How to manually override a spiral.

You can’t control the input (the trigger). But you can control the code (your reaction). Here are 5 prompts to debug the loop.

Your brain is a prediction machine. When it detects a threat—like a weird text from your boss or a late reply from a date—it tries to "solve" the problem by replaying it.

This is not "worrying." This is a biological glitch.

In neuroscience, this is called the Default Mode Network (DMN) going into overdrive. Your brain thinks that if it replays the scenario 100 times, it will find a different outcome. It won't. It just burns energy.

The only way to stop a glitch is to introduce a "Wedge"—something that forces the system to pause and switch tracks.

Here are 5 specific prompts designed to act as that wedge.

1. The "Evidence Log" (Fact Checking)

Your anxiety is a liar. It presents feelings as facts. This prompt forces you to act like a lawyer in a courtroom, demanding "receipts" for your own panic.

Prompt: "Write down the scary thought. Now, list the concrete evidence (emails, texts, actual words said) that proves this is 100% true. If you were in a court of law, could you prove it?"

Usually, the answer is no. You have feelings, not evidence.

2. The "System Flush" (Raw Data)

Sometimes, the loop exists simply because the data has nowhere to go. You are buffering. This prompt is about clearing the cache.

Prompt: "Set a timer for 3 minutes. Write non-stop about everything you are angry, sad, or frustrated about. Do not edit. Do not correct typos. Do not be polite. Just upload the raw data to the page."

3. The "Worst/Best/Likely" Split

Anxiety only renders one future: The Catastrophe. This prompt forces your brain to render the other two possibilities, which dilutes the fear.

Prompt: Step 1: What is the absolute Worst Case scenario? (The Catastrophe). Step 2: What is the absolute Best Case scenario? (The Fantasy). Step 3: What is the Most Likely scenario? (The Reality).

4. The "External Observer" (The Mirror)

We are often cruel to ourselves in ways we would never be to a friend. This prompt leverages your natural empathy to help yourself.

Prompt: "If my smartest friend came to me with this exact problem and these exact feelings, what would I tell them? Would I judge them, or would I offer a solution?"

5. The "Input vs. Output" Sort

Loops often happen when we try to control variables that are essentially random (like other people's opinions). This prompt sorts the code.

Prompt: "Draw a line down the middle of the page. Left Column: Inputs I Control (My words, my actions, my sleep). Right Column: Inputs I Cannot Control (Their reaction, the timing, the economy). Action: Pick one thing from the Left Column and do it right now."

Why Mingo Does This Better

Paper is great, but it requires you to remember to use these prompts. Mingo does it for you.

When you chat with Mingo, it detects the spiral in real-time. It doesn't just let you vent; it gently inserts these prompts into the conversation, acting as an active wedge to break the loop before it ruins your night.

Don't just write. Debug. Download Flammingo