How to Deal with Crowd Anxiety

Co-authored by Peggy Rios, PhD and Hannah Madden

Last Updated: November 28, 2022 References

If you feel stressed out or nervous when you approach a large crowd of people, you’re probably dealing with crowd anxiety. It can be hard to avoid crowds, especially if you live in a larger city or urban environment. Thankfully, there are ways you can lessen the symptoms of your anxiety and face your fear of crowds head on to feel more comfortable around large groups.

1

Imagine yourself in a crowd before you go out.

Picture yourself feeling calm and at peace. If you start feeling anxious, take a few deep breaths, but keep picturing yourself in a crowded space. Exposing yourself to crowds when you’re at home can lead to less anxiety when you encounter them in real life.^{[1]
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Trustworthy Source
Cleveland Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
Go to source}
- When you’re imagining a crowd in your mind, picture yourself walking through it quickly but calmly. Remind your imaginary self that you’re safe and that nothing bad is going to happen in a crowd.

2

Take a friend with you in large crowds.

Having someone next to you can lower your anxiety levels. If you know you’re headed somewhere with a large crowd, consider asking a friend or family member to come with you.^{[2]
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Expert Source

Peggy Rios, PhD
Counseling Psychologist (Florida)
Expert Interview. 18 December 2020.} You can tell them ahead of time that you might get a little anxious, but that you’ll be okay.^{[3]
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Trustworthy Source
Cleveland Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
Go to source}
- You could say something like, “Hey, do you wanna come with me to the mall today? It’s gonna be pretty crowded, and I’d feel better if you were there with me.”
- You won’t always be able to get a friend to go with you, and that’s okay. If you’re feeling up to it, you could try to head out on your own. If not, wait for another time when someone can go with you.

3

Calm yourself with deep breathing.

If you feel yourself getting anxious, pause and take some breaths. Breathe in through your nose for 5 seconds, then slowly let the breath out of your mouth. Do this 5 to 10 times until you feel yourself calming down.^{[4]
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- Deep breathing exercises can help calm you down in almost any anxiety-inducing situation. It’s a good idea to practice them beforehand so you know exactly what to do when you start feeling anxious.

4

Focus on something else.

Find something non-threatening that you can stare at. When you feel the anxiety coming on, quickly look at the time on your watch or the items on the shelves in a grocery store. Focus on these things instead of your anxiety to distract your brain and calm your panic.^{[5]
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Trustworthy Source
National Health Service (UK)
Public healthcare system of the UK
Go to source}
- You could also try focusing on the feeling of the ground beneath your feet or the sensation of your clothing on your skin.

5

Challenge your anxious thoughts.

You might be worried about getting stuck in a crowd. Some people get scared of being trampled or not being able to leave a crowded area. If you find yourself thinking something like that, push back. Ask yourself, “why am I thinking that?” “Is there any proof of that happening?” “How can I know that will happen for sure?” By catching your negative thoughts, you can stop them before they induce anxiety.^{[6]
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Research source}
- You might find it helpful to keep the exits and routes out of the area in the back of your mind. If you do that, you can tell yourself things like, “I can leave through that door if I need to get out of here.”

6

Practice meditation.

Daily meditation can help you soothe your mind. Take 5 to 10 minutes every day to empty your head and think about nothing at all. If you’re having trouble, look up a guided meditation video to help you along.^{[7]
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Trustworthy Source
American Psychological Association
Leading scientific and professional organization of licensed psychologists
Go to source}
- It can take a little while to get the hang of meditation, but it gets easier with practice.

7

Keep a journal about your anxiety.

Write down your feelings to work through them. For some people, keeping a journal is a good way to recognize their triggers to find out what makes them anxious. For others, a journal is a great place to store their thoughts and let out their feelings. Try writing in your journal when you’re feeling anxious to calm yourself down and ground your thinking.^{[8]
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- If you want to take a journal with you, grab a pocket-sized one to throw into your purse or backpack.

8

Talk to your support system.

Your friends and family members can help you with anxiety. Reach out to the ones you love and let them know what you’re going through. You never know—they might be dealing with the exact same thing.^{[9]
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Research source}
- If you don’t want to talk about what’s going on, that’s fine too. Sometimes loved ones can be a nice distraction from anxiety-inducing thoughts.

9

Avoid caffeine and stimulants.

They can really make your anxiety worse. If you know you’re going to be in a crowded area later, stay away from caffeinated coffee, tea, or stimulants. That way, your baseline anxiety levels will be lower.^{[10]
X
Trustworthy Source
American Psychological Association
Leading scientific and professional organization of licensed psychologists
Go to source}
- You should also try to limit your intake of alcohol, since it can increase your anxiety levels.

10

Expose yourself to larger crowds over time.

Work your way up to lower your anxiety levels. At first, you might want to start out with a big group, like a crowded restaurant. From there, you can try taking a crowded train or going shopping in a crowded mall. Take baby steps so you don’t overwhelm yourself, but try to expose yourself to bigger and more crowded areas. It can be tough to do this on your own, so if you’re having trouble, get support from a mental health professional.^{[11]
X
Trustworthy Source
Cleveland Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals
Go to source}
- Exposing yourself to anxiety is the only way to “cure” it. If you want to get rid of your anxiety once and for all, this is the way to go.

11

Talk to a mental health professional.

Anxiety can be hard to deal with on your own. If you’re having trouble getting over your crowd anxiety, a therapist or a counselor can help.^{[12]
X
Expert Source

Peggy Rios, PhD
Counseling Psychologist (Florida)
Expert Interview. 18 December 2020.} They’ll be able to assist you with coping mechanisms and ways you can calm yourself down in crowded places.^{[13]
X
Trustworthy Source
National Health Service (UK)
Public healthcare system of the UK
Go to source}
- If traditional therapy isn’t in your budget, try looking for cheaper alternatives, like online counseling or counselors who charge on a sliding scale.