The Anxiety Cycle: Why Anxiety Feels So Hard to Break—and How Therapy Can Help
If you’ve ever found yourself stuck in patterns of overthinking, avoidance, or constant worry, you may be caught in what’s known as the anxiety cycle. This cycle is one of the most common experiences for people living with anxiety, and understanding it is an important step toward meaningful and lasting change.
The anxiety cycle begins with a trigger—something that sets off a wave of discomfort or fear. Triggers can be external (like a crowded room, an upcoming deadline, or a social event) or internal (like a thought, memory, or physical sensation). Once triggered, your brain starts generating anxious thoughts—often worst-case-scenario thinking or "what if" worries. These thoughts naturally create physical symptoms, such as a racing heart, tight chest, restlessness, nausea, or lightheadedness.
To cope with this discomfort, many people engage in safety behaviors—things that bring temporary relief but ultimately keep anxiety going. These might include avoiding certain situations, seeking reassurance, checking or double-checking, or mentally reviewing events over and over. While these strategies may feel helpful in the moment, they send a message to the brain that the fear was real and dangerous. Over time, this reinforces the pattern and makes anxiety more persistent.
This cycle can leave you feeling stuck, frustrated, and overwhelmed. It may even lead to thoughts like “Why can’t I just get over this?” or “What’s wrong with me?” The truth is—there’s nothing wrong with you. Your brain is doing what it’s designed to do: protect you from perceived danger. The problem is that it’s getting stuck in a loop that no longer serves you.
This is where therapy for anxiety can make a real difference. As a therapist based in California specializing in anxiety and OCD, I work with clients to help them understand their own anxiety cycles and learn evidence-based ways to interrupt them. Modalities like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) help reduce anxiety by teaching you how to respond differently to fear, tolerate discomfort, and regain a sense of control.
Whether you experience high-functioning anxiety, panic attacks, obsessive-compulsive thoughts, or chronic worry, therapy can support you in finding relief that lasts. The goal isn’t to eliminate anxiety entirely—it’s to change your relationship with it so it no longer controls your life.
I offer in-person therapy in Seal Beach and virtual therapy throughout California. If you’re looking for support with anxiety, OCD, or related challenges, you’re in the right place. I invite you to reach out for a free consultation—this is simply a chance to connect, ask questions, and see if therapy feels like a good fit for you.
