How to Stop Anxiety Immediately With Nervous System Tools
- carolyn barnes
- Jun 5, 2023
- 5 min read
Updated: May 23
For years, I lived with a weight in my chest that no one could see.
I carried anxiety like armor — hyper-alert, constantly scanning, always trying to hold it all together. I became an expert at suppressing my emotions, believing that if I just pushed them down long enough, they’d go away.
But they didn’t.
In fact, the more I bottled things up, the louder the anxiety got. It wasn’t just mental. It lived in my body. In my jaw. My stomach. My breath. My nervous system was sounding an alarm — and I didn’t know how to turn it off.
It wasn’t until I stopped fighting the anxiety and started listening to it — really listening — that everything began to change.
Anxiety isn’t the problem. Resistance is. And the moment I stopped fighting what I felt… was the moment everything began to shift.
Today, I want to share what truly helped me — and now helps my clients — stop anxiety in its tracks. These aren’t just quick fixes. They’re tools to help you regulate your nervous system, reclaim your power, and feel calm from the inside out.
Anxiety Isn’t the Problem — It's Your Response to it.
Anxiety is not a personal failure. It’s not a flaw in your mindset. It’s your nervous system trying to protect you — often too much, and at the wrong times.
But here’s what I learned: You don’t need to get rid of anxiety. You just need to learn how to work with it.
The key is training your body and brain to recognize safety again — to shift out of survival mode and into presence. This is how we retrain the system.
Below are the exact steps I now teach my clients — and live by myself — to stop anxiety in its tracks and reclaim calm. They work! And If I can overcome this anyone can!
Step 1: How to Stop Anxiety Immediately by Accepting the Feeling and Feeling Safe.
This may sound simple, but it’s neurologically powerful.
When anxiety arises, the first shift is to stop resisting it. Resisting sends a signal of danger to the brain. Accepting the feeling begins to turn the dial down.
Try saying, gently:“I feel anxious… and I am safe.”
This tells your amygdala (the brain’s fear center) that you’re not in physical danger. It’s a cue to your nervous system to begin settling.
Step 2: How to Stop Anxiety Immediately by Shifting From Reaction to Response
Think of your mind like a car.When we react, we slam on the gas without looking.When we respond, we steer with awareness.
In the past, I’d get anxious about being anxious. That loop — fear of the fear — kept me stuck. But once I understood that I could observe the anxiety without identifying with it, I gained power.
One client, Sarah, put it best:“For the first time in years, I felt like I wasn’t being run by fear.”
When you learn to respond rather than react, you’re no longer at the mercy of the emotion. You reclaim the driver’s seat.
Step 3: How to Stop Anxiety Immediately Using the HALT Method
The HALT method is one of the simplest and most effective ways to stop anxiety before it spirals.
Whenever you feel a wave of overwhelm rising, ask yourself:
H – Hungry: Low blood sugar triggers stress. Eat small, protein-rich snacks every few hours.
A – Angry: Anger often hides under anxiety. Simply naming it — “I feel angry” — helps release the charge.
L – Lonely: Disconnection breeds anxiety. Reach out or offer yourself self-compassion.
T – Tired: Fatigue reduces your ability to regulate. Prioritize rest and a consistent sleep schedule.
This four-part check-in helps you meet your basic needs before they become emotional emergencies.
Step 4: How to Stop Anxiety Immediately With a 60-Second Nervous System Reset
To stop anxiety quickly, use this calming breath + body technique rooted in vagus nerve activation:
Place one hand over your heart.
Double Inhale through your nose — then take one more small sip of air at the top.
Exhale slowly, longer than your inhale.
Visualize or imagine a peaceful memory, person, or place.
Repeat rounds of breath till your nervous system calms.
This activates your body’s parasympathetic response — shifting you from stress to safety in less than a minute.
Step 5: How to Stop Anxiety Immediately by Letting Go of “Should”
One of the most surprising causes of anxiety? The word “should.”
I should be calmer.
I should have figured this out by now.
I shouldn’t feel this way.
These thoughts create internal pressure, feeding a cycle of judgment and resistance. When I stopped “shoulding” myself and started meeting myself where I was, I felt something I hadn’t in a long time: relief.
You don’t have to be further along. You just have to be present. Start where you are. That’s where change begins.
Step 6: How to Stop Anxiety Immediately by Rewiring the Pattern
The real breakthrough came when I learned to train my nervous system, not just calm it.
That’s where the Control Panel Technique was born — a visualization where you tune into your internal dashboard and literally turn down the volume on your anxiety response.
You can experience this for yourself in my free audio:Master Your Anxiety – Listen Now »
In the session, you’ll:
Visualize your inner control panel
Adjust your internal “alert level” dial
Anchor your body in safety and clarity
Begin to rewire your brain for calm, confidence, and emotional resilience
You’re Not Broken — You’re Becoming
If no one ever taught you how to work with your mind and body, you’re not alone.
Anxiety thrives in confusion. But peace grows when we begin to understand what our body is doing — and why.
You're not broken. You're adapting. And the more you practice these tools, the more you'll feel it:You can feel anxious and still be in control.You can feel discomfort and still move forward.You can train your nervous system to support the life you want to live.
Next Step: Experience the Shift for Yourself
If you’re ready to take this further, I’ve created a powerful, science-based audio session to help you reset your anxiety response at the root level.
Master Your Anxiety is a guided experience to help you:
Calm your nervous system in real time
Build emotional tolerance and clarity
Rewire patterns of overthinking and panic
Feel more in control — starting today
Want More Support?
If you're ready to stop managing anxiety and actually retrain your nervous system for calm, clarity, and confidence — join the MASTER-PEACE™ Membership.
Inside, you'll get access to:
A library of guided audios to reset your mind and body
Proven techniques to stop anxiety, overthinking, and emotional spirals
Monthly live calls, journal prompts, and powerful tools that rewire you at the root
Become a member and listen to the full “Master Your Anxiety” session today:
Not quite ready to join?
You can still get started with my free audio training:“REWIRE YOUR STRESS RESPONSE”
It’s a guided nervous system reset you can use anytime anxiety shows up — no overthinking, no pressure, just powerful results.
Or join the MASTER-PEACE™ email list and get it sent directly to your inbox — along with over 80+ audio recordings to rewire, release and reprogram you mind and body!
Related Resources:
Carolyn Barnes
Clinical Hypnotherapist | Nervous System Specialist | Creator of the STOP IT Method™
Helping you overcome anxiety, reclaim peace, and rewire your mind-body connection
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