Top psychiatrist outlines treatments for chronic anxiety, warns against ultra‑processed foods

Chronic anxiety affects a substantial portion of adults and can be debilitating, a London psychiatrist wrote, urging a combination of lifestyle changes and therapy while cautioning against ultra‑processed foods.

Dr. Max Pemberton, a consultant psychiatrist, said in a Daily Mail column that anxiety is common — he estimates it affects about one in six adults — and can exist alongside depression. He described the condition as a persistent sense of dread that can make concentration and daily functioning difficult, and said it often becomes self‑reinforcing when worry about anxiety itself increases symptoms.

Pemberton recommended a series of practical, evidence‑based measures patients can take immediately. He advised regular physical activity, saying movement reduces stress hormones and increases endorphins, and recommended aiming for at least 30 minutes most days. For people new to exercise, he noted that several short bursts of 10 to 15 minutes during the day can have beneficial effects.

He also highlighted breathing exercises and mindfulness practices to interrupt acute episodes of worry. One example he offered was a simple paced‑breathing technique: inhale for three seconds, hold briefly, then exhale for three seconds, repeating for a minute and continuing until anxiety subsides. Pemberton suggested guided meditation apps such as Headspace as tools for those who prefer a structured practice.

When mindfulness feels out of reach, he said distraction techniques can help. Activities that require focused manual attention — knitting, model building or drawing — can divert attention from internal worry. He recommended social contact as another form of distraction, encouraging people to call someone and talk about topics unrelated to their anxiety.

Pemberton advised working through specific worries as a counterintuitive but effective strategy. Writing a list of the items causing concern, especially when they interfere with sleep, can clarify issues and reduce rumination. He emphasized establishing consistent sleep routines, including going to bed and waking at the same times every day, creating a wind‑down ritual an hour before bed and avoiding screens that overstimulate a person before sleep.

The psychiatrist also addressed online behaviour, noting that social media algorithms can amplify negative or distressing content and encourage unhealthy comparisons. He suggested removing social media apps from phones so users must make a conscious decision to log on from a computer, reducing impulsive scrolling through potentially upsetting material.

On diet, Pemberton urged people with anxiety to limit ultra‑processed foods. He linked such foods to instability in blood glucose levels and disruption of the gut microbiome, both of which he said can contribute to anxiety symptoms. He recommended a two‑week trial of whole foods, reduced processed sugar and caffeine, and increased consumption of omega‑3 rich items like salmon and walnuts, advising that many patients notice improvement within that period.

If self‑help measures do not relieve symptoms, Pemberton recommended formal treatment options. He described cognitive behavioural therapy, or CBT, as a talking therapy that helps retrain thought patterns and behaviours contributing to anxiety and said patients typically need 10 to 15 sessions. He advised patients to consult their general practitioner for referral to local mental health services.

Pemberton framed these strategies as complementary rather than mutually exclusive, saying lifestyle adjustments can reduce symptom burden and improve readiness for psychological therapies where needed. He cautioned that while many people will benefit from the changes he suggested, persistent or severe anxiety warrants professional assessment, particularly when it interferes with daily life.

Clinical guidelines from mental health authorities typically recommend a stepped approach that begins with self‑management and brief interventions for mild symptoms and escalates to structured psychotherapy or medication when necessary. Research has shown benefits from exercise, sleep regularity, mindfulness and CBT for many people with anxiety disorders, while emerging studies continue to investigate links between diet, the microbiome and mental health.

Pemberton’s column underscored a practical, multifaceted approach to managing anxiety that combines behaviour change, social support and clinical care, with an emphasis on limiting ultra‑processed foods as one modifiable factor among several that can influence symptom severity.