What that feeling of impending doom might mean—and how to stop it

What a “feeling of impending doom” actually is

Impending doom is a sudden, overwhelming sense that something terrible is about to happen, without any evidence of what. It’s a sensation, not a clinical diagnosis, and it affects both mind and body.

“It’s the fear of something that’s going to happen,” says Monica Cynwar, a licensed therapist at Thriveworks. Her clients often describe this feeling as knowing something terrible is going to happen without any evidence about what it is.

One of the things that makes this feeling so hard to shake is that it’s a full mind-and-body experience. It alters the way we think, often leading to panicked thoughts and searching for worst-case scenarios. It turns the volume up on negative emotions, like excessive worrying or stress. Impending doom can even manifest as physical symptoms, like restlessness, heart palpitations, and trouble sleeping.

As if this sensation wasn’t difficult enough to decipher, it can also be a standalone experience or stem from an underlying medical condition, such as a panic disorder, anxiety, or even some heart problems.

6 common causes of impending doom

“Impending doom really boils down to someone being triggered (often subconsciously) by some normal daily occurrence,” Dr. Issa says. And if that explanation sounds vague, it’s because there are a lot of potential triggers, including the six common ones below.

1. Past trauma resurfacing

Even though it doesn’t always feel like it, our brains are actually on our side. Negative sensations like impending doom are the brain’s misguided way of trying to protect us. Impending doom in particular is often linked to a history of trauma, Cynwar says. She explains that an acute traumatic event (like a car accident or sudden loss of a loved one) or extensive trauma history may trigger this sensation, even when nothing bad is currently happening.

In turn, the doom triggers our fight-or-flight response, which is a protective mechanism. The brain may trigger this response in order to prevent us from re-experiencing trauma from the past—a good intention, even if it doesn’t pan out in a way that helps us.

2. Chronic stress or high-pressure environments

“High stress environments can also bring impending doom,” Cynwar says, “because when one thing goes wrong, you feel like a series of things is going to happen.”

Let’s say your workplace causes you a lot of stress. Working there may feel like walking on eggshells, constantly monitoring your surroundings for any conflicts with coworkers or criticism from your manager. In that environment, you may feel doom or other negative emotions more often.

3. Panic attacks

When someone has a panic disorder, they experience unexpected yet frequent panic attacks. These attacks are a full-body experience that feels like losing control of your thoughts and how you feel. Some people even report experiencing symptoms similar to a heart attack. One of the first signs a panic attack is about to hit is feeling impending doom.

4. Anxiety and “what if” spirals

A hallmark symptom of anxiety is excessive worrying that’s hard to control. Sometimes, anxious thoughts fixate on past mistakes. Other times, they’re centered on what could go wrong in the future, which often manifests as impending doom.

Cynwar reports that clients who experience impending doom are often looking for what could go wrong. “They can’t say what, but they feel like something is about to go wrong. Because our minds are so powerful and love to be right, this can create a self-fulfilling prophecy,” she says.

This prophecy means you’re stuck in an anxious thought pattern that reinforces impending doom, fixates on what’s going wrong in your life, and ignores what’s going right.

5. Underlying medical conditions

Part of what makes impending doom tricky to address is that many people feel it before a cardiovascular event or other life-threatening medical condition. Certain prescription medications, such as Xolair (used to treat asthma), may also cause impending doom as a side effect.

When someone has a terminal illness, they and their loved ones often experience impending doom over the disease’s progression. When Cynwar worked as a therapist for hospice patients and their families, her clients often grappled with this feeling.

6. OCD or health anxiety

Impending doom, especially in relation to someone’s health, may also be a sign of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) or a health-related phobia.

“Those particularly sensitive about their health and often living with OCD can experience impending doom but believe it’s part of the health issue they’re worrying about,” Dr. Issa explains. “There’s often nothing wrong with them physically.”

When is a feeling of impending doom a medical emergency?

Not always, but sometimes. Impending doom can accompany panic attacks (intense but not life-threatening) or signal a genuine cardiovascular event. The difference isn’t always obvious in the moment, which is why knowing the warning signs matters.

Seek immediate medical care if you experience any of these signs alongside impending doom:

• Chest pain
• Difficulty breathing
• Severe headache
• Dizziness
• Trembling
• Chills or sweating
• Vomiting
• Sudden, extreme exhaustion
• Trouble seeing, speaking, or walking

7 ways to cope when impending doom hits

When impending doom takes over, you need tools that interrupt the spiral and shift what your brain is focused on. These techniques—endorsed by the therapists we spoke with—work because they pull you into the present or redirect your thoughts entirely.

1. Use the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique.

“You can’t be feeling impending doom if you’re f doing something that requires you to think about something else,” Cynwar says. She emphasizes the importance of simple, easy-to-accomplish cognitive switches that ground you in the present moment. One of her favorites? The 5-4-3-2-1 technique.

