You ever have those moments where you got so wrapped up in your head and own thoughts you lost sight of everything else? Sometimes, as someone with severe anxiety, I can get wrapped up in my own thoughts. What happens is I hyper-fixate on something. I travel down these rabbit holes of endless ‘what if’ scenarios. How exactly do I get out of those situations? I’m glad you asked.
For me, I practice grounding myself more. I typically try to remove myself from the physical place I’m in. Going outside, into the fresh air, will often help bring me back down. I’ll walk outside, close my eyes and simply breathe. I focus on one thing, trying to calm my mind down. Typically, grounding myself will help. However, it doesn’t always.
If grounding doesn’t work, I move to relying on my senses. I find something to touch, something soft that reminds me of a happy memory. I light a candle or turn on a wax warmer to help bring myself into a nirvana state of mind. Again, I close my eyes and lay down, focusing on the smell and creating a vision in my head. I focus on the sounds that I can hear and the way the air feels on my body.
Now if that doesn’t work, I turn to my safe person. I know they can bring me back down from the ballooning feeling growing within the darkest depths of my mind. This person brings me back simply with the sound of their voice. Reminding me of reality and bringing me back from the long ride through my mind.
I never give up, though. I always fight. I may have to fight harder and harder every time, but I will never stop fighting. We can’t stop fighting. We won’t stop fighting. Together.