Imagination and creativity are among the ways to complete the stress response cycle according to stress researcher Dr. Emily Nagoski. So maybe your brain works well with that as a solution to the tension in you. I'm currently exploring more ways to find homes for stress that are not "buried in my body" or "driving my unconscious actions". Not every method will work for everyone ofc, like - I can't do exercise for obvious reasons - but that's why there are 12 methods on that podcast + transcript. And if i can efficiently get rid of the stress that has been such a big part of my life and personality my whole life, maybe there'll be room for other things. I'd like to use the energy that went to dealing with my stress to instead use my creative energies to fight back against oligarchy and climate change.

I'm glad that I could help with the spiraling at all. Solidarity, comrade.