A Therapist’s Guide to Not Losing Your Sh*t When the World Feels Like a Mess

Feeling overwhelmed by world events? In this guide, a licensed therapist shares practical tools to calm anxiety, regulate your nervous system, and reconnect with peace during chaotic times.

If your nervous system has been running on caffeine and existential dread lately, congratulations. You’re responding appropriately to current events. If you've been doomscrolling until your brain feels fried, quietly carrying this simmering sense of dread every time you glance at the headlines, or just feeling the urge to stay in bed all day to hide from it all, that’s 100% correct. It’s a lot. And whatever the news is today (and tomorrow, and the next day), it’s been landing hard. Lately, so many of my therapy sessions carry similar themes: “I can’t focus. I feel overwhelmed. I don’t know what to do.”

I remember sitting in my apartment hearing news about a lockdown and wondering how on earth we were supposed to keep functioning with so much pain and uncertainty swirling around us. That year, 2020, was a gut punch for all of us. Pandemic. Racism. Wildfires. Politics. It felt like everything we trusted to be “normal” was unraveling. Fast forward five years... and yeah, things are still hard. The headlines haven’t gotten any easier. It’s conflict after crisis after climate disaster, and it’s impossible for all that not to take its toll. If you feel like your nervous system has been living on espresso shots and dread for the last few years, you’re not broken. You’re responding like a human in an inhuman world.

(By the way: this is the third in a series of essays I’ve written to bring some comfort and clarity in the wake of overwhelming world events. The first came at the start of the pandemic. You can read it here. The second followed another surge of collective despair after a certain dude got re-elected to office in 2024. If you’ve been feeling like you need more than one pep talk, I hope these continue to meet you where you are.)

Here’s what’s really happening: our brains weren’t built for this. When psychologists talk about allostatic load, they're referring to the cumulative wear and tear on our bodies when we're exposed to chronic stress. Our systems evolved to handle short bursts of danger, like spotting a potentially harmful predator like a bear. We are not equipped, I repeat, not equipped, to handle an onslaught of threatening and scary global events all at the same time. Add in our phones, our never-ending to-do lists, our shrinking wallets, and it’s no wonder we’re exhausted and on edge.

As a therapist, I’m not watching from the sidelines. I’m deep in the thick of it with my clients. I sit with people in their overwhelm, grief, anger, numbness, and fear. I’m helping them make sense of the chaos while also trying to stay grounded enough myself to keep showing up. And after hundreds of these conversations day in and day out, I can say this: your nervous system isn’t malfunctioning. It’s responding exactly as it should. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t need support. So if you're feeling terrible, helpless, and uncertain of what to do or where to go next, here are some therapist-approved tips for how to cope with anxiety during stressful global events.

Let’s start with the worry window

If your brain is playing out catastrophic "what if" scenarios like a movie you never asked to watch, you’re not broken. That’s your mind doing its best to protect you. But the constant scanning, obsessing, and re-checking doesn’t bring peace. It just adds more fuel to the fire.

Instead, create boundaries for your worry by giving it a place to go. Choose a time in your day, maybe right after lunch, and give yourself permission to worry your little heart out for 15 minutes. Set a timer. During that window, write down every fear, Google the things you’re afraid of, spiral if you need to. And when the timer goes off, gently tell your brain, "That’s enough for now." You’re not ignoring the fear, you’re simply placing a container around it and letting yourself come back to it tomorrow so it doesn’t hijack the entire day.

Containment is so much more effective than suppression. It helps your brain learn that not every anxious thought is an emergency, and not every emotion needs to take over your whole day. It's one of the simplest ways to teach your nervous system that you’re in charge, and that’s the safety it’s looking for. Most people find that they are feeling better after just a few days of this on repeat.

Focus on what’s within arm’s reach

When everything feels massive and totally out of your hands, shrink your focus. Like, way down. What’s within reach? Can you make your bed, brush your teeth, water your plants, choose fuzzy socks? These may sound like nothing, but they matter.

Here are some simple, accessible options that can restore a sense of control:

• Wash the dishes in the sink

• Make your bed

• Tidy one small area (like your nightstand or a junk drawer)

• Text someone you trust to say hi

• Make a snack and sit down to eat it

• Light a candle and take a few deep breaths

• Play music you love while you go about your day

• Check something small off your to-do list

These small, concrete actions signal to your body, "I have some things I have power of. I’m not helpless." That feeling, even a tiny bit, helps reactivate a sense of capability. And that’s the first step out of freeze mode. I’ve had clients tell me they felt ridiculous folding laundry or re-organizing a junk drawer while the world was falling apart, but those were the exact moments they felt their breath deepen and their shoulders loosen. It's not about being productive. It's about reclaiming a little piece of stability.

Move your body, move the feelings

If your jaw is constantly tight or your shoulders feel like they're trying to touch your ears, your body is asking for your attention. And here's the thing: stress doesn't just sit in your thoughts, it builds up in your muscles, your breath, your stomach.

