When Anxiety Is Difficult to Put Into Words
Imagine someone asking you, “What is making you anxious?”
You pause. You know something feels uncomfortable. Your thoughts are racing, your shoulders feel tense, and your mind keeps returning to the same concerns. Yet, when you try to explain what is happening, the words seem inadequate.
Perhaps you say, “I am stressed.” Or “I feel overwhelmed.” You might even respond with “I do not know.”
For many people, identifying and communicating emotions can be challenging. Anxiety can involve physical sensations, repetitive thoughts and an uncomfortable sense of anticipation. Finding a single word to describe the entire experience can feel difficult.
Creative expression offers another way to explore these experiences.
Through drawing, you can give an emotion a visual form. A collection of tangled lines might represent racing thoughts. A dark circle might represent a feeling of pressure. Jagged shapes might capture a sense of restlessness.
There is no prescribed image for anxiety. Your interpretation belongs to you.
In this article, we will explore how drawing can support emotional awareness and how you can try a simple expressive arts exercise called Give Your Anxiety a Shape.
Understanding Anxiety and Its Physical and Emotional Expressions
Anxiety is a natural human response that can arise when we anticipate uncertainty, danger or a challenging situation.
It can affect people in different ways.
Some people experience anxiety primarily through their thoughts. They may repeatedly imagine possible negative outcomes, overthink conversations or struggle to concentrate.
Others notice physical sensations, such as:
- A tight feeling in the chest.
- Muscle tension, particularly around the shoulders and neck.
- A racing or noticeable heartbeat.
- Restlessness or difficulty sitting still.
- Stomach discomfort.
- Changes in breathing.
Anxiety can also influence behaviour. Someone might avoid a situation that feels uncomfortable, repeatedly seek reassurance or find it difficult to relax.
The NHS explains that anxiety can affect physical sensations, thoughts and behaviour. Recognising these different expressions can help people understand their experiences and seek appropriate support.
For some individuals, describing these experiences verbally can be difficult. Creative expression can provide an additional route for exploring what they are experiencing.
How Can Drawing Help You Explore Anxiety?
Drawing gives you a visual language through which you can explore an internal experience.
When you translate an emotion into lines, colours or shapes, you create something you can observe and reflect upon.
This process can support several areas of emotional exploration.
1. Externalising an Emotion
Anxiety can feel as though it occupies your entire internal world.
Giving it a visual representation allows you to explore the experience from a slightly different perspective.
For example, imagine drawing your anxiety as a tangled ball of black lines. You can look at the drawing and consider what those overlapping lines represent in your current experience.
The image becomes a starting point for reflection.
2. Developing Emotional Awareness
You might know that you feel anxious without understanding the specific sensations or thoughts contributing to that feeling.
Drawing encourages you to slow down and pay attention.
Consider these questions:
- Does your anxiety feel heavy or light?
- Does it feel contained or expansive?
- Is it sharp, rounded, fragmented or tangled?
- Does it seem to move or remain in one place?
These observations can help you develop a more specific emotional vocabulary.
3. Exploring Feelings Without Verbal Pressure
Talking about difficult emotions can require considerable effort.
Visual expression provides an alternative way to approach an experience. You can begin with a colour or a simple mark, without having to explain everything immediately.
This can be particularly useful for people who struggle to identify their feelings or communicate them verbally.
4. Creating an Opportunity for Reflection
Once your drawing is complete, you can observe it and consider what you have represented.
You might discover that your anxiety feels different from what you initially expected.
You could also notice that certain shapes or colours represent recurring experiences.
There is no fixed interpretation. The meaning of the artwork should come from your own associations rather than a universal colour or shape dictionary.
Expressive Arts Exercise: Give Your Anxiety a Shape
Activity: Give Your Anxiety a Shape
Suitable for: Teenagers and adults
Time required: Approximately 10–15 minutes
Materials: Paper, coloured pencils, markers or crayons
Purpose: To explore anxiety through visual expression and develop awareness of emotional experiences.
This guided exercise uses colour, shape and mark-making to help you represent an emotion visually.
You do not need drawing experience. Abstract marks are perfectly suitable.
Step 1: Choose a Colour for Your Anxiety
Find a comfortable place where you can spend a few uninterrupted minutes.
Take a moment to consider how you are feeling.
Choose a colour that represents your anxiety today.
You might select red because it feels intense, grey because it feels heavy, or blue because it represents uncertainty.
Your choice does not need to follow conventional colour associations.
Ask yourself:
“If my anxiety had a colour today, what would it be?”
Pick up that colour and move to the next step.
Step 2: Give Your Anxiety a Shape
Imagine that your anxiety could take a physical form.
Would it look like a tangled ball?
