As an anxious person, I love these suggestions. Substractions may not be my first choice, but I can do the one with animal or flower names for each letter of the alphabet. So far, I was focusing on breathing, although it wasn't working that great, and it made me look a bit weird too, taking all those deep, labor-like breaths :D But cognitive distraction seems like something that will go unnoticed by those around me and potentially help me more. Thank you for sharing this and for the humorous way you recalled your first encounter with a... naked brain :) Or was it just me who found it funny? :D