STEP 1: Something stressful happens, either internally or externally—an anxious thought spiral or someone doing something to make you feel unsafe, whether or not you actually are. STEP 2: Your body tenses up. STEP 3: Tense muscles say to the body: Something bad is happening! This is stressful! STEP 4: The tense muscles cue more anxious thoughts, more muscular tension, and more panic, continuing the cycle of stress and tension.
