Anxiety can sneak up on you in everyday moments or feel like a heavy cloud that never quite lifts. It can show up as racing thoughts, trouble breathing, a tight chest, or a sense that something bad is about to happen. For some, it builds up into panic attacks—those sudden, intense waves of fear that seem to come out of nowhere and leave you feeling frozen.

If you’re dealing with social anxiety, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, or just feeling constantly on edge, you’re not alone. There are practical tools that can help. This guide walks you through various techniques, from quick ways to calm your body in the moment to more advanced strategies for long-term relief. Use what fits you best—there’s no one-size-fits-all solution.

Start with the Basics

Calm Your Body with Deep Breathing

When your body is in “fight or flight” mode, everything speeds up—your heart, breathing, and thoughts. Slowing your breath can signal to your nervous system that you’re safe.

Try belly breathing:

Sit comfortably with one hand on your chest and one on your belly.
Inhale through your nose for 4–5 seconds, letting your belly rise.
Hold that breath gently for a few seconds.
Exhale slowly through your mouth for 6–7 seconds, feeling your belly fall.
Repeat for a few minutes.

This kind of breathing lowers heart rate, eases muscle tension, and helps your brain reset.

Let Go of Tension with Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR)

Anxiety can make your muscles tighten without you even noticing. This technique helps you identify and release that tension.

Start at your feet. Tense the muscles for 5 seconds, then fully relax.
Move upward—legs, stomach, arms, shoulders, and face.
Pay attention to how your body feels as it softens.

PMR is especially helpful before bed or after a tough conversation. It gently tells your body it can let go.

When Your Thoughts Start to Spiral

The 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Technique

If you feel panic rising or your mind racing, grounding can bring you back to the present.

5 things you can see: Look for small details—shadows, patterns, colors.
4 things you can hear: Maybe it’s the hum of the fridge, a bird outside, your own breath.
3 things you can touch: Your shirt’s fabric, a warm mug, your fingertips.
2 things you can smell: Try essential oil, your soap, or a cup of tea.
1 thing you can taste: Water, gum, or just focus on the taste in your mouth.

This technique interrupts anxious thinking and anchors you in the moment.

Everyday Mindfulness

You don’t need to meditate for hours to practice mindfulness. You can weave it into regular activities.

While walking: Notice the feeling of your feet hitting the ground.
While eating: Savor your food’s flavors, textures, and temperature.
While showering: Pay attention to the water, the sounds, the scent of soap.

These small shifts can gently pull you away from anxious thoughts and help your body and mind reconnect.

Reclaim Your Energy: Focus on What You Can Control

The Circle of Control Exercise

Anxiety often comes from focusing on things that feel big and unpredictable. This mental exercise can help you sort your worries.

Inner circle: What you can control—your routines, your words, how you care for yourself.
Middle circle: What you can influence—your relationships, your work effort.
Outer circle: What’s out of your control—traffic, weather, someone else’s mood.

If you’re stuck in the outer circle, gently redirect your attention inward. Even a small act of self-care can help you feel more steady.

Use Your Imagination to Find Calm

Guided Imagery

Your brain responds to images just like it does to real experiences. Use that to your advantage.

Close your eyes.
Picture a calm scene: a quiet forest, a cozy nook, the beach at sunrise.
Add details: the sounds, the smells, the textures.
Breathe slowly and stay there for a few minutes.

This technique works well during stressful moments or as a daily practice to lower overall tension.

Build a Calm Kit

A calm kit is a simple, personalized toolkit you can turn to when anxiety or panic hits.

Things to include:

A smooth stone or a fidget toy
A favorite tea bag or essential oil
Sticky notes with calming quotes or affirmations
A soft cloth or scarf
A calming playlist or short podcast
A journal or bookmark with a kind note to yourself

Keep it nearby—in your car, bag, or nightstand. It’s a reminder that you have tools to support yourself.

Write It Out: Journaling to Process Worry

Writing helps turn noisy thoughts into something more manageable. It also helps you notice patterns in your thinking.

Try one of these prompts:

Brain dump: Get everything out. No grammar rules, just empty the stress.
In my control vs. out of my control: Split your worries into two columns.
Challenge the thought: If you’re thinking “I’ll mess this up,” ask, “Is that a fact, or just fear?”

Journaling doesn’t have to be daily or polished. Just getting your thoughts on paper can help you breathe easier.

For Panic Attacks: Slow Down and Reground

Panic attacks are intense, but they are temporary. They often peak within minutes.

Use grounding: The 5-4-3-2-1 technique can break the spiral.
Breathe slowly: Focus mainly on the exhale.
Reassure yourself: “This feels scary, but I’m safe. It will pass.”

You may also notice symptoms like shortness of breath, shaking, or nausea. These sensations are real—but they’re not dangerous. You’re not losing control. You’re having a stress response, and it will pass.

More Advanced Tools for Long-Term Relief

Exposure Therapy

Avoiding anxiety triggers feels safer in the short term, but it often makes fear stronger. Exposure therapy helps you face fears gently and safely.

List stressful situations (like social events, public speaking, or crowded places).
Rank them from least to most anxiety-provoking.
Start small. If large crowds make you panic, begin with short visits to quiet spaces.
Stay in the situation long enough to notice that anxiety fades.

This approach helps retrain your brain to understand: “I can handle this.” It’s best done with a therapist, but the principles can help anyone start small and grow their comfort zone.

Defusion Techniques

Sometimes, anxious thoughts feel like facts. Defusion helps you take a step back.

Label it: “I’m having the thought that I might mess this up.”
Give it a funny voice: Try reading the thought in a silly cartoon voice.
Visualize it drifting: Picture the thought floating away on a cloud.

These tricks help reduce the power of anxious thinking so you can respond more calmly.

Self-Compassion

Anxiety often comes with guilt or self-judgment. But self-kindness can actually ease anxiety.

Acknowledge your struggle: “This is hard, and that’s okay.”
Talk to yourself like a friend: “I’m doing the best I can.”
Take gentle action: Wrap up in a blanket, listen to a song you love, call someone who cares.

Self-compassion is a powerful antidote to the harsh inner voice anxiety often brings.

When You Need More Support

Lifestyle changes like enough sleep, a healthy diet, movement, and limiting caffeine can help with anxiety. But sometimes that’s not enough.

Talk therapy: A therapist can help you untangle anxious patterns and develop new strategies.
Support groups: Sharing your experience with others who understand can reduce isolation and give you new ideas.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): A proven method for managing anxiety and panic.
PTSD, panic disorder, and social anxiety: These conditions may require more focused treatment. Therapy can help you find relief.

You’re Not Alone

Managing anxiety and panic attacks isn’t about doing it perfectly. It’s about finding tools that help you feel steadier, capable, and like yourself.

Start small. Try one thing. Then try another. You’ll learn what works best for your body, mind, and life.

And if you want someone to walk alongside you, we’re here.

Firefly Therapy Austin offers compassionate support for anxiety, panic attacks, and stress. Our therapists are trained to help you find relief, build resilience, and feel like yourself again.

Firefly Therapy Austin offers affordable, effective therapy in Austin, Texas.
Find out more about our Therapists and Specialties.

Coping with Anxiety & Panic Attacks: Simple to Advanced Techniques