When anxiety is rising right now

Anxiety speeds the breath up and makes it shallow, and slowing it down, especially the out-breath, is one of the most direct ways of telling your body that it doesn't need to be on alert. Sit or lie somewhere you can let your shoulders drop, and breathe in through your nose for a count of about four, then out slowly through your mouth for a count of six to eight, as if you were cooling a hot drink.

Do that for a few minutes without worrying about getting the counts exactly right, because the longer out-breath matters more than the numbers. If focusing on your breathing makes you feel worse, which happens to some people, stop and try the next exercise instead.

Coming back into the room

When your thoughts are running ahead to everything that could go wrong, it can help to bring your attention back to where you actually are. Look around and name three things you can see, then listen for three things you can hear, then notice three things you can touch, like the chair underneath you or the floor under your feet.

Say them out loud if you can, or quietly in your head if you can't. The aim is to give your mind something in the present to hold on to, and it often takes the edge off enough for you to think more clearly about what to do next.

When everything is landing at once

Overwhelm often comes from trying to hold everything in your head at the same time, so the first step is to get it out of there and onto paper. Write down everything that's weighing on you, big and small, without sorting it as you go, until there's nothing left that you're trying to remember.

Then look at the list and mark what actually needs doing today, and what isn't yours to carry at all. Pick the smallest next step on one thing and do only that, because one finished step usually does more for overwhelm than an hour of worrying about all of it.

When your mind won't switch off

If worry follows you through the day and into the night, try giving it a set time instead of fighting it whenever it shows up. Choose fifteen or twenty minutes at the same time each day, not too close to bed, and when a worry arrives outside that time, jot it down and tell yourself you'll come back to it later.

When your worry time comes, go through the list and ask of each one whether there's anything you can do about it. Where there is, decide on a step, and where there isn't, notice that you've given it your attention and let it wait. Many people find that a lot of the worries have lost their urgency by the time they get to them.

It's also worth noticing the patterns your thinking falls into when you're anxious, such as jumping to the worst outcome or treating a feeling as proof that something is true. Being able to name the pattern when it happens won't always stop it, though it often loosens its grip a little.

Noticing it in your body

Anxiety and overwhelm often show up in the body before we notice them in our thoughts, as a clenched jaw, raised shoulders, a tight stomach or a sense of bracing against something. A few times a day, pause and check in with your body from the top of your head down, and wherever you find tension, see whether you can let it soften even slightly.

Over time this teaches you how it shows up for you, so you can catch it earlier and look after yourself before it builds.

If you have a panic attack

A panic attack can feel frightening, with a racing heart and a sense that something terrible is about to happen, but panic attacks usually pass within five to twenty minutes and aren't normally dangerous. It helps to remind yourself of that while it's happening, and to let it run its course while you use the slow breathing and grounding above.

Seek medical help if you have chest pain or a very fast or irregular heartbeat, if your breathing hasn't settled after twenty minutes, or if you still feel unwell once it has passed. You can call NHS 111 for advice, or 999 in an emergency.

Other places to find support

NHS Every Mind Matters has free, practical advice on anxiety and stress, including a short quiz that builds you a personal plan.

Mind has clear information on anxiety and panic, and on how to find support near you.

Anxiety UK offers information, a helpline and support for people living with anxiety.

No Panic runs a helpline and support for people affected by panic attacks and anxiety.