When we feel anxious, a lot of people say, “Just take a deep breath.” But did you know that for some people, this advice might actually make anxiety worse?
Breathing techniques are meant to help us calm down. But for up to 40% of people with anxiety, deep breathing can actually increase feelings like dizziness, tight chest, nausea, or even panic. That’s because anxiety often causes us to breathe too much, also known as hyperventilation. This means we’re taking in more oxygen than our body needs, which can make those uncomfortable symptoms even worse.
Why Deep Breathing Doesn’t Always Work
When you’re anxious, your body already starts to breathe faster and shallower. You might not even notice it. If you then try to take deep breaths, it can make you more focused on your body, and that can make your worry grow. You might notice your heartbeat, your breathing, or chest sensations more closely, and that awareness can actually increase anxiety.
So, while breathing exercises help some people, they aren’t the right solution for everyone. And that’s totally okay.
Try This Instead
If deep breathing makes you feel worse, there’s a different trick that might help.
First, instead of breathing in deeply, try breathing out slowly — for about three seconds. Then gently shift your focus away from your body and look around you. Start noticing small details in your environment. What colour is the sky? How many windows are on the building across the street? What shapes are the clouds making?
This kind of technique is called grounding, and it helps your brain switch to a calmer state by focusing on the world around you — not the anxiety inside you.
Once you feel a little more in control, choose a small activity that feels good. It could be making a warm drink, calling someone you trust, or even taking a shower. Simple actions like these can tell your nervous system, “Hey, we’re safe. It’s okay to relax.”
Getting Support from an Anxiety Psychologist
Sometimes, trying to manage anxiety on your own is just too hard — and that’s nothing to be ashamed of. At Mind Psychology, we believe the best support comes from people who truly understand what anxiety feels like and how it affects your daily life.
That’s where an anxiety psychologist near you can help. If you’ve been searching for the best anxiety psychologist near me or wondering who the best psychologist for anxiety near me might be, our team is here to guide you. We focus on helping people like you understand what’s really going on and how to handle it in healthy ways that actually work for you.
If you’re in Melbourne, you don’t have to search endlessly for help. We have highly trained anxiety clinical psychologists in Melbourne who take the time to listen, support, and work with you to find the right tools — whether that’s breathing, grounding, or something else entirely.
Final Thoughts
Anxiety doesn’t look the same for everyone. That’s why the tools to manage it shouldn’t be one-size-fits-all. If breathing exercises haven’t worked for you, don’t worry. There are other ways to feel better — and professionals who can help you find them.
Ready to talk? You don’t have to go through anxiety alone. Reach out today to connect with the best anxiety psychologist Melbourne has to offer, and start feeling more like yourself again.