“Why do I feel like this?” – making sense of anxiety in your body

This is something I hear a lot in sessions.

People come in and say: “I don’t understand why I feel like this” “My body just goes into panic”

“I know I’m safe, but it doesn’t feel like it”

And underneath all of that is often confusion… and frustration.

Because it doesn’t make logical sense.

Your body isn’t random — it’s protective

One of the first things I gently explain is this:

Your body is not working against you. It’s trying to protect you.

Even if it feels overwhelming. Even if it feels like too much.

Your nervous system has one main job: keeping you safe.

So why does it feel so intense?

Sometimes your system becomes a little too good at its job.

It starts to react to things that aren’t actually dangerous.

That might look like:

• your heart racing out of nowhere

• feeling dizzy or disconnected

• a tight chest or “drop” in your stomach

• a sudden wave of panic

And your brain quickly tries to make sense of it.

“What’s wrong?” “Why is this happening? ”“Am I okay?”

The cycle that people get stuck in

What often happens is a loop begins:

You notice a sensation→ Your brain interprets it as a threat→ Anxiety increases→ Your body becomes more activated→ The sensation gets stronger

And understandably, you start trying to:

• avoid the feeling

• get rid of it

• control it

• understand it completely

But this can actually keep the cycle going.

The shift that starts to help

A big turning point in therapy is when we begin to move from:

“What’s wrong with me?”

to

“What is my system trying to do here?”

That small shift changes everything.

Because instead of fighting your body, you start to understand it.

This is where CBT comes in

CBT isn’t about telling you to “think positive”or ignore what you’re feeling.

It’s about helping you make sense of:

• your thoughts

• your physical sensations

• your behaviours

and how they all link together.

From there, we can gently start to:

• reduce fear around the sensations

• break unhelpful cycles

• build confidence in your body again

• respond differently when anxiety shows up

Not perfectly. Just differently.

What actually helps (in real life)

Not big, overwhelming changes.

Usually small things like:

• slowing things down when your system is activated

• noticing sensations without immediately reacting

• gently staying in situations instead of avoiding

• building trust that your body can settle

It’s not about forcing calm. It’s about creating safety.

And if you’re struggling with this…

You’re not broken.

You’re not “too anxious”. You’re not doing it wrong.

Your nervous system has learnt a pattern and with the right support, it can learn something new.

If this sounds familiar

This is something I work with a lot in therapy.

If you’re feeling stuck in cycles of anxiety, overwhelm or panic, you don’t have to figure it out alone.

Nicole Ponder Pondering Therapies ponderingtherapies@outlook.com