shit I do when I get anxious

24 Jun, 2026

Blowing bubbles: This is an S-tier coping skill honestly. My hands are occupied. Breathing in and out has a purpose. I watch the bubbles float away and pop!

Going "Louis Theroux mode": Louis' awkwardness, curiosity, and dry wit is his superpower, especially during his early days. I have this particular strain of awkward - except I talk more instead of less. To prevent myself from rambling and oversharing, I use the phrase "I'm going Louis Theroux mode"¹ instead of beating myself up for not properly listening.

Logging > journaling: I do both, but they have different purposes for me. My log is a small lined notebook I carry around all the time. I chronicle the hard facts of a situation, while journaling is for pouring out how I feel. I also use logging when I have looping thoughts.

MeGPT: Let's unlearn shame together. Recently, I've been looking in my journal at situations that really wounded me or echo an old pattern, and I've been answering them with information from my log.

Hopecore: The visual equivalent of hiding medicine in a little treat for your pet. In this case, I'm using humor to give my hope-resistant brain a dose of hopium. You can find more of these under #hopecore on most platforms.

I find that naming my coping skills makes me want to use them more, especially if its a memorable name like, "going Louis Theroux mode". Also, it encourages me to see myself as somebody. I'm joking with myself the way I would a friend.

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