Anxiety, I got nothing. Yelling CALM DOWN into the mirror is strangely ineffective.

So, honestly, you're not far off here. What works for me sometimes is not yelling CALM DOWN, but giving my anxiety a name and then telling it that it doesn't know shit about what's going on and that it needs to shut the fuck up so I can get things done. I named it Reginald, because that sounded like the perfect name for an entity that just uselessly fusses and freaks out at the drop of a hat despite no evidence existing that freaking out is called for.

I do actually feel slightly insane addressing my anxiety by name (or talking back to it at all), but it does also work to make it shut the fuck up sometimes, and that's the outcome I want, so hey. At least the insanity is working for me.

My analyst is out sick for two+ weeks. I need to try that.

My analyst is out sick for two+ weeks. I need to try that.

You may feel insane doing it, but I'm surprised by how well it works, when it works. (Other times, my anxiety is all "Bitch, I'm driving, so do what you gotta do, but I guarantee your heart rate is going to spike and you won't be able to get any work done.")

That's a really good idea. I have a surprisingly hard time even recognizing that my anxiety is anxiety and not, I don't know, something I ate - giving it a name seems like it might help with that.

I have a surprisingly hard time even recognizing that my anxiety is anxiety

Yeah, "Why am I lying awake at 3am again? Oh, right."

I talk back to my inner voices sometimes. The best time was that my Inner Critic was bitching, complaining and repeating itself and suddenly I snapped at it that if that was all it had to offer, I wasn't going to listen to it until it actually had a point. It was surprised and shut up... for awhile. Now I am rude to it whenever I notice it is bothering me, AIFG.

I give my anxieties names sometimes. And imagine them as little imp like creatures and then sit them down and them imagine having a little sit down chat with them that usually ends in a hug. My therapist was working with me to be kinder to myself so I did that with my anxieties.

Although one time I felt completely overwhelmed and like they were just coming after me like a horde. And I turned that into an imaginary dance off in my head.

I didn't actually dance but it was amusing to envision

I think I treat depression and anxiety the same way? Which is ... basically distracting myself with something else shiny until I feel calmer/less spirally. Well, focusing on the present moment is probably a better way to put it, but usually I add in something shiny as enticement, I guess.

I have also been known just to curl up and go to sleep, though.

I am BIG on curling up and going to sleep in reaction to any stress. It's a very attractive option, but doesn't really do much to reduce the amount of stress in my life over all...

An unrelated haiku

Not into today
No interest in working
Why am I awake?

Driving the Bus still gives me anxiety.. but only before I'm doing it. My brain seems to have a Cope mode once the actual activity starts.