Here are some ways to get that energy moving:

• Take a brisk walk or slow stroll around the block (This helps me 9 times out of 10 and almost always helps me feel even a smidge better)

• Do a few yoga poses or gentle stretches

• Dance ridiculously to a song you love

• Shake out your limbs (yes, like an animal after stress, it totally works!)

• Do jumping jacks, wall push-ups, or march in place

• Practice progressive muscle relaxation (tense and release different muscle groups)

• Cry, yawn, laugh, or sigh deeply (all forms of release)

Movement helps complete the stress cycle. Biologically speaking, your body is still wired for fight-or-flight responses, but without a bear to run from, that adrenaline has nowhere to go. Moving helps discharge that energy so it doesn’t get stuck. If you’re feeling resistant, ask yourself what feels doable. Even five minutes of walking in place while brushing your teeth can help move the the dial.

Let rest actually be rest

I want you to ask yourself something: when was the last time you truly rested? Not collapsed in front of a screen or doomscrolled yourself into a trance, but actually felt your breath deepen, your shoulders drop, your brain stop spinning?

Here are some ideas to practice actual, restorative rest:

• Lie down and do nothing while listening to soft instrumental music

• Wrap up in a blanket and sit somewhere quiet, just breathing

• Legs up the wall and close your eyes

• Read a few pages of a novel or poetry with no phone nearby

• Drink a warm beverage while watching the clouds or trees

• Take a short nap with your eyes covered and no alarms

• Let your pet rest on your chest and follow their breathing

Real rest is underrated and harder than it sounds. Start with five or ten minutes. And yes, for many of us this is harder than we expect - you might feel twitchy or unproductive at first - totally normal.

Send your system signs of safety

Your nervous system is constantly scanning the world like a guard dog on high alert. And when you get stuck in fight, flight, or freeze, it needs help noticing that there are no immediate dangers to outrun.

So offer it tiny signals of safety. Here are a few to try, backed by science and clinical practice:

1. Bilateral stimulation (e.g., tapping each side of your body or walking): this helps integrate both hemispheres of your brain and calm trauma responses.

2. Deep pressure: weighted blankets or firm hugs help activate the parasympathetic nervous system.

3. Vocal toning or humming: stimulates the vagus nerve and promotes a sense of relaxation.

4. Slow breathing: Inhale for four counts, hold for four, exhale for six. Repeat 5–10 times. This regulates your heart rate and decreases anxiety.

5. Warmth: wrapping up in a heated blanket or holding a warm drink sends comfort signals to the brain.

6. Aromatherapy: lavender, bergamot, or frankincense have been shown to reduce cortisol levels.

7. Grounding objects: hold something cool, textured, or familiar while describing it in detail to yourself.

8. Soothing touch: gently rub your arms, your neck, or even your scalp—simple, comforting contact tells your system you’re safe.

9. Predictable routines: even small rituals like lighting a candle each night can help your brain settle.

10. Self-talk: say aloud, “I’m safe right now. I’m okay in this moment.” Repeating this anchors your awareness in the here and now.

Practicing these daily, especially when you’re not in panic mode, helps your body learn a new baseline for calm.

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PS: I made you a short voice note

I recorded a 5ish-minute voice note just for you if you feel you could listen to a little encouragement right now. It also includes a bilateral stimulation exercise to help smooth your nervous system. You can listen here:

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Hope is not a luxury, it’s a lifeline

Look, I know the world feels chaotic and heavy. And I know you’ve probably whispered to yourself, "I can’t keep doing this." But the truth is, hope isn’t about being naive or ignoring reality. It’s about believing that even when things are hard, they won’t always be this hard. That even if you feel completely unraveled today, there’s still the possibility of feeling whole again.

Hope is something we build, not just something we wait to feel. We build it every time we care for ourselves with gentleness, every time we choose a tiny act of life over despair. It might not look like optimism. It might look like brushing your teeth when you didn’t want to, or reaching out to a friend instead of disappearing.

So yeah, things are hard. But you’re still here, still breathing. Keep tending to your system with kindness. Keep choosing care over collapse. You’re not behind. You’re not broken. You’re responding to a hard world with sincere emotion, and that’s something to protect.

And listen, you don’t have to be zen about everything. You don’t have to feel at peace all the time. You’re allowed to be sad, scared, angry, or tired. You’re allowed to want change while still needing a nap.

Caring deeply doesn’t mean carrying everything. Peace isn’t about ignoring the chaos. It’s about making space for calm within it.

So please, take care of your nervous system like it’s your job. Because in a way, it kind of is.

With love,

Therese 💜

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📲 Your weekly dopamine boost

Every week I share the memes that made me genuinely laugh and helped me get through the hard days. Here’s this week’s selection, especially curated with you in mind. Follow me on Instagram so you don’t miss a single drop of dopamine. 🫶🏼

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Need help now?

These resources can help:

Suicide Prevention Lifeline | SAMHSA National Helpline | The Trevor Project