With this technique, you either think in your head, speak out loud, or write down:

• Five things you see
• Four things you feel
• Three things you hear
• Two things you smell
• One thing you taste

2. Focus on a single object nearby.

“Pulling yourself into the moment and focusing your attention on an object close by is a good way of stopping the impending doom from escalating,” Dr. Issa says.

If you’re feeling impending doom while working from home, you could focus on a poster hung above your desk. Dr. Issa recommends describing this object out loud in order to break your brain’s impending doom thought pattern. If you’re in public, you can go through this activity silently or write about the object in the notes app on your phone.

3. Slow your breathing with belly breaths.

When we panic, our breathing often turns shallow. This happens because panic or anxiety triggers our fight-or-flight response, speeding up basically everything (breathing, heart rate, thoughts) as a message to the body to get out of a dangerous situation quickly. This mechanism was useful for our ancestors, who were often faced with a lion or other life-threatening trigger, but it isn’t as useful for tackling that feeling of doom when stuck in traffic.

To get out of that fight-or-flight state, Cynwar recommends belly breathing. “Belly breathing—making sure your stomach’s expanding bigger than your chest—helps slow things down,” she explains. This technique can lower symptoms of anxiety and help us feel calmer. For an easy way to try it out, watch this free guided video from Indiana University’s School of Medicine.

4. Try calming audio or ASMR.

You’ve probably seen those YouTube videos of people whispering or layering gentle sounds like rain and page-turning. That’s ASMR—autonomous sensory meridian response—and research suggests it can actually lower heart rate and reduce anxiety.

When Cynwar has a client who experiences impending doom, she often asks about their taste in ASMR. “ASMR is another cheat for your brain,” she explains. “Within two to three minutes of watching it, it’s switching the conversation to help your brain relax.”

5. Give your brain a new problem to solve.

When our brains are going a million miles an hour, it can be hard to calm them down. When this happens, consider redirecting your thoughts instead of trying to slow them down with mindfulness practices.

“Focusing on a new task means the brain is now preoccupied with new information which becomes the priority rather than the ‘danger,’” Dr. Issa explains.

That new task doesn’t have to be solving a major problem or even something related to work or chores. It could be a puzzle, a game on your phone, or a light-hearted book. Choose something that actually sounds fun to you, is easy to access, and requires you to intentionally engage (i.e., not something passive like scrolling social media).

6. Play the three categories game.

The three categories technique is another way to redirect your brain, Cynwar says. You name as many things as you can in three different categories. These categories could be TV shows, cereals, animals, or basically anything else you know a lot about. (Listing elements from the periodic table might not be a great choice—unless you’re a chemistry whiz.)

This strategy redirects your attention and is especially helpful for those who suffer from panic attacks.

7. Write cards to loved ones for the future.

When impending doom is tied to a real prognosis—like a terminal diagnosis—coping looks different. Cynwar’s work with hospice patients and their families often focused on making the transition easier for everyone. This included reflecting on what those with terminal illnesses wanted to say to their family and helping loved ones accept a family member or friend’s health status.

One activity Cynwar found particularly helpful for hospice patients is writing cards to loved ones so you can still be part of their future, even after you’re gone. This could look like writing a letter for a granddaughter to open on her wedding day or for a son to read on the day he graduates college.

How therapy can help you understand and reduce this feeling

While the above techniques help in the moment, therapy is where you stop impending doom from making repeat appearances. “It’s part of the therapist’s role to help change the channel,” Cynwa says. “The patient always has all the answers, they just don’t always know it. A therapist pulls back the curtain on those answers.”

For impending doom specifically, a few therapeutic approaches are particularly helpful:

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)

This type of therapy focuses on addressing the thoughts and behaviors behind the impending doom. It retrains how you think and feel and may even help you develop new behaviors that interrupt the doom cycle before it takes hold.

Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)

Cynwar mentions that ACT is another useful approach because “it encourages individuals to accept their thoughts and feelings rather than resist them.” Once you accept difficult feelings, a therapist can help you get curious about why you’re feeling them and can assist you in committing to thoughts or feelings that lead to more positive emotions.

Somatic techniques

When impending doom is linked to panic attacks or trauma, a therapist can help you learn somatic techniques that quiet physical symptoms. “I’m always educating clients about what impending doom feels like in your body,” Cynwar says. “If we can anticipate when it starts, we can cut it off sooner, before it takes over and you have a full-blown panic attack.”

No matter the approach, it’s important to work with a therapist you trust. “The secret sauce in any therapeutic relationship is the relationship you build together,” Cynwar says. When that connection is there, you’re no longer alone in navigating impending doom. You have a partner who can provide expert insight and guidance, helping you finally say goodbye to any unwelcome dread.