By Janeth Nunez del Prado, Max Pines Law
Facing criminal charges and feeling overwhelmed by anxiety and uncertainty? Learn practical grounding tools, ways to stay connected, and how to build a life worth living – even while your case is pending.
How Anxiety Shows Up During a Criminal Case
I met with Alicia in my office on a Tuesday morning.
She looked exhausted – like she hadn’t slept in days. Her body was restless, her thoughts racing. As she sat down, I handed her a sensory bin. Without hesitation, she picked up a fidget and began to use it while she talked.
Alicia was facