A racing heart before a meeting. A mind that won’t switch off at 2am. A tight chest in a crowded shop. Anxiety can feel overwhelming and confusing — but it isn’t random, and it isn’t a personal failing.
Your built-in alarm system
Anxiety is rooted in one of the body’s most important survival mechanisms: the stress response. When the brain senses danger, it prepares you to act — your heart beats faster, your breathing quickens and your muscles tense. In a genuinely dangerous situation, this response is incredibly useful.
The difficulty is that the brain can’t always tell the difference between a real threat and a perceived one. An upcoming deadline, a difficult conversation or even a passing thought can set off the same alarm. Over time, the system can become over-sensitive, firing again and again when there is no real danger.
Common signs of anxiety
- Persistent worry that is hard to control
- Restlessness, irritability or feeling on edge
- Physical symptoms such as a racing heart, shallow breathing or an upset stomach
- Avoiding situations that feel uncomfortable
- Difficulty sleeping or concentrating
Small things that help in the moment
While lasting change usually takes more than quick fixes, a few simple practices can help settle the body when anxiety rises:
- Slow your breathing. Breathing out for longer than you breathe in signals to the body that it’s safe to calm down.
- Ground yourself. Notice five things you can see, four you can hear and three you can feel. This brings your attention back to the present.
- Name it. Simply saying “this is anxiety” can create a little distance between you and the feeling.
When to reach out
If anxiety is affecting your sleep, your work, your relationships or your enjoyment of life, it may be time to talk to someone. Therapy can help you understand what triggers your anxiety, what keeps it going and how to respond differently. Approaches such as BWRT focus specifically on retraining the automatic responses that anxiety relies on.
You don’t have to wait until things feel unmanageable. Reaching out early is a sign of strength, not weakness.
Soulful Psychology
Healing through understanding. Therapy for individuals, couples and organisations, by Mohammed Uzair Bhamjee.
