Brazen,

There are a few things I do.

When I get triggered by something, it depends on how forceful the trigger is. If it sends me to a panic attack right away, one thing I do as self care is take meds.

But if not, if it's strong but not so strong that I'm heading to a panic attack right away I try and do some positive self talk. One thing I do is walk myself through the facts of a situation so that my emotions, which are often off-base, can realign to the facts, or the evidence. Like if someone criticized something I did at work...the old me would just feel terrible and want to hurt myself, but now, I look at the facts. This person offered me feedback to strengthen the project I'm working on. It does not mean I'm a bad person. In fact there was nothing personal about it. I can apply their suggestions and I will look better for it, because my project will look better.

So fact-based or evidence-based thinking has really been a big self-care strategy for me.

Also, asking for help when I need it.

And asking for company when I need it. Not allowing myself to isolate. I find that I naturally isolate but I do better mentally when I have company and social time. So I try to make sure I have interactions with people, even if they are short, at work so that I don't feel like my whole day was spent behind a computer.

I also do deep pressure therapy with my service dog. This is where he lays across my chest and stays still there while I breathe into the weight. This slows my breathing and helps me calm down in a panic attack.

Other forms of self care are walking away from a situation and leaving it to be dealt with another day. I have done this when in arguments with people. Have told them, look, I'm too upset to discuss this, you are going to have to wait until I can calm down and think straight. They don't like this, but oh well, it's not all about them. Hah!

I'm sure there's more I do but that's the most I can think of right now.

Seesaw