Dear Cali Chica:

I like your anxiety boxes analogy. It is delightful to read your excellent insight- your insight is so thorough, expansive. Quite amazing to me.

Regarding how to contain anxiety, talking sense to yourself, as you suggested at the ending of your post is very helpful, say the truth to yourself and relax into it.

Containing anxiety is a bit-by-bit-by bit process, a little at a time. And it is not a linear process. If you have patience with the bit-by-bit part and if you persist through the parts of this imaginary graph where the line goes downward (feeling anxious), then you will succeed.

When distressed, don’t go backward. Don’t let regression cause you to give up on the process of healing. Regression is part of healing.  Most healing is done during those regressions, those times of elevated distress.

When anxious, notice the rushing it involves and slow down. Containing the anxiety is about slowing down. At least, in your brain, slow down. Do what you do, at work, but keep your brain slow, calm, alert but calm. Your medical practice of doing just that is helpful as training to do the same thing outside of work, I think.

anita