04/01/2026
Joan arrived home, closed the garage door, sat in her car, and willed herself to go inside. She was exhausted. Between work demands, raising the kids, church obligations, and checking in on her mom, she had little time to think, much less feel. But the feeling that only showed up occasionally was starting to flood her body regularly, this sudden sense of impending doom and anxiety.
Joan felt it in her chest, in the tightness of her jaw, and in the restless tension of her legs. Even the smallest tasks felt monumental, and her thoughts kept looping around worst-case scenarios she could not control. She recalled her appointment earlier in the week with her therapist and tried a new strategy. Pausing a few minutes to breathe deeply, Joan placed her hands on her lap, and silently named five things she could see, hear, smell, and feel.
Feeling a bit more centered she offered a silent prayer and reminded herself that she did not need to carry the weight of the world alone. Even in the midst of chaos, she felt empowered, knowing that she could cultivate internal moments of clarity, connection, and hope.
Joan’s experience mirrors what many of us feel. Repeated exposure to threatening or anxiety-provoking information activates our fight, flight, or freeze responses. This is the nervous system’s way of keeping us safe, but when triggered constantly, it can lead to chronic anxiety, difficulty sleeping, irritability, and mental fatigue. With today’s 24/7 news cycle and distressing headlines, you may have been feeling a sense of doom. If so, your emotion is real and rooted in biology, even if the threats are distant or mediated through screens. We know strategies that can help you cope.
Click on the link below to read more of our latest blog, "When the Weight of Daily Life Feels Overwhelming."
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