Why You Feel So Anxious and Stuck in a Spiral: A Therapist Explains
Written by Dr. Kait Rosiere, Licensed Psychologist and Eating Disorder Specialist in Orlando, FL
You know the feeling. One anxious thought leads to another, which leads to another, and before you know it, you're spiraling. Your heart is racing. Your mind won't stop. You can't focus on anything except the worst-case scenario playing on repeat in your head.
Anxiety spirals are exhausting. And the harder you try to think your way out of them, the deeper you seem to go.
As an Orlando therapist who works with people struggling with anxiety, trauma, and eating disorders, I see this pattern all the time. And here's what I want you to know: you're not broken, and you're not going crazy. Your brain is doing exactly what it was designed to do — it's just doing it at the wrong time.
This post will help you understand why anxiety spirals happen, what's going on in your brain and body when they do, and what you can actually do to break free.
What Is an Anxiety Spiral?
An anxiety spiral — sometimes called an anxiety loop or rumination cycle — is when anxious thoughts build on each other in a self-reinforcing pattern. One worry triggers another, which triggers a physical response, which triggers more worry, and so on.
It usually follows a pattern like this:
Trigger → Anxious thought → Physical sensation → More anxious thoughts → Avoidance or compulsive behavior → Temporary relief → Return of anxiety (often worse)
The key thing to understand is that anxiety spirals are not a thinking problem — they're a nervous system problem. Your body gets activated before your mind has a chance to catch up. And once your nervous system is in fight-or-flight mode, rational thinking goes offline (LeDoux, 1996).
Why Your Brain Gets Stuck
There are several reasons your brain might get stuck in an anxiety loop:
Your Nervous System Is Dysregulated
When your nervous system is stuck in a state of hyperarousal, everything feels like a threat. Your brain is constantly scanning for danger, which means even small, everyday stressors can trigger a full-blown anxiety response.
You Have a History of Trauma
If you've experienced trauma — especially complex PTSD from childhood — your brain may have learned to anticipate danger as a survival strategy. The anxiety spiral is your brain's way of trying to keep you safe by staying one step ahead of potential threats.
You Have an Anxious Attachment Style
People with anxious attachment often spiral around relationship fears: Are they mad at me? Did I say the wrong thing? Are they going to leave? These spirals are driven by deep-rooted fears of abandonment and rejection.
You're a Perfectionist
Perfectionism and anxiety go hand in hand. When you set impossibly high standards for yourself, any perceived failure becomes a catastrophe. The spiral goes: I made a mistake → I'm not good enough → Everyone will judge me → I need to fix this immediately → I can't fix it → I'm going to fail.
You Use Worry as a Coping Strategy
This might sound counterintuitive, but many people use worry as a way to feel in control. The unconscious belief is: "If I worry about it enough, I can prevent bad things from happening." Research by Borkovec et al. (2004) shows that chronic worry actually serves as emotional avoidance — it keeps you in your head so you don't have to feel what's in your body.
How Anxiety Spirals Show Up in Daily Life
Anxiety spirals can look different for different people. Here are some common ways they show up:
At work: You make a small mistake and spend the rest of the day convinced you're going to get fired. You replay conversations looking for evidence that your boss is unhappy with you.
In relationships: Your partner doesn't text back right away and you immediately assume they're upset with you, losing interest, or about to break up with you.
About health: You notice a headache and spiral into thinking it must be something serious. You start Googling symptoms, which only makes the anxiety worse.
About the future: You lie awake at night thinking about everything that could go wrong — financially, professionally, personally. Each worry spawns three more.
About food and body: You eat something "off plan" and spiral into shame, restriction, or compensatory behaviors. The anxiety about food becomes anxiety about your body, which becomes anxiety about control.The Connection Between Anxiety Spirals and Eating Disorders
Anxiety and eating disorders are deeply connected. Research shows that anxiety disorders are the most common co-occurring condition with eating disorders, with up to 65% of people with eating disorders also meeting criteria for an anxiety disorder (Kaye et al., 2004).
For many people, the eating disorder is the anxiety management strategy. Restriction creates a sense of control. Bingeing numbs the anxious feelings. Purging releases the tension. Exercise burns off the nervous energy. But these strategies only work temporarily — and they usually make the anxiety worse in the long run.
