Anxiety

Sometimes your therapist asks you a question that stops you in your tracks and completely shifts your perspective on a situation. For me, it was when my therapist asked me to picture my current situation as if it was a movie scene. Then came the breakthrough question: “What do you…

You’re enjoying a lovely road trip when all of a sudden you think about your car driving off the road or your dog dying. Intrusive thoughts like these can be deeply unsettling, but they’re also common. When unwanted thoughts pop up, it’s natural to wonder where they came from, why…

There’s been a lot of talk lately about using beta blockers for anxiety. You’ve probably heard celebrities mention them on the red carpet or you might have a friend who swears by them for big work presentations. It sounds pretty magical: Take a pill to blunt physical anxiety symptoms like…

You may not call it catastrophizing, but you probably know the feeling well: You start off worrying about one thing (like a bad date or a comment from your boss), and before you know it, you’re swimming in all the worst-case scenarios. Another bad date means you’ll surely end up…

Maybe you’ve felt it while answering emails, scrolling on your phone, or lying awake at night: that feeling of existential dread. Your brain suddenly starts pulling at threads you didn’t ask for. What am I doing with my life? Will any of this matter in a few years? Is everything…

Travel usually has a baseline level of stress baked in. But between ongoing labor shortages, shifting security protocols, and lingering questions about what, exactly, to expect at the airport, your travel anxiety might be at an all-time high these days. To add insult to injury, the usual advice on how…

Your body is always talking to you. That full-body “yes” feeling when something clicks—relaxed shoulders, easy breathing, a clear head. And the opposite: the tight chest before a hard conversation, the racing heart when anxiety spikes, the 3 a.m. mind that won’t stop replaying your to-do list. When your body…

You probably know what anxiety feels like. The racing thoughts, the tightness in your chest, the way your brain replays worst-case scenarios on a loop. But knowing how to actually deal with it—and understanding the difference between everyday stress and something more clinical—is where things get murky. Below, we break…

You’re standing at your kitchen counter, staring at the dishes. Your phone keeps buzzing with work messages. Your kid needs help with homework. And suddenly, you feel it—that heavy, panicky sensation like you’re drowning in responsibilities that should feel manageable. That’s overwhelm: when demand exceeds your capacity. And if you’re…

Your heart races during a normal work meeting. A friend’s offhand comment replays in your mind for days. You feel exhausted but can’t sleep, or you’re going through the motions but can’t quite feel present. If these moments sound familiar, you might be experiencing what’s become one of the most…

More than 40 million Americans are living with a clinical anxiety disorder. Whether you fall into that camp or not, most of us have experienced stress recently—maybe over a looming work deadline or juggling a sick kid at home. When anxiety is high, we often wonder: How do I make…

Imagine attending a party where every conversation feels like a performance you’re failing. Your heart races as you walk through the door. You’re convinced everyone is staring at your outfit, judging your awkward small talk, or noticing how your hands shake when you reach for a drink. After forcing yourself…