There’s a lot going on in the world.
War. Economic uncertainty. Health scares. Job instability. Endless social media updates designed to keep you watching.
And if you’ve noticed your anxiety rising lately, this article will help.
But here’s what most people don’t realise:
Fear is not the problem.
It’s just being triggered in the wrong situations.
Fear Is a Survival Tool
Thousands of years ago, fear kept us alive.
If you were a hunter-gatherer and heard something rustling in the bushes, your body would instantly flood with adrenaline and cortisol. Your heart rate would rise. Your senses would sharpen. You’d be ready to run or fight.
That reaction could save your life.
Fear was your alarm system.
The problem is, this same "fight or flight" mode is being triggered almost daily for a lot of people.
Our nervous system hasn’t updated to modern life.
Today, that same alarm goes off when:
- You read alarming news headlines
- You scroll social media
- You get a worrying medical result
- You feel financial pressure
- You imagine losing your job
- You replay a difficult conversation
The same chemicals that once protected you from lions are now being released while you’re sitting on the couch.
And your body reacts as if you’re in immediate danger.
But you’re not.
When the Alarm Is Too Sensitive
Think of your fear response like a house alarm system.
If it’s calibrated correctly, it protects the home.
If it’s too sensitive?
A cockroach sets it off. The wind sets it off.
When our "alarm" is too sensitive, it can be like an alarm in our head, that go off constantly.
Every notification. Every headline. Every “what if” thought.
It creates the feeling of living in a pressure cooker.
The solution isn’t to remove the alarm.
It’s to recalibrate it.
The “Stop” Technique: Regain Control in Seconds
Here’s the simple technique I use when I feel fear or anxiety rising.
It starts with one word:
Stop.
That’s it.
When you notice the anxious feeling, say internally:
Stop. What is happening here?
This does two powerful things:
- It interrupts the automatic emotional spiral.
- It forces awareness.
When you name what’s happening — “I’m feeling anxious” or “I’m feeling scared” — you immediately create space between you and the emotion.
And space reduces its power.
Ask the Most Important Question
Once you’ve paused, ask yourself:
Am I in immediate danger right now?
Not tomorrow. Not “what if.” Not six months from now.
Right now.
For most people reading this, the answer will be:
No.
You’re sitting on a sofa or driving your car, your body is reacting as if you’re being chased by a lion — but you’re not.
That realisation alone can settle the nervous system, and more importantly stop those powerful chemicals being dumped in your system.
Then Ask: What Story Am I Telling Myself?
Fear is often fuelled by a story.
- “I’m going to lose everything.”
- “This always happens to me.”
- “I won’t cope.”
- “I’m not safe.”
These stories feel real because your body chemistry makes them feel real.
But that doesn’t mean they are accurate.
When you pause and identify the story, you can examine it.
Is this actually happening right now?
Or is this my mind predicting catastrophe?
This is where your narrative work comes in — you begin separating fact from interpretation.
This is where we gain our power, when we choose what our emotional state is.
From Panic to Planning
Once you calm the chemical storm, something important happens:
You can think clearly.
Instead of spiralling, you can ask:
- Is there a genuine risk here?
- If so, what practical steps can I take?
- What is within my control?
Fear used wisely becomes information.
Fear used unconsciously becomes paralysis.
When you adjust your internal alarm system, you move from being driven by fear to driving your response.
You Get to Choose Your Emotional State
News media and social platforms are designed to hold your attention.
Fear holds attention.
That doesn’t make you weak for reacting. It makes you wired like every other human nervous system.
But you do not have to live in constant fight-or-flight.
You can listen to your fear without letting it run the show.
You can question the stories, and adjust the sensitivity, gain your perspective and gain your power.
And most importantly: You are not broken if you experience anxiety.
You’re simply someone with a very active alarm system.
And the fact that you’re willing to reflect on it and recalibrate it?
That’s strength.
