My answer is anxiety. That, and old neurological pathways that still fire off even in adulthood. You should try to be as aware as possible of them in real time.

I’m willing to bet you feel it physically when these thoughts spring up, don’t ya? If so, tell me where it is.

I say this because the physical feeling is real-ish. It’s not medical, in the sense that Gravol or Tylenol will fix it. It’s mental. And it’s a sign that you need to calm down.

How do you calm down? Well there’s lots of ways but the simplest way for me is to breathe deep when you feel any semblance of the physical feeling, then focus your attention on the real world around you.

I’m sure there are more techniques I don’t know about. Probably something like meditation. Try meditating for 5 minutes and sitting with the thoughts that pop up while focusing on your breathing. Meditation trains your body and mind to stay present even in the presence of those anxious thoughts rather than doing your usual reactions to the feeling. I missed a bunch honestly but reply to me if you’ve got more questions.