Let’s be honest—most of us didn’t enter this profession for the easy days. Whether you’re a veterinarian, doctor, or healthcare provider, you knew the work would be challenging. What many of us weren’t prepared for was the constant undercurrent of anxiety that can weave itself into our days, decisions, and even our sleep.
And yet, anxiety is not the enemy. It’s a message. A signal. A deeply human experience—and one that’s hardwired into our biology.
As a fellow clinician and mental health professional, I want to offer a reframe: anxiety is not a personal flaw or a sign that you’re “not coping.” It’s a normal biological process—and learning how it works can help us respond with more compassion, both to ourselves and each other.
The Biology of Anxiety
Anxiety begins with a simple evolutionary function: survival. Our brains are wired to detect threats quickly, and the amygdala, a small almond shaped structure deep in the brain, is responsible for scanning the environment and sounding the alarm.
When the amygdala detects something it perceives as a threat—whether it’s a dangerous dog or a full inbox of unread messages—it triggers the sympathetic nervous system, launching us into fight or flight mode. This leads to a range of physical and cognitive responses:
Rapid heartbeat to increase blood flow to muscles
Shallow, fast breathing to oxygenate the body quickly
Muscle tension in preparation for action
Digestive slowdown (hence the upset stomach)
Increased alertness, scanning for danger
Restlessness, sweating, dizziness, and mental racing
None of this is a mistake. It’s your body doing exactly what it was designed to do.
Modern Stress, Ancient System
Here’s the problem: your brain can’t tell the difference between a predator in the wild and an emotionally charged phone call from a distressed client. Between a life threatening emergency and a complex ethical decision. Between the risk of being physically hurt and the fear of disappointing a team or making the wrong clinical call.
The same system designed to protect us from lions is now reacting to full caseloads, financial pressure, euthanasia appointments, and performance reviews.
And when we’re exposed to those stressors daily—without recovery time—our systems stay activated. That’s when anxiety starts to feel like a chronic state, rather than a helpful response.
Anxiety Is Not a Failure
Many of us are high achievers. We’re leaders, caregivers, problem solvers. So when anxiety shows up, we often respond with shame:
“I should be able to handle this.”
“Why is this getting to me?”
“I don’t want anyone to think I’m weak.”
But anxiety doesn’t mean you’re weak. It means your nervous system is doing its job in the best way it knows how. In fact, some level of anxiety can enhance performance—keeping us alert, detail oriented, and empathetic. The goal isn’t to eliminate it. It’s to understand and regulate it.
How to Work With Anxiety
Here are a few practical steps clinicians can take to manage anxiety in a healthier, more informed way:
- Notice the Signals
Learn to recognize the early signs of anxiety in your body—tight chest, racing thoughts, jaw clenching, irritability. These are your cues to pause. - Breathe With Intention
Slowing your breath, especially with longer exhales, signals the parasympathetic nervous system to help calm the body. Even 60 seconds can shift your state. - Ground Yourself in the Present
Anxiety often lives in the what ifs. Take a moment to notice what’s around you—what you can see, hear, touch. It brings you back to the now. - Talk About It
Peer support is powerful. Normalize open conversations with colleagues. You’re likely not the only one feeling this way. - Seek Support When You Need It
Therapy, coaching, and mindfulness practices can help build emotional resilience. There’s strength in seeking support, not weakness.
A Final Word
Anxiety is part of being human. It’s part of being caring. If you didn’t care deeply, you wouldn’t feel so deeply. So if anxiety shows up in your practice, your leadership, or your parenting—it doesn’t mean something is wrong with you.
It means you’re paying attention. You’re invested. You’re alive.
Let’s stop treating anxiety as something to be ashamed of. Instead, let’s learn from it, care for ourselves through it, and support each other with empathy and honesty.
Because we can’t show up fully for others if we’re silently battling ourselves.