The news is on. Trump is speaking about a war. Your phone is buzzing. Someone mentions war and your stomach drops before your brain has even caught up.
You might be at your desk, on the school run, in the supermarket, or lying in bed at 2am trying to sleep, but your nervous system is acting like you are in immediate danger.
Some more doomscrolling and you feel it, a massive surge in racing thoughts alongside war and Middle East conflict anxiety.
And if part of you is thinking, “I shouldn’t be this affected, it’s not happening to me directly,” you’re not alone.
This is the brain doing what brains do: scanning for threat, trying to predict what happens next, and attempting to keep you safe. Our human biology is not built for happiness, its built for survival. Our brain will always latch on to what could go wrong, far more, than what could go right. Its not our fault we feel tense, but we can do something about it.
Why it feels so intense right now
Anxiety doesn’t require proximity. It requires uncertainty, perceived threat, and lack of control.
When headlines are fast-moving and alarming, your brain receives repeated cues that say: danger is rising, the situation is unpredictable, and you need to be ready. For many people, that can tip into a constant state of alert, including symptoms that look like generalised anxiety: racing thoughts, tight chest, irritability, sleep disruption, doomscrolling, and difficulty concentrating.
The problem is that your nervous system cannot be talked out of threat mode. It must be shown safety.
A simple reset you can use anywhere: regulate, reframe, refocus
If you do nothing else, do this in order.
1. Regulate
Start with your body.
Try the physiological sigh (30 to 60 seconds):
- Step 1: Inhale through your nose.
- Step 2: Without exhaling, take a second short inhale through your nose, like a top-up breath.
- Step 3: Slowly exhale through your mouth, longer than the inhale.
Repeat 2 to 5 rounds.
This is not about feeling calm instantly. It is about bringing your system down enough that you can think clearly again.
2. Reframe
Once your body settles even slightly, your mind becomes easier to steer.
Use an anchor sentence. Keep it short and repeat it:
- “I’m safe in this moment.”
- “Back to the present.”
- “This is anxiety, not a prophecy.”
- “I can be informed without being consumed.”
Reframing is not denial but rather, it’s accuracy. It stops your mind turning uncertainty into certainty.
3. Refocus
Bring attention back to what is actually here.
Try a 60-second grounding reset:
- Name 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.
Then do one stabilising action: drink water, eat something with protein, step outside for five minutes, or complete one small task already on your list.
The hidden accelerant: your phone
Your nervous system learns by repetition. If you check breaking news all day, your brain learns that constant scanning is required.
A helpful boundary is to be informed on purpose:
- Choose two set times per day to check headlines.
- Turn off breaking news notifications.
- No news in the hour before sleep.
- Keep your phone out of the bedroom if you can.
Another tool is using a time boundary- these are called worry windows
Worry windows are useful as they allow worry but keep it contained so it doesn’t take over your whole day.
If you try to stop worrying, your brain often panics and worries harder. A worry window contains it.
How to do it:
- Choose a daily 10-to-15-minute slot.
- When worries show up during the day, write a one-line note and postpone it to that slot.
- In the worry window, write the worry fully, then separate controllable from not controllable.
- Choose one action if there is one. If there isn’t, practise letting it be unfinished.
- End with two physiological sighs.
What to hold onto
You don’t need to control the world to feel steadier inside it. You need repeatable tools that teach your nervous system safety again and again.
When to get professional support
Support is worth considering if, for more than a couple of weeks, you notice: persistent insomnia, panic symptoms, compulsive checking, intrusive images, escalating anxiety, or functioning at work or home starting to dip.
Contact
If you’re looking for specialist support for anxiety, I offer appointments in Marylebone, London, and online. You can contact my practice here or email: info@homebasedtalkingtherapy.com.