How to Break an Anxiety Spiral
You can't think your way out of an anxiety spiral. You have to feel your way out — starting with your body. Here's how:
1. Name what's happening. Simply saying to yourself, "I'm spiraling right now" can create a tiny bit of distance between you and the anxiety. You're not the spiral. You're the person observing it.
2. Get into your body. Anxiety lives in the body, not just the mind. Try the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique: name 5 things you can see, 4 you can hear, 3 you can touch, 2 you can smell, and 1 you can taste.
3. Slow your breathing. Extended exhale breathing — where your exhale is longer than your inhale — activates your parasympathetic nervous system and tells your brain that you're safe. Try breathing in for 4 counts and out for 6-8 counts.
4. Move your body. Gentle movement like walking, stretching, or shaking can help discharge the nervous energy that fuels the spiral. You don't need intense exercise — just enough to shift your physiology.
5. Challenge the thought (but not right away). Once your body has calmed down, you can start to examine the anxious thought using CBT techniques. Ask yourself: Is this thought based on facts or feelings? What's the most likely outcome? What would I tell a friend in this situation?
6. Use DBT distress tolerance skills. Skills like TIPP (Temperature, Intense exercise, Paced breathing, Progressive muscle relaxation) can interrupt the spiral at the physiological level.
7. Resist the urge to seek reassurance. Reassurance-seeking feels good in the moment, but it reinforces the anxiety cycle. Instead, practice sitting with uncertainty — even for just a few minutes at a time.
When Anxiety Spirals Need Professional Help
Everyone feels anxious sometimes. But if your anxiety spirals are happening frequently, interfering with your daily life, or leading you toward unhealthy coping behaviors (like disordered eating, substance use, or avoidance), it's time to get support.
Therapy can help you understand the root causes of your anxiety, build skills to manage it, and develop a healthier relationship with your thoughts and feelings.
Therapy for Anxiety in Orlando
At Bloom Psychological Services, we help people in Orlando, FL break free from anxiety spirals. Using evidence-based approaches like CBT, DBT, and EFT, we address both the anxiety and any underlying trauma, attachment wounds, or eating disorders that may be fueling it.
You don't have to stay stuck in the spiral. Reach out today to schedule a free consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can't I just stop my anxiety spiral?
Because anxiety spirals are driven by your nervous system, not just your thoughts. When your body goes into fight-or-flight mode, the rational part of your brain goes offline. That's why body-based strategies like breathing and grounding are more effective than trying to think your way out.
Are anxiety spirals a sign of a disorder?
Not necessarily. Everyone experiences anxiety spirals from time to time. But if they're frequent, intense, and interfering with your life, they could be a sign of generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety, OCD, or PTSD. A therapist can help you figure out what's going on.
Can anxiety spirals cause physical symptoms?
Yes. Anxiety spirals often come with physical symptoms like rapid heartbeat, chest tightness, nausea, dizziness, muscle tension, and difficulty breathing. These are all normal responses to the fight-or-flight activation.
How does therapy help with anxiety spirals?
Therapy helps you understand why you spiral, identify your triggers, build coping skills, and address the underlying issues (like trauma or attachment wounds) that make you vulnerable to anxiety. Over time, the spirals become less frequent and less intense.
About the Author
Dr. Kait Rosiere is a licensed psychologist in Orlando, Florida specializing in eating disorders, trauma, and anxiety. She is the founder of Bloom Psychological Services and provides evidence-based therapy to help clients heal and build healthier lives.
References
Borkovec, T. D., Alcaine, O. M., & Behar, E. (2004). Avoidance theory of worry and generalized anxiety disorder. In R. G. Heimberg, C. L. Turk, & D. S. Mennin (Eds.), Generalized anxiety disorder: Advances in research and practice (pp. 77–108). Guilford Press.
Kaye, W. H., Bulik, C. M., Thornton, L., Barbarich, N., & Masters, K. (2004). Comorbidity of anxiety disorders with anorexia and bulimia nervosa. American Journal of Psychiatry, 161(12), 2215–2221. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15569892/
LeDoux, J. E. (1996). The Emotional Brain: The Mysterious Underpinnings of Emotional Life. New York: Simon & Schuster.
