In the last blog, we explored the importance of becoming consciously aware of how anxiety shows up in your body, mind, and behaviour. You learned that anxiety isn’t your enemy—it’s a signal. And when you start to notice those signals without judgement, you begin to reclaim power over your responses.

But what comes next?

Now that you can see the anxiety response as it unfolds, what do you do with it?

In this post, we’ll look at how to interrupt the anxiety cycle—in small, achievable steps—and start teaching your body and brain a new, calmer way of being.

🛑 First, Let’s Name the Problem

Here’s what many people do with anxiety (no shame if this sounds familiar):

• Try to distract or avoid it
• Overthink it until they spiral
• Pretend they’re fine
• Criticise themselves for not “coping better”

And all of that just reinforces the idea that anxiety is dangerous or shameful.

But here’s a truth you may not have heard before:

You don’t need to feel calm to take calming action.

You can feel anxious and still interrupt the pattern.

🧠 Understanding the Anxiety Loop

Let’s revisit the anxiety cycle—now through the lens of change.

1. Trigger
2. • Real or perceived danger.
   • ✨ You learn to pause here.
2. Thoughts & Interpretations
3. • Catastrophic thinking takes over.
   • ✨ You begin to notice and reframe them.
3. Physical Symptoms
4. • Heart pounding, tight chest, nausea.
   • ✨ You apply calming strategies.
4. Behavioural Reaction
5. • Avoidance, aggression, shutting down.
   • ✨ You choose a more intentional response.
5. Reinforcement
6. • The way you respond teaches your brain what to do next time.
   • ✨ You can break the loop.

🧰 Practical Tools to Interrupt the Cycle

These are small actions you can take—starting today—to interrupt the anxiety cycle and begin rewriting your response.

🟡 1. Grounding Techniques

When anxiety strikes, your body goes into fight-or-flight. You lose touch with the present. Grounding helps bring you back.

Try the 5-4-3-2-1 technique:

• 5 things you can see
• 4 things you can feel
• 3 things you can hear
• 2 things you can smell
• 1 thing you can taste

Or simply:

“What colour are the walls?”
“What’s the texture under my feet?”

Simple. Effective. Fast.

🔄 2. Pattern Interrupts

Anxiety thrives on repetition. Break the loop by doing something unexpected.

• Clap your hands loudly
• Splash cold water on your face
• Stand up and stretch
• Change your posture
• Walk into a different room

You’re signalling to your brain: We’re not spiralling this time.

🫁 3. Breath Reconnection (Not Deep Breathing—Controlled Breathing)

When you’re anxious, deep breathing can sometimes make it worse. Try controlled breathing instead:

Box Breathing
Inhale for 4, hold for 4, exhale for 4, hold for 4.

Repeat 3-4 rounds. This calms your nervous system without forcing it.

🧠 4. Thought Reframing

You don’t need to stop anxious thoughts. Just challenge them with a dose of reality.

Anxious Thought:

“I’m going to mess this up.”
Reframe:
“I might feel nervous, but I’ve handled tough things before.”

Write down common anxious beliefs and come up with gentle, realistic counter-statements. Not positive fluff—balanced truth.

🤝 5. Use Your Voice

Anxiety hates connection. Even saying aloud:

“I’m anxious right now”
…can shift the shame.

Tell a friend. Text a trusted person. Or just speak it out to yourself.

Naming it = tames it.

📅 Make It a Practice, Not a Panic Tool

These tools are not just for meltdowns. They’re skills you can practise during low-stress times so they’re available to you when the pressure hits.

Try:

• 5 minutes of grounding each morning
• One reframe journal entry a day
• Practising your breathwork before bed

This is nervous system training, not a one-off trick.

⚠️ A Note on Neurodivergence (Again)

If you’re neurodivergent, especially with ADHD or ASD, you might:

• Take longer to notice the anxiety rising
• Struggle with “catching it in the moment”
• Need more sensory-based or visual tools

That’s okay. You’re not behind or broken—you just need strategies that work with your brain. We’ll explore ND-specific adaptations in an upcoming blog.

💬 Final Thoughts

Interrupting the anxiety cycle isn’t about “fixing” yourself—it’s about creating space. Space to choose. To breathe. To recover.

With awareness and consistent practice, your default response doesn't have to be panic. It can be pause, perspective, and peace.

You are not your anxiety.
You are the one observing it, responding to it, and gradually taking your power back.

In the next blog, we’ll talk about what happens after the anxiety passes—how to build your recovery muscle, reduce anxiety hangovers, and actually start to feel safe in your body again.

You’re doing brilliantly. One step at a time.