Debugging Anxiety

Labeling your feelings and writing better code have something in common

Source: Pixabay, “code”

I woke up with anxiety.

At 4:30 AM, my body was flooded with adrenaline. My eyes wide-open. I was lying in bed, still in my PJs — but internally, I was already running.

And then a strange thought landed:

What if I didn’t call this “anxiety”?

What if I labeled it something else — something that didn’t carry as much of an emotional load?

What if I called it “my body doing what it needs to do right now to help me get through the day”?

That small shift cracked open a window.

Instead of spiraling, I leaned in.

I used that surge of energy to actually go out for a run.

It helped. Not just physically — but mentally too.

And it all started with one small act:

Renaming the experience.

---

The Programmer’s Trick We Overlook in Real Life

If you’re a developer, you already do this at work.

We name things all the time: variables, functions, classes. It's how we make sense of complex systems.

We don’t just write code — we label code. Intentionally. Carefully.

Because we know:

• Names shape understanding.

• Names set expectations.

• Names influence behavior.

And renaming? That’s just good refactoring.

A vague function name like getInfo() becomes getCustomerPurchaseHistory(). Suddenly the black box becomes predictable, useful, navigable.

Same goes for our internal world.

---

Labeling Isn’t Just For Coding — It’s Mental Hygiene

In therapy, this skill is called labeling — and it's a cornerstone of emotional regulation in various types of therapy and mindfulness-based approaches.

Here’s why it works:

• It enhances emotional awareness.
  Naming turns vague, overwhelming feelings into manageable data points.

• It improves clarity.
  “I’m having the thought that I’m not good enough” is way different from “I’m not good enough.” After all, a lot of thoughts we have aren’t even true.

• It reduces emotional intensity.
  Brain scans show that labeling an emotion dampens the amygdala response. So something as simple as saying out loud, “I feel anxious,” is already more calming than just feeling anxious.

---

Here’s How to Start Labeling

If you’re new to this, think of it like debugging your emotional stack trace.

Try this:

1. Pause and observe.
   Ask: “What am I feeling right now?” Not “why” — just what.

2. Use descriptive, specific language.
   Not just “bad” — maybe it’s “disappointed,” “overstimulated,” or “on edge.”

3. Add cognitive distancing if needed.
   Say: “I notice I’m feeling anxious,” not “I am anxious.”

4. Test alternative labels.
   Like I did at 4:30 AM — sometimes calling it “energy” or “activation” helps reframe the story your brain is telling.

---

Closing Thoughts

Labeling helps us understand emotions as data points. (Instead of what many analytically minded people like to do and ignore or suppress their emotions. It’s not that!)

It’s about giving your inner world the same structure and clarity you bring to your codebase.

In both domains, naming is powerful:

• It makes things easier to work with.

• It guides our interactions with the labeled entity.

• It helps us build something better.

So the next time your system feels chaotic or overloaded, don’t just feel it.

Label it.

And if the default label isn’t helpful?

Refactor it. Use a more helpful label.

---

Want more tips like this?
If you enjoyed this article, sign up for my Mental OS Update newsletter. Get regular insights on transforming your mental code to thrive in both career and life.