Queer Health: Six Powerful Tips to Manage Anxiety

Let’s be honest — life can be anxiety-inducing enough on its own. But for LGBTQ+ people, the pressure can be even more intense. Whether it’s navigating coming out, facing discrimination, worrying about safety, or being constantly exposed to harmful rhetoric, it’s no wonder that anxiety is more common in our community.

This heightened stress is often referred to as minority stress — the unique strain caused by living in a world that can be hostile to who you are. But while we can’t always control the world around us, we can learn how to manage anxiety and care for ourselves within it.

What are Anxiety and Anxiety Disorders

Anxiety is a natural response to stress, characterised by feelings of worry, fear or unease. While it’s normal to feel anxious in certain situations — like before a big event or when facing uncertainty, it becomes a concern when it’s persistent, overwhelming, or starts interfering with daily life.

Anxiety can manifest in many ways, both physically and emotionally. Common symptoms include a racing heart, shortness of breath, muscle tension, stomach issues, and difficulty sleeping. Mentally, it may show up as constant worry, restlessness, trouble concentrating, or a sense of impending doom.

For people with anxiety disorders, worry and fear are constant and overwhelming, and can be crippling. Anxiety disorders include panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, specific phobias, and generalised anxiety disorder.

Anxiety disorders often require professional treatment, such as therapy or medication, to manage anxiety symptoms and improve quality of life.

Effective Tools to Deal With Everyday Anxiety

If anxiety’s been messing with your sleep, focus, or peace of mind, here are six practical, LGBTQ+-affirming tips to help you manage it:

1. Ground Yourself in the Present

Anxiety thrives when your mind spirals into the “what ifs.” Grounding techniques help bring your focus back to the here and now.

Try this: Do a 5-4-3-2-1 exercise: name 5 things you see, 4 things you feel, 3 things you hear, 2 things you smell, 1 thing you taste. It helps interrupt anxious thoughts and centres your mind.

2. Breathe Intentionally

It sounds simple, but breathing deeply can calm your nervous system. It slows your heart rate and tells your brain you’re safe.

Try this: Inhale for 4 counts, hold for 4, exhale for 6. Repeat several times. You can do this in the bathroom, at your desk, or anywhere anxiety strikes.

3. Create a Safe Mental Space

As LGBTQ+ people, the world doesn’t always feel safe. So, it’s important to create inner and outer environments that affirm you.

Try this: Build a mental “safe space” — a memory, a visualisation, or a phrase (like “I’ve survived worse”). Pair it with affirmations: “I am safe. I am strong. I am valid.”

4. Limit Anxiety Triggers

Anxiety can spike from constant exposure to upsetting news or toxic online spaces — especially around LGBTQ+ issues.

Try this: Mute, unfollow, or take breaks from social media accounts that raise your anxiety. Instead, follow people and pages that make you feel joyful, informed, and empowered.

5. Get Moving

When anxiety builds, your body stores it as tension. Movement and exercise helps release it and produce feel-good chemicals.

Try this: Try yoga, take regular brisk walks, stretch to music, or try short bursts of exercise. It doesn’t have to be a workout — just moving your body with intention helps.

6. Talk About It

Anxiety feeds on silence. Whether it’s with a friend, therapist, or support group, sharing how you feel can ease the load.

Try this: Talking is healing. Reach out to a queer-affirming mental health organisation or a free service like the South African Depression and Anxiety Group’s helpline: 24 hours  – 0800 456 789 / SMS 31393 or WhatsApp 076 882 2775 (8:00 – 17:00).

Breathe. You’ve Got This.

Anxiety doesn’t define you. You’re not “too sensitive” or “overreacting” — especially in a world that doesn’t always affirm your identity. But you can learn to live with anxiety without letting it control you.

Take it one step, one breath, one small act of self-care at a time.

Remember, if you’re experiencing persistent and overwhelming anxiety, it’s essential to seek professional help from a healthcare provider or mental health professional. They can assess your symptoms, determine if you have an anxiety disorder, and recommend appropriate treatment options.