How to Cope With Anxious Thoughts & “Spiraling”
Anxious thoughts can creep in quietly, like background noise you barely notice — until suddenly, they’re blaring in your mind, drowning out everything else. If you’ve ever found yourself replaying the same “what if” scenarios, imagining the worst possible outcome, or mentally running in circles until you’re emotionally exhausted, you know what it’s like to spiral.
In moments like these, it’s easy to feel powerless — as if your mind is running the show and you’re just along for the ride. But here’s the truth: while you might not be able to stop anxious thoughts from popping up, you can learn how to manage them so they lose their grip.
This guide will walk you through what anxious spiraling is, why it happens, and practical, science-backed ways to calm your mind, regain perspective, and get back to the present moment.
Understanding Anxious Thoughts & Spiraling
Before we dive into coping strategies, let’s define what we’re talking about.
What Are Anxious Thoughts?
Anxious thoughts are repetitive, fear-based mental patterns. They often focus on:
Future worries (“What if I mess this up?”)
Self-doubt (“I’m not good enough.”)
Catastrophizing (“If I make a mistake, everything will fall apart.”)
Overanalyzing past situations (“I shouldn’t have said that.”)
These thoughts tend to be:
Intrusive — They pop up without invitation.
Distorted — They don’t reflect the full truth of a situation.
Sticky — They linger far longer than you want them to.
What Is Spiraling?
Spiraling happens when anxious thoughts feed into each other, getting more extreme and overwhelming.
For example:
“I made a mistake at work.”
“My boss must think I’m incompetent.”
“If they fire me, I’ll lose my income.”
“I won’t be able to pay rent.”
“I might lose everything.”
The mind leaps from a small concern to a catastrophic conclusion, often without considering more realistic possibilities. Spiraling is exhausting because it activates your body’s stress response repeatedly, keeping you stuck in fight-or-flight mode.
Why Do We Spiral?
You’re not weak or broken for spiraling — it’s actually your brain trying to protect you.
From an evolutionary standpoint, our brains are wired to anticipate danger. Thousands of years ago, over-preparing for possible threats (like predators) could save your life. But in today’s world, the “threats” are often more abstract: deadlines, relationships, health concerns.
Your brain doesn’t always know the difference between a physical threat and an emotional one — so it responds as if you’re in immediate danger, flooding your body with adrenaline and cortisol. This makes your thoughts race, your muscles tense, and your breathing shallow, which in turn makes it harder to think clearly.
That’s the spiral: your body reacts to your thoughts, your thoughts react to your body, and the loop keeps feeding itself.
How to Recognize You’re Spiraling
Half the battle is catching yourself early. Signs you might be spiraling include:
Racing thoughts you can’t slow down
Jumping to worst-case scenarios
Feeling tense, restless, or on edge
Being unable to focus on anything else
Feeling like your anxiety is “taking over”
Replaying a conversation or event over and over
Awareness gives you the chance to interrupt the spiral before it gains momentum.
Coping Strategies to Calm Anxious Thoughts & Stop Spiraling
Below are practical tools you can start using today. Not every strategy will work for everyone — the key is to try them out and see which ones feel most helpful.
1. Ground Yourself in the Present Moment
When you’re spiraling, your mind is stuck in the future (“what if”) or the past (“I should have”). Grounding techniques bring you back to now, where anxiety has less power.
Try this: The 5-4-3-2-1 Technique
Name 5 things you can see.
Name 4 things you can touch.
Name 3 things you can hear.
Name 2 things you can smell.
Name 1 thing you can taste.
By engaging your senses, you pull your brain out of the storm of anxious thoughts and anchor it to your current environment.
2. Challenge Your Thoughts
Anxious spirals thrive on assumptions and distorted thinking.
Ask yourself:
What evidence do I have that this will happen?
What’s another possible outcome?
If my friend was thinking this way, what would I tell them?
Often, the act of questioning your thoughts takes away their urgency.
3. Breathe With Intention
Your breathing pattern directly affects your nervous system. Fast, shallow breathing signals danger to your brain. Slow, deep breathing tells your brain it’s safe to relax.
Try this: Box Breathing
Inhale for 4 counts.
Hold for 4 counts.
Exhale for 4 counts.
Hold for 4 counts.
Repeat for 1–2 minutes.
4. Use “Name It to Tame It”
When you label your emotion — “I’m feeling anxious” or “I’m feeling scared” — it activates the part of your brain that processes language and calms the emotional centers. This helps you feel more in control.
5. Limit the Spiral’s Fuel
Certain habits make spirals worse:
Endless Googling symptoms or problems
Doomscrolling social media
Rehashing your fears with people who amplify them
Instead, set boundaries for information intake and choose to engage with activities that make you feel grounded and calm.
6. Move Your Body
Physical movement helps release built-up tension and changes your mental state. It doesn’t have to be intense — even a 10-minute walk can reset your system.
7. Create a “Calm List”
Write down a list of activities, people, or places that help you feel safe and relaxed. Examples: taking a bath, calling a supportive friend, journaling, sitting outside in the sun. When you feel the spiral starting, go to your list and pick one thing to do.
8. Practice Mindfulness Regularly
Mindfulness is the practice of paying attention to the present moment without judgment. By practicing mindfulness daily — even for just a few minutes — you train your brain to notice thoughts without automatically reacting to them.
9. Focus on What You Can Control
Anxiety often centers around things outside your control. When you redirect your energy toward actions you can take, you reduce feelings of helplessness.
10. Seek Professional Support
If spiraling happens often or interferes with daily life, working with a therapist can help you:
Identify triggers
Learn tailored coping strategies
Address underlying issues like trauma or perfectionism
How to Prevent Spirals Before They Start
While you can’t prevent anxious thoughts entirely, you can build habits that make spiraling less likely.
Get enough rest — Lack of sleep can amplify anxiety.
Maintain a balanced diet — Blood sugar dips can trigger anxious feelings.
Limit caffeine and alcohol — Both can increase anxious thinking.
Schedule downtime — Overworking leaves little room for emotional regulation.
Check in with yourself regularly — Notice early signs of stress and address them before they escalate.