A few weeks ago, a young woman named Riya (name changed for privacy) sat across from me, her fingers tightly intertwined as if she was trying to hold herself together. She looked down at the floor and whispered, “I do not know what is wrong with me.” Her eyes filled with tears. “Some days I wake up and my chest feels tight before I have even gotten out of bed. My mind keeps spinning, I cannot catch my breath, and I feel like something terrible is about to happen… but nothing ever does.”

If you have ever felt this way, you know it is not just stress or being a little nervous. It is that constant hum in the background of your life, a mind that refuses to slow down, a body that always feels like it is bracing for impact. And when you are in it, you wonder if you are losing control, because no one else seems to see what is happening inside of you.

That is anxiety. And if Riya’s words sound familiar, you are not the only one living with that invisible weight.

The Way Anxiety Feels

Anxiety is sneaky. It does not always arrive as a panic attack. Sometimes it is that restless energy that keeps you awake until late at night, your thoughts rehearsing every possible scenario. Sometimes it is the sudden spike in your heartbeat while standing in line at the grocery store, convinced that everyone is watching you. Other times it is a quiet sense of dread that makes simple things like sending an email or meeting a friend for coffee feel overwhelming.

Clients often describe it by saying, “It feels like my brain has too many tabs open,” or “I am always waiting for something bad to happen, even if nothing is wrong.” Clinically, we call this hyperarousal. Your body’s fight or flight system is stuck in the on position, sending signals of danger even when you are safe.

How It Shows Up in Daily Life

Anxiety does not live only in the mind. It shows up in the body too. Think about the last time you faced something stressful, maybe a big meeting or an uncomfortable conversation. Did your stomach twist, did your heart race, did you find yourself unable to relax afterward? Now imagine feeling that way on an ordinary morning, before the day has even started. That is the exhausting reality for many people with anxiety.

Riya told me that before her alarm clock rang, she would wake up with her heart pounding. Making breakfast felt like climbing a mountain because her body was already flooded with adrenaline. Anxiety left her drained before the day even began.

Why Naming It Matters

Here is the truth. Anxiety is not weakness. It is not something you have imagined. It is a condition with clear biological and psychological patterns. When Riya learned that her experiences had a name, something shifted. She looked at me and said, “So I am not just broken?”

No, she was not broken. And neither are you.

Naming anxiety gives you a way to separate yourself from the symptoms. It allows you to see that the racing thoughts and the tight chest are not who you are. They are what you are experiencing. And what you are experiencing can be treated.

The First Step Forward

For Riya, the work began with very small steps. She learned how to regulate her breathing to calm her body. We used cognitive strategies to challenge the cycle of catastrophic thinking. Slowly, she began to notice moments of calm returning to her day.

If you recognize yourself in Riya’s story, know that healing is possible for you too. Anxiety may convince you that you are alone, that no one could understand what you are going through, but that is not true.

If you have ever whispered to yourself, “I do not know what is wrong with me,” the answer may be anxiety. And once you name it, you can begin to work with it instead of against it.

Because healing begins the moment you understand you are not fighting an invisible enemy. You are facing something real, something that can be understood and managed. And if you take that first brave step, whether it is speaking with a professional, sharing your struggle with someone you trust, or simply acknowledging to yourself that this is anxiety, you open the door to change.

Relief is not just possible. It is waiting for you. And you do not have to walk toward it alone.