How Anxiety Feels — and 10+ Ways to Cope with Anxiety
Racing heart, difficulty breathing, wanting to run away, freezing in your tracks, difficulty talking, can’t think straight… Anxiety. Oh, anxiety.
Understanding anxiety, how it shows up in your body, and what you can do to calm your mind.
Anxiety can feel overwhelming — racing heart, shortness of breath, restlessness, or that familiar urge to run away. It can leave you feeling out of control, exhausted, and disconnected.
As a licensed therapist in Missouri who specializes in anxiety, trauma, and attachment, I work with clients across Springfield, Kansas City, St. Louis, and throughout the state through online therapy.
In this post, I’ll help you understand what anxiety feels like — and share more than ten practical ways to help manage it.
Anxiety Symptoms
What Anxiety Feels Like
Anxiety can show up physically, mentally, and emotionally. Common symptoms include:
Racing thoughts or difficulty concentrating
Feeling restless or “wound up”
Tight chest or shortness of breath
Stomachaches or nausea
Fatigue or low energy
Trouble sleeping
Irritability or feeling “on edge”
Avoiding people, places, or situations
It can even make you more sensitive to sounds, lights, or social situations.
Sometimes anxiety is mistaken for ADHD, because both can involve restlessness, trouble focusing, and racing thoughts.
Anxiety doesn’t look the same for everyone — one person may withdraw quietly, while another overtalks or laughs nervously to mask discomfort.
No matter how it appears, anxiety affects both your thoughts and your body.
10+ Ways to Cope with Anxiety
These tools can help you calm your nervous system and feel more grounded.
Remember, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach — it’s about finding the combination that works best for you.
Diaphragmatic Breathing (Belly Breathing)
Slow, deep breaths help regulate your nervous system. Place a hand on your stomach and notice it expand as you breathe in… hold for a moment… and exhale slowly.Yoga or Stretching
Gentle movement releases tension and helps you reconnect with your body. Try a few stretches between sessions or after a stressful day.Mindfulness Walks
Step outside and notice your senses: What do you see, hear, smell, or feel? This grounds you in the present moment.Meditation or Guided Relaxation
Short, guided meditations can help quiet your thoughts. Apps like Insight Timer or Calm are great places to start.Get Your Heart Rate Up
Counterintuitive, but effective! A brisk walk, dancing, or a few jumping jacks help your body release excess energy and reset your nervous system.Move Your Body
Do something active — even household chores. Movement breaks rumination and redirects anxious energy.
Take a Deep Breath.
Relax your tongue.
Drop your shoulders.
Unclench your jaw.
Good job. Let’s keep going.
Cold Water on Wrists or Face
A quick cool-down technique that signals your body to slow your heart rate and relax.
Creativity
Try journaling, drawing, coloring, or crafting. Creative activities engage different parts of the brain and give your mind a break from overthinking.Call a Friend
Anxiety can make you isolate, but connection is regulating. Reach out to someone who feels safe and grounding.Ask Yourself: “Is This Helpful or Harmful?”
Challenge anxious thoughts by checking whether they’re keeping you safe or keeping you stuck.Plan “Worry Time.”
Schedule five minutes a day to write down worries, then close the notebook and refocus on your day. Contain worry so it doesn’t spill everywhere.Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR).
Tense and release muscle groups one at a time to bring awareness to where you’re holding stress.Calm, Comfortable Place Visualization.
Borrowed from EMDR therapy — imagine a peaceful place where your body feels completely safe and relaxed.Container Technique.
Visualize putting intrusive worries into a mental “container” and closing the lid. You can return to them later, but they’re safely contained for now.itation.Cold Water on Wrists or Face
A quick cool-down technique that signals your body to slow your heart rate and relax.Creativity
Try journaling, drawing, coloring, or crafting. Creative activities engage different parts of the brain and give your mind a break from overthinking.Call a Friend
Anxiety can make you isolate, but connection is regulating. Reach out to someone who feels safe and grounding.Ask Yourself: “Is This Helpful or Harmful?”
Challenge anxious thoughts by checking whether they’re keeping you safe or keeping you stuck.Plan “Worry Time.”
Schedule five minutes a day to write down worries, then close the notebook and refocus on your day. Contain worry so it doesn’t spill everywhere.Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR).
Tense and release muscle groups one at a time to bring awareness to where you’re holding stress.Calm, Comfortable Place Visualization.
Borrowed from EMDR therapy — imagine a peaceful place where your body feels completely safe and relaxed.Container Technique.
Visualize putting intrusive worries into a mental “container” and closing the lid. You can return to them later, but they’re safely contained for now.
A Gentle Reminder
Anxiety doesn’t have to control your life. These tools can help you manage symptoms, but sometimes anxiety runs deeper — tied to old patterns, trauma, or fear.
If you’re ready to go beyond coping and truly heal the root causes of anxiety, I’d love to help.
Learn more about my approach to trauma and relationship therapy in Missouri or schedule a free consultation to get started.
Anxiety does NOT have to be debilitating.
Anxiety can feel overwhelming, but when you start asking yourself “what are some coping skills for anxiety,” I hope some of these come to mind and you are able to find the one that works best for you!
