Attack of the Brain Weasels

I’m usually a pretty optimistic person. I can find the silver lining in a bad situation, the lesson in the obstacle, or the positive intention behind a hurtful action or statement. I don’t know if it is the cumulative effect of the pandemic, the influence of Demeter and her grief, the tail end of Mercury Retrograde, or something totally different – my positive outlook has been missing the last couple of weeks. I’ve had a severe attack of the brain weasels.

Brain Weasels - Caucasian man with his eyes closed and his hand to his head surrounded by weasels

What are brain weasels, you ask? Brain weasels are the negative thoughts, the self doubt, the criticism, the harmful self talk that runs around and around in your mind, sending you on a vicious spiral of bad feelings. Those bad feelings can ultimately turn into anxiety, panic attacks, and/or depression.

I have plenty of tools to oust the brain weasels. In the midst of an attack, though, those tools can seem out of reach. (That’s because executive function – the ability to manage your time and decide which tasks are important and which steps come next – goes out the window when you’re mental health is suffering.) I’m writing this post as much to remind myself of the tips and tricks I have used in the past to help fend off the brain weasels.

(Even getting the matches/spoons/executive function to write this list has been a huge challenge…)

Tips for managing brain weasels

  1. Say, “thank you for sharing”. Acknowledge the thoughts and let them go.
  2. Change the subject. Say “Stop.” or “Cancel.” and then focus on an affirmation or mantra.
  3. Snuggle an animal. Pet your cat. Play with your dog. Hug your guinea pig. Pets are a great defense against brain weasels.
  4. Get out in nature. Go for a walk on the beach, or in the woods if you can. Even if you can’t, getting out in fresh air is helpful!
  5. Write your SFD. The SFD is a concept from – you guessed it! – Brené Brown, and it stands for Sh!tty First Draft. Write down the story your brain weasels are telling you, in all the gory detail. Once it is outside of you, you can often see how ridiculous it is. Bonus, the tape usually, though not always, stops playing on repeat.
  6. Read your SFD in a silly voice. (Thanks to Cathy for this one!) This is kind of like the Riddikulus spell from Harry Potter. You make fun of the thing that scares you until it is not scary anymore.
  7. The story I am making up is… This one takes some courage and vulnerability. If your brain weasels are taking the form or voice of a specific person, talk to them. Rather than going on the defensive, though, start by saying, “The story I am making up is…” Then share whatever the brain weasels in your head have been telling you. Chances are good the brain weasels have been lying to you, and then you can clear the air without hurting the other person.
  8. Laugh. Watch a funny movie. Tell some jokes with your kids or a friend. Try out some laughter yoga. Sure, you may feel ridiculous at first. You’ll feel better by the end.
  9. Cry. Tears are healing. Don’t bottle them up inside. Let them out! And while you’re at it, taste your tears – they are like homeopathy and can help ease what ails you.
  10. Talk to a professional. Sometimes you just need an outside perspective. And sometimes professional help is required. Talk to a therapist or counsellor or even a crisis line. This may be cost prohibitive for some – here is a resource for those in BC.

Good luck fending off the brain weasels!

Blessings,
Mary