Why you spiral, and how to stop it (Episode 339)

Does your mind ever take one worried thought and turn it into a full-scale emergency, leaving you overwhelmed, exhausted and unable to think straight? That's a spiral, and if it's familiar territory, this episode of the Let's Talk About Mental Health podcast is for you. Because what nobody tells you about being in a spiral is this: the things you instinctively do to stop spiralling are often what keep it going. This week I'm getting into what actually happens in your brain and body when a spiral takes hold, because understanding the feedback loop is the first step to interrupting it. When your thoughts, your emotions and your nervous system all start feeding each other, you can feel completely out of control. I'll explain why spiralling happens, why the responses most people reach for tend to make it worse, and I'll give you practical, realistic tools for emotional regulation that work even when you're already overwhelmed. If panic and anxiety are familiar territory and you're ready to break the cycle rather than just survive it, this one's for you. 👉 Ready to stop spiralling and break the cycle? Then let's talk! 💡 TL;DR: If you've ever felt your thoughts start to spiral and tried everything to make them stop, only to end up more overwhelmed than when you started, this episode will explain why that happens and what to actually do about it. Let's Talk About Mental Health with Jeremy Godwin is about practical mental health advice for real life; each week I teach you how to improve your mental wellbeing with simple tips that actually work, drawing on my professional expertise as a counsellor and my personal experience living with anxiety and depression. Welcome and let's talk!⏱️ Chapters/Timestamps:0:00 When one thought becomes an emergency 0:21 How to calm down mid-spiral 3:04 What a spiral actually is 7:20 Why a spiral hijacks your brain 12:08 How to interrupt the cycle 21:59 What I want you to take away 📝 Transcript & show notes: https://ltamh.com/?p=20475 📖 Buy my book 'Life Advice That Doesn't Suck': https://jeremygodwin.com.au/latds/ 📍 Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/jeremygodwin ➕ Related episodes:Overthinking and thought spirals (Episode 321): https://ltamh.com/?p=19518 Fatigue and anxiety (Episode 331): https://ltamh.com/?p=20080 Why overwhelm can make you freeze and shut down (Episode 330): https://ltamh.com/?p=20056 👋 New here?Hi! I'm Jeremy Godwin, writer and counsellor plus the host of the Let's Talk About Mental Health podcast, your weekly dose of practical advice for better mental health. I share straightforward tips to help you protect your peace and improve your mental health, with new episodes every Sunday.🔗 Links Learn more about Let's Talk About Mental Health: https://ltamh.comSubscribe for free show notes/transcripts in your inbox: https://ltamh.com/subscribe/My Digital Store: https://ltamh.com/shop/Buy my Daily Reflection Tool here: https://ltamh.com/product/daily-reflection/Buy my Daily Affirmations tool here: https://ltamh.com/product/affirmations/Subscribe to my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ltamhFind me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ltamentalhealth/Mental health resources: https://ltamh.com/resources/#anxietyspiral #stopspiraling #mentalhealth #mentalhealthtips #bettermentalhealth #ltamhpodcast #letstalkaboutmentalhealth #ltamh #peaceofmind #findingpeace #emotionalhealth #personalgrowth #mentalwellness #mentalwellbeing #emotionalwellbeing #jeremygodwin #protectyourpeace #mentalhealthpodcast #selfimprovement #mentalhealthsupport #spiraling #spiralling #inaspiral #nervoussystemregulation #anxietyrelief #emotionalregulation #overthinkinganxiety #anxietysupport #mentalhealthtools