Emotional Regulation: First Steps to Lower Inner Tension

When anxiety, fear, and racing thoughts overwhelm us, we end up in an induced, unnatural state. Dr. Saulitis describes this as a malfunction in the brain's work, where the level of "bad dopamine" rises and a person doesn't know what to do with themselves. The good news: the first steps are simple and require neither complex techniques nor self-medication.

Prevent the Surge: Profilaxis Comes First

The first principle is to keep this tension from rising at all. That means not exposing yourself to extra stress and unfavorable influences, and instead introducing a normal, healthy way of life: getting enough sleep, taking the reactivity down. If such a healthy rhythm isn't yet established — it needs to be worked out. Regulation doesn't begin in the moment of panic, but with a steady foundation of everyday life.

Three Signs the "Bad Dopamine" Has Risen

The body signals before we manage to make sense of it. The doctor names three clear points:

• dry mouth — when the mouth starts to "go dry";
• racing thoughts — obsessive looping, anxiety, fear;
• inner tension, including in the muscles.

If you notice these three signs together — it's a signal that the level has risen and it's time to act, not wait.

The First Practical Move: Water and Movement

The method the doctor calls very simple: take a bottle of mineral water and go for a long walk until the bottle is empty — usually about an hour. Long walks and water help flush this state out and take down the reactivity. In such a tense state "pleasant activities" usually don't work — all the blood is "in the head" — so it's better to rely on this simple bodily method rather than forcing yourself to relax.

When the Tension Is Bodily: Where to Begin the Workup

If the experiences show up physically (psychosomatics), the doctor stresses: don't start straight with medications. First, you can try to set the brain's work and rhythm right. And before doing anything, it's important to get checked — take simple blood and urine tests, biochemistry, liver panels. This is to rule out that something else is driving the bodily picture. Going to a specialist makes sense once those results are in hand — otherwise you can waste many visits, money, and time for nothing.

Practice: The First Step During a Surge of Tension

1. Notice the body's signal — dry mouth, racing thoughts, muscle tension.
2. Don't try to "relax by force" and don't reach straight for a pill.
3. Take a bottle of water and head out for a long walk.
4. Walk until you've finished it — usually about an hour.
5. Keep the foundation steady: get enough sleep and remove extra stress so the tension doesn't rise again.

These steps are about returning to a simple, normal life. That, in the doctor's words, is the support worth coming back to.