helps.

On a more personal note, I smoke weed for several reasons, and one of them is to relieve stress. I find that it helps a lot with my repetitive thoughts yay OCD, irritability, and it clears my mind.

Exercise until you drop!
That is what I do and it works very well.Get outside and enjoy the outdoors!:)

This is why God gave us Hookers.

1. Go to supermarker or icecream parlor. 2. Buy or order your favorite icecream 3. Take it home and devour it while you watch your favorite tv show. Sorry if this isn’t more helpful but its what a lot of people do, even if they don’t admit it.

Don’t forget to breathe. I’m not kidding. When I’m under stress, I often find myself holding my breath, which is not good.

I ditto all the suggestions above, but I’m surprised nobody’s said: SING!
Find songs that inspire you or motivate you to keep going, then sing at the top your lungs regardless of what you sound like.
Depending on my mood, sometimes it’s Bullets or What If by Creed, I Know by Bob Marley, Remedy by Jason Mraz, Heaven Helps the Man by Kenny Loggins… many more depending on what black hole I need to get out of.
aaand, try to avoid tearjerker songs unless you need a good, good from-the-bottom-of-your-soul-cry-purge which is another thing you can do to feel better!

Ok follow these instructions to the letter.

1. Go online to Amazon
2. Buy the book, ‘King Warrior Magician Lover
3. Understand said book at 2.
4. Get happy!

Simples

Here’s one little trick, which requires a bit of practice:

Overcome negative primes (cues that act as triggers) by replacing existing negative reactions (like thinking “oh, this annoying loud music again”) with positive ones for the same trigger (thinking “aha, loud music really energizes young folks”).

To expand upon @mattbrowne‘s comments, I’ve found a method that works astonishing well for me when dealing with stress and depression.

Hard to explain, but whenever I feel stressed or depressed, I imagine the present moment as already being in the past. Doing this allows me to judge the event from an external perspective. I think of the stressful or depressing situation as happening years ago. Like many of my past memories, I can look back and think, “what a sad silly little man”… that’s not how I want to be. That’s not how I am. Look how shortsighted that guy is! Doesn’t he realize his situation is only temporary? Look at all the time he’s wasting being that way.

Knowing “that guy” is/was me, always makes me laugh at how stupid he/I is/was being.

Difficult to explain, but just try it. Try to imagine your current moment as something that happened years ago, and you’re looking back reflecting upon it. It will immediately make you a better person than the person you used to be.