Would it be a large circle occupying the entire page?
Could it resemble a storm cloud, a sharp triangle or a collection of tiny disconnected shapes?
Start drawing whatever comes to mind.
Allow yourself to use abstract forms. You do not need to create a recognisable object.
Pay attention to the size and boundaries of your drawing.
Ask yourself:
- Does my anxiety take up a small area or most of the page?
- Does it feel contained within a boundary?
- Does it appear to spread in different directions?
Step 3: Explore Anxiety Through Lines
Now consider how anxiety might move.
Experiment with different types of lines.
Sharp, jagged lines: These might represent tension, agitation or a sense of urgency.
Overlapping lines: These could represent repetitive thoughts or mental clutter.
Circular lines: These might represent thoughts that keep returning to the same subject.
Broken lines: These could represent uncertainty or interrupted thoughts.
Heavy, dark strokes: These might capture a feeling of pressure.
These are creative possibilities rather than fixed psychological interpretations. Your personal associations matter more than any predetermined meaning.
Allow your hand to move freely across the page.
Step 4: Observe Your Drawing
Put your pencil down and look at the completed image.
Give yourself a moment to observe what you have created.
You may notice that certain areas are crowded with marks, while other parts of the page remain empty.
Perhaps you have drawn a small shape surrounded by large, overlapping lines.
Perhaps your anxiety appears as a single dark form.
There is no right or wrong outcome.
Step 5: Reflect on What You Have Created
Use the following reflection prompts to explore your drawing.
- What part of the drawing attracts my attention first?
- Which colour or shape represents the strongest feeling?
- Does the drawing reflect how I feel in my body?
- Is there anything about the image that surprises me?
- If I could change something about this drawing, what would I choose?
You can write your responses beneath the drawing or discuss them with someone you trust.
Step 6: Consider What Your Anxiety Needs
Look at your drawing once more.
Imagine that you could make a small change to the image.
Would you give the tangled lines more space?
Would you add a lighter colour?
Would you draw a boundary around the shape?
Would you make the shape smaller or introduce another form alongside it?
You can make this change directly on the original drawing or create a second image.
Consider what the change represents for you.
For example, adding space around a crowded shape might represent a desire for breathing room. Drawing a boundary might represent a need for personal space or a sense of control.
There is no need to force a positive ending. Allow the image to reflect what feels meaningful to you.
What If You Cannot Decide What to Draw?
Getting started can be difficult, particularly when you are unfamiliar with abstract drawing.
Here are a few prompts to help you begin.
| If you feel… | Try drawing… |
|---|---|
| Overwhelmed | Overlapping shapes that fill the page |
| Restless | Repeated zigzag or wavy lines |
| Uncertain | Broken lines or incomplete shapes |
| Under pressure | A heavy shape enclosed within a boundary |
| Mentally exhausted | Faint, scattered marks |
| Trapped | A small shape surrounded by larger forms |
These are suggestions to stimulate creative exploration. They are not diagnostic indicators, and the same feeling can look completely different from person to person.
You can also close your eyes briefly and imagine what your anxiety might look like before putting pencil to paper.
How to Use This Exercise in Everyday Life
You can revisit this drawing exercise whenever you want to explore an emotional experience.
For example:
Before a stressful event: Draw what you are anticipating before an examination, presentation or difficult conversation.
After an overwhelming day: Use colours and lines to explore what the day felt like internally.
During a period of uncertainty: Represent the thoughts or sensations that are difficult to communicate.
During personal reflection: Compare drawings created at different points in your life and observe whether your representation of anxiety changes.
If you choose to revisit the exercise, you could date each drawing and write a short note about what was happening in your life at the time.
Over time, this may help you recognise patterns in your emotional experiences.
Important: Drawing Is Not a Substitute for Mental Health Support
This exercise is intended as a guided creative reflection practice. It can help you explore your emotional experience and develop greater awareness of your feelings.
However, an independent drawing exercise does not replace professional mental health care.
Formal art therapy is a recognised mental health profession involving trained practitioners who use art-making within a therapeutic relationship. It incorporates psychological theory and clinical understanding.
If anxiety is persistent, interferes with your daily activities or makes it difficult to cope, consider speaking with a qualified mental health professional.
If drawing brings up distressing memories or intensifies uncomfortable feelings, pause the activity. Return your attention to your surroundings and choose an activity that helps you feel grounded. You do not need to complete the drawing.
Seeking professional support can help you understand your anxiety and identify appropriate ways to manage it.
Art Supplies to Support Your Creative Practice
You can complete this exercise with a basic pencil and a sheet of paper. If you enjoy exploring different creative materials, a small collection of art supplies can offer additional possibilities.
Here are some beginner-friendly materials you can consider purchasing.
