Understanding Anxiety: Why It Happens and What You Can Do

Anxiety isn’t just stress. It’s a persistent sense of worry or dread about things that haven’t happened yet. It’s the fear of the unknown—of not knowing what’s going to happen next.

Here’s the truth: everyone experiences anxiety. It’s hardwired into us. Back in caveman days, anxiety was a survival tool. It kept our ancestors alert to real dangers in their environment—predators, threats, the unknown. That ancient part of the brain still exists today, still doing its job, even though we rarely face life-or-death threats anymore.

The problem? That same brain can’t tell the difference between a tiger and a Zoom presentation. It sounds the alarm anyway.

We cope with that uncertainty in a few common ways:

• We make up answers to questions we don’t have answers to. And our brains often default to the worst-case scenario. That’s called catastrophizing.

• We try to control or avoid anything uncertain. If we can’t predict it, we try to escape it.

These mental habits trigger real physical symptoms—tight chest, stomach aches, fidgeting, crying, a sense of doom.

A calming environment for therapeutic practices.

Step One: Spot the Thought

The first step in managing anxiety is awareness. You can’t change what you don’t see.

Start noticing when you're falling into thought distortions like:

• Catastrophizing – imagining the worst-case outcome

• Fortune telling – assuming you know the future

• All-or-nothing thinking – viewing things in black-and-white

• Jumping to conclusions – deciding what something means with little evidence

• Personalization – blaming yourself for things outside your control

Labeling these patterns helps you interrupt them. It’s not about ignoring your anxiety—it’s about giving yourself a healthier way to respond.

A peaceful environment can foster relaxation.

Step Two: Learn to Tolerate Uncertainty

The real work? Sitting with the discomfort of not knowing. It’s not easy, but it’s necessary.

Try this:

• Create a grounding mantra like: “I’ll cross that bridge when I get there.”

• Remind yourself: you don’t need to solve every “what if.”

• Get familiar with the feeling of uncertainty instead of running from it.

Step Three: Consider Evidence-Based Tools

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a proven method that tackles both your thoughts and your behaviors. It involves the use of some of the interventions discussed above (recognizing thoughts and cognitive distortions) It’s a deeper dive—and it deserves its own post, which I’ll be writing soon.

A dedicated space for meditation can help reduce anxiety.

You're Not Alone in This

If anxiety is something you're struggling with, know that support is available—and it can make a real difference. I'm Stefani Rosado, LICSW, a mental health therapist who helps people navigate worry, overwhelm, and self-doubt with compassion and practical tools.

Therapy is a space where you don’t have to have it all figured out. It’s a place to feel heard, gain clarity, and learn new ways to respond to life’s challenges.

If you’re ready to feel more grounded and supported, I’d love to connect.