Anxiety in everyday life: when your internal alarm won’t stop ringing

How often do we feel our hearts racing for no apparent reason? How often is our mind invaded by a “what if…” that prevents us from enjoying the present moment?

We realize that, in contemporary society, we live in a state of constant alertness. We are bombarded by stimuli, deadlines, and expectations that keep our nervous system in a state of wakefulness that seems never-ending. Anxiety, which originally served as a survival mechanism to protect us from predators, has become, for many, a deafening background noise that affects our well-being.

It is not a matter of eliminating anxiety, since it is part of what makes us human, but rather of learning to regulate its intensity so that it does not become the main protagonist of our story.

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Understanding Anxiety: The Broken Alarm

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As we’ve already mentioned, anxiety is not, by definition, an enemy. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), anxiety is an emotion characterized by feelings of tension and worrying thoughts, accompanied by physical changes [1]. It’s the body preparing to act.

The problem arises when this “alarm” goes off in the absence of danger. When our body tells us we’re in danger during a work meeting, a dinner with friends, or in the silence of our bedroom. In those moments, the “fight-or-flight” response is triggered unnecessarily and ends up wearing down the body and mind.

Take Back Control

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In clinical psychology, we don’t rely on magical “positive thinking,” but rather on evidence-based techniques that help recalibrate the system. We highlight three fundamental pillars:

1. The Body: The Anchor of Breathing

When anxiety strikes, breathing becomes shallow and chest-based. The diaphragmatic (or abdominal) breathing technique sends a direct signal to the parasympathetic nervous system that “everything is okay.” It’s not just relaxation; it’s pure physiology: by slowing down the exhalation, we force the heart rate to slow down.

2. The Mind: Cognitive Restructuring

Anxiety feeds on catastrophic scenarios. Cognitive restructuring, a central component of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), invites us to act as scientists of our own thoughts. Instead of accepting the thought “I won’t be able to do it, and they’ll make fun of me” as an absolute truth, we learn to ask: “What evidence do I have of this? Am I confusing a fact with a fear?”

3. Behavior: The Paradox of Exposure

The natural instinct when faced with anxiety is to avoid what frightens us. If I’m afraid of driving, I stop driving. The problem is that avoiding these situations only fuels anxiety in the long run. Gradual exposure, done safely and with support, teaches the brain that the feared situation is, in fact, manageable.

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Breaking the Silence: At Work and at Home

As a society, we still carry a silent stigma surrounding mental health. We often don’t know how to express our discomfort without appearing “weak” or “incompetent.”

At Work: Expressing anxiety doesn’t mean saying “I can’t do this.” It can mean managing expectations: “To deliver this project with the usual quality, I need to adjust the deadline or have a quieter environment today.”

At Home: Families benefit when anxiety is acknowledged. Saying “I’m feeling anxious today; I need 15 minutes of quiet to compose myself” is healthier than reacting with irritability toward those we love.

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When should you seek specialized help?

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The World Health Organization (WHO) warns that anxiety disorders are the most common mental health conditions worldwide [2]. You should consider seeking a clinical evaluation when:

Your anxiety is disproportionate to the actual situation;

There is significant interference with your sleep, appetite, or concentration;

You begin to avoid places, people, or situations that you used to enjoy.

Don't walk alone

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Feeling anxious does not define you as a person. The sense of being out of control can be overwhelming, but recovery is possible, and self-awareness is the key.

You should seek, within the therapeutic relationship, a safe, outside perspective that allows you to navigate each phase in a healthy way, learning to distinguish between false alarms and real danger.

If you feel that anxiety is limiting your daily life, then at the Hippocampus Clinic in Lisbon, you’ll find a team ready to help you discover tools for emotional regulation.

Bibliography

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[1] American Psychological Association (APA). (n.d.). Anxiety. Disponível em: https://www.apa.org/topics/anxiety
[2] World Health Organization (WHO). (2022). World mental health report: Transforming mental health for all. Genebra: World Health Organization. Disponível em: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240049338

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