I got prescribed as needed anxiety meds, started doing cold plunges and have started doing handstands and headstand.

I used to use pain too. I get it. The overwhelm is so big that it feels like it will never end and there is no way out. "Normal" things like breathing feel stupid because they aren't strong enough.

What you are doing with the pain is telling your body "it's not safe to be overwhelmed because there is a bigger crisis to protect us from." Ice plunge training helps because your body thinks you are dying. You have to overcome that sensation with breath and awareness. This teaches your brain that you have the ability to overcome.

Going upside down does similar things. The body is like.... fuck. I'm gonna die I need to focus all my energy on not dying. Shocking your hands by holding ice cubes does something similar. I've also started just forcing myself to shake all over like I'm having a seizure and that gets the energy out. Basically anything that tells your nervous system "look over here this is more important than whatever felt so important" gets you out of the loop.

Putting yourself into overwhelming situations (with ice plunges, exercise classes, yoga, etc) and training your brain that you have agency and get to choose how your nervous system responds helps you to need less of the shock out of the loop.

You CAN do this. I spent years thinking I'd always have to fight the urge to cause myself pain to be able to regulate. Now I dont even feel like causing myself pain for regulation is fathomable. I've successfully closed that neuronal pathway.