James wrote a post about avoiding anxious loops. This reply is about how I deal with mine.

Like James, I first had to train myself to notice my “circling the plughole” moments. When my anxiety is barking too loud, it means stop for self-care. Better to stop before I get there which is hard.

My self-care pattern has many steps – some are optional.

1. Check my overdue tasks list – I try to keep it empty. Seeing an empty list helps me feel I can take time off and not worry about work too much. It will still be there when I get back.
2. Stop what I am doing and have a herbal tea. Waiting for the kettle is a moment for self-inspection.
3. Kitty cuddle time. Spending time with my cat babies soothes me.
4. Tell my kitties about any work tasks that are bothering me. Some use rubber ducks; I use kitties.
5. More tea. While the water boils I can take stock of my anxiety levels. Sometimes I get back to work after.
6. Soak in a hot bath filled with lots of bubbles. Take a book and catch up on reading.
7. Take a cat nap with the bedroom cats. Being tired makes my anxiety worse. Sleep with kitties!
8. Jump back in to get up to date with emails. Then I feel able to relax without worrying.
9. Reach out to family and friends I’ve not spoken to recently. I’m a mega-introvert. Neglecting those I love is too easy. Connecting with them is healthy for me. If my anxiety has coalesced around something real rather than being unfocused, chatting about those things helps. It helps a lot.
10. Work permitting, boot up Netflix, Crunchy Roll, or Hulu and get lost in something.

Detecting anxiety (and its mate dark depression) is easier said than done. I can end up in a mess sometimes before noticing something is wrong. I have alerts to remind me to take breaks. In those breaks, I find a kitty and update them on my mood and feelings. Ginger is the best listener because she is an old lady who loves cuddles.