What can I do right now?
“I feel anxious”
I feel anxious? A knot in your stomach, a racing mind, a sense that something is about to go wrong.
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A knot in your stomach, a racing mind, a sense that something is about to go wrong.
Try one of these now
- Slow breathing — (2–5 min · Moderate evidence)
- 5-4-3-2-1 grounding — (2–5 min · Practical evidence)
- Best, worst, most likely — (5 min · Practical evidence)
- Worry time — (15 min · Moderate evidence)
Why this can help
Calm the body first, then look at the prediction: what is the best, worst and most likely outcome? Giving worry a set time stops it taking the whole day.
When it is more than a rough moment
If anxiety has lasted for weeks, is getting worse or is stopping you doing everyday things, talk to a doctor or another professional — see “When self-help isn’t enough”.
Understand it better
- Understanding anxiety — Anxiety is your alarm system working hard. What it feels like, why it happens, and why it is so convincing. (7 min · Beginner)
- Fear and anxiety: what is the difference? — Fear answers a danger in front of you; anxiety answers one that might come. Each needs a different response. (6 min · Beginner)
- Worry vs problem solving — Problem solving ends in a next step. Worry goes round and round without one. (6 min · Beginner)
If you need more support
- When self-help isn’t enough — Signs it is time to talk to someone, and who you can talk to.