Strategies for managing anxiety and worry

By Angelika Kubisa, BSc(Hons) Psychology | Dip. CBH | Cert-I-CBT

Cognitive Behavioural Hypnotherapist & Coach

Published 20th May 2024 | Updated 20th January 2025

Anxiety is a normal response to stress – it’s your body’s natural way of preparing you to face challenges. In today’s fast-paced world, where life can feel overwhelming and busy, it’s impossible to fully escape anxiety. For many people, anxiety can build slowly over time, and they may not even realise they’re feeling it.

The good news is that anxiety can be managed with the right tools and small, practical changes that help you regain control over your peace of mind.

What is Anxiety?

Anxiety is a normal response to stress – it’s your body’s natural way of preparing you to face challenges. In today’s fast-paced world, where life can feel overwhelming and busy, it’s impossible to fully escape anxiety. For many people, anxiety can build slowly over time, and they may not even realise they’re feeling it. The good news is that anxiety can be managed with the right tools and small, practical changes that help you regain control over your peace of mind.

Anxiety often shows itself through persistent worry or fear, accompanied by physical symptoms such as a racing heart, shallow breathing, or a tight feeling in the chest. You may find your mind flooded with racing thoughts, leading you to feel a constant need to do something – anything – to feel in control, even if you’re unsure what that something is. This need for control often leads to avoidance behaviours and safety behaviours, which are common ways people cope with anxiety:

• Avoidance: Steering clear of situations that trigger anxiety, such as social gatherings, public speaking, or certain thoughts.

• Safety behaviours: Actions taken in the moment to reduce anxiety, like over-preparing for events, carrying comfort items, or seeking constant reassurance from others.

Initially, these behaviours may seem helpful, but over time, they can reinforce anxiety and prevent you from learning to face it more effectively. The key is to gradually expose yourself to what you fear in a controlled and manageable way. This doesn’t mean jumping into overwhelming situations but taking small steps to desensitise yourself and build confidence. The more you face your fears, the less power they have over you.

6 effective ways to manage anxiety

1. Challenge your thoughts

A lot of anxiety comes from irrational thinking. Many of us imagine the worst-case scenario in every situation, even when there’s no real reason to. This type of thinking, called catastrophic thinking, is a common trigger for anxiety. It can cause your mind to race, flood you with fear, and leave you feeling helpless.

Challenging anxious thoughts can help. 

When you find yourself imagining the worst possible outcome, ask:

• What evidence do I have that this will happen?

• How likely is it that this scenario will actually play out?

• Could I handle the worst-case scenario if it did happen?

By questioning anxious thoughts, you often realise they are exaggerated or unlikely. This helps break the cycle and gives you back a sense of control. With practice, this becomes a helpful way to view situations more realistically.

2. Practice deep breathing

When anxiety comes on, your breath often becomes shallow and fast. This shallow breathing makes anxiety worse, creating a vicious cycle. Deep breathing can help interrupt that cycle by activating your body’s relaxation response and helping you feel calmer.

How to practice deep breathing:

• Sit or lie down in a comfortable position.

• Place one hand on your chest and the other on your abdomen.

• Inhale slowly through your nose, allowing your abdomen to rise, and exhale gently through your mouth.

• Continue this for a few minutes, focusing on your breath.

This simple technique can help shift you from a heightened state to a more relaxed one.

3. Stay active

Exercise is one of the best natural ways to ease anxiety. When you move your body, it releases endorphins, which help lift your mood and reduce stress hormones like cortisol. Even a short walk or a yoga session can make a noticeable difference. Physical activity helps clear your mind, releases tension, and gives you something positive to focus on. Regular exercise also builds resilience to stress over time, making it easier to manage anxiety in the long run.

4. Limit caffeine and alcohol

Caffeine and alcohol can worsen anxiety. Caffeine is a stimulant that increases your heart rate and makes you feel jittery, while alcohol may provide temporary relief but disrupts sleep, worsening anxiety the next day. Cutting back on caffeine – especially in the afternoon or evening – can make a big difference in how your body responds to stress.

5. Create a calming routine

Having a calming routine can be grounding, especially when anxiety feels overwhelming. A routine brings stability into your day and provides consistency, which is crucial when anxiety, or life in general, feels unpredictable.

Other Ideas that may be helpful

• Meditation: Even just five minutes of sitting quietly and focusing on your breath can help calm your mind.

• Journaling: Writing down thoughts and worries helps process them and gain perspective.

• Sleep hygiene: Maintaining a regular sleep schedule helps your body reset, and creating a relaxing bedtime routine can improve the quality of your sleep.

• Relaxation techniques: Activities like progressive muscle relaxation, a warm bath, or listening to soothing music signal to your body that it’s time to wind down.

These routines won’t stop anxiety from appearing, but they make it easier to cope with when it does.

6. Simple self-hypnosis for anxiety relief

Self-hypnosis is a powerful tool for managing anxiety. It allows you to access a deeply relaxed state, helping you break the cycle of anxious thoughts and retrain your brain to respond more calmly to stress.

A simple step-by-step guide:

• Find a quiet, comfortable space: Choose a place where you won’t be disturbed for at least 15-20 minutes.

• Focus on your breath: Close your eyes and take deep breaths, paying attention to your body’s response.

• Create a mental image of calm: Imagine yourself in a peaceful place – perhaps a quiet beach, a serene forest – and engage your senses fully.

• Deepen your relaxation: Gradually relax each part of your body, starting from the top and working your way down.

• Affirmations or positive visualisations: Repeat calming affirmations or visualise yourself handling stress calmly.

• Gradually return to the present moment: Gently bring awareness back to your breath and open your eyes when you feel calm and centred.

Consistency is key with self-hypnosis. Even just 10-15 minutes each day can make a significant difference in reducing overall anxiety.

Getting help

If anxiety feels overwhelming or is affecting your daily life, seeking professional help can make a significant difference. Therapy, such as cognitive behavioural hypnotherapy, offers valuable tools to understand and manage anxiety effectively. Anxiety is a natural response to stress, not a sign something is wrong. How it’s managed makes the difference between feeling trapped and in control. Making some changes and potentially reaching out for help is an important step toward feeling better. 

Therapy can help you create personalised strategies that help you regain control, understand what’s going on with your body, and explore what could help. Managing anxiety is an ongoing journey – small steps each day can lead to lasting peace.

Contact:

If you are struggling or if you would like to know more information about how Integrative Hypnotherapy could support you, feel free contact me to book an informal free chat, using the form on the website or email me at angelikakubisa@tranquil-minds.co.uk.