“I need a minute” is a full sentence. Say it before you say something you can’t unsay.

Stopping in the middle is a legitimate move, and most people never use it because it feels like conceding. The sentences that do real damage are the ones fired in the ninety seconds when you are flooded and still talking. Naming that you need time ends the escalation without ending the conversation.

Use the line this week when your chest goes tight in an argument. Leave the room, walk to the end of the street, and return when your voice is yours again.