1. Coloured Pencils
Coloured pencils offer control over the intensity of your marks. You can create light strokes, build darker layers or experiment with overlapping colours.
Recommended options:
- Faber-Castell coloured pencils.
- Amazon Basics coloured pencil sets.
- Prismacolor coloured pencils.
2. Mixed Media Sketchbook
A sketchbook gives you a dedicated space for emotional drawings and creative reflection.
Choose a mixed media sketchbook if you intend to experiment with markers or watercolours as well as dry drawing materials.
Recommended options:
- Canson mixed media sketchbook.
- Strathmore mixed media paper pad.
- A spiral-bound sketchbook with heavier paper.
3. Fine-Tip Drawing Pens
Fine-tip pens are useful for creating intricate lines, repeated patterns and detailed mark-making.
They can be particularly helpful when exploring anxiety through overlapping or repetitive patterns.
Recommended options:
- Sakura Pigma Micron pens.
- STAEDTLER Pigment Liners.
- Faber-Castell fineliner pens.
4. Brush Pens and Coloured Markers
Markers allow you to create bold shapes and stronger colour contrasts.
Brush pens offer flexibility in line thickness, making them useful for experimenting with different forms of visual expression.
Recommended options:
- Crayola Super Tips markers.
- Tombow Dual Brush Pens.
- Faber-Castell connector pens.
5. Soft Pastels or Oil Pastels
Pastels offer a different sensory experience from pencils and pens.
You can use them to create broad strokes, blend colours or build textured shapes.
They are useful when you want to explore larger movements rather than intricate details.
Recommended options:
- Pentel oil pastels.
- Mungyo soft pastels.
- Faber-Castell oil pastels.
A note about purchasing art supplies: You do not need an expensive collection to begin. Start with materials you already have. Choose additional supplies according to the type of mark-making you enjoy.
Watch the YouTube Short: Give Your Anxiety a Shape
Would you like to see how this exercise works visually?
Watch Episode 4 of the EducateAble series, Feelings Without Words.
In this short video, you will be guided through a simple drawing exercise that explores anxiety using colours, shapes and spontaneous lines.
Watch the video, collect your art materials and try the exercise yourself.
If you complete the activity, consider sharing what your anxiety looked like in the comments. You do not need to share your personal experiences or explain the meaning of your drawing.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can drawing help with anxiety?
Drawing can offer a way to explore and communicate emotions that may be difficult to describe verbally. Creative expression can support self-reflection and emotional awareness. Its effects vary between individuals, and a drawing exercise should not be considered a standalone treatment for an anxiety disorder.
2. What should I draw when I feel anxious?
You can begin with abstract shapes, overlapping lines, circles, scribbles or patterns. Consider how anxiety feels in your body and what kind of visual form might represent that experience. There is no prescribed image.
3. What colours represent anxiety?
There is no universal colour associated with anxiety. Some people associate anxiety with red or black, while others might choose grey, blue, yellow or another colour entirely. Personal associations and experiences influence colour choices.
4. Do I need to be good at drawing to try expressive arts exercises?
No. Basic expressive drawing exercises do not require artistic training. You can use simple lines, shapes and marks to represent your feelings. The focus is on your experience rather than the quality of the finished artwork.
5. Can teenagers use this anxiety drawing exercise?
Yes. Teenagers can use this activity as a creative reflection exercise, with age-appropriate guidance where needed. It can provide an alternative way to explore feelings that may be difficult to communicate verbally.
6. Is expressive arts therapy the same as drawing for relaxation?
Expressive arts therapy is a professional therapeutic approach that uses creative processes within a therapeutic framework. Drawing independently for reflection or relaxation can be helpful, but an individual drawing exercise does not automatically constitute therapy.
Final Thoughts: Give Your Feelings a Visual Language
Anxiety can be difficult to explain. It can appear through physical sensations, recurring thoughts or feelings that seem to have no clear description.
Creative expression gives you another way to approach these experiences.
The next time you find yourself struggling to explain how you feel, take a sheet of paper and explore the emotion through colour, shape and lines.
You might discover a visual representation of something you have been finding difficult to express.
Remember, your drawing does not need to look beautiful or make sense to anyone else. It simply needs to be meaningful to you.
Explore More with EducateAble
At EducateAble, we share practical resources that support emotional awareness, mental health education and creative expression.
Continue exploring:
- Watch more episodes from our Feelings Without Words series on YouTube.
- Explore our expressive arts and emotional wellness resources.
- Discover practical mental health tools for teenagers, adults, parents and educators.
Enjoyed this exercise? Share this article with someone who might find creative ways of exploring emotions helpful.
EducateAble | Supporting emotional wellbeing through learning, creativity and inclusive practices.
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