Managing Anxiety in Triggering Situations

What I normally do is body awareness techniques while the conversation is happening. 1- take 5 deep breaths while they are talking (in nose, out mouth) 2- wiggle your toes/curl your toes a bit 3- if you can’t stomp, move your legs/sway a bit. Get blood flowing into your legs from being knee locked 4- clench your hands into fists and release 10 times 5- press your hands firmly on your legs and hold for 15 seconds 6- notice your hands. If they are cold and clammy, rub them together to feel warmth 7- take your breaths again

If I know ahead of time I try to prepare myself and be aware of how I'm feeling and how I know I'm going to feel. In this case I would try to think out scenarios in my head and plan what I would say. Not thinking them out to worry about the possibilities, but just to have a preplanned script in my head for what I have to do, as for me, things not going to plan or going into something without knowing what will happen.

If the situation is work-related, then I use the Calm app to meditate beforehand. If it’s not work-related, then I use cannabis to help decrease my anxiety.