The anxiety spiral is tough. I’d say the first thing I do whenever that happens is tell myself that it’s allowed. It’s OK to have anxiety. Because I find that I often fight against my own anxiety, shame myself for it, and then it only prolongs the experience and can even make it worse.

The second thing I do is find exactly what thought is causing me the anxiety. Am I worried that I screwed something up and now this specific person will think badly of me? What exactly is the thought? Because really identifying the thought can help make the anxiety feel less…pervasive.

It can take time to work through that spiral. But I think allowing it and identifying are two big steps to help work through it over time. I hope that’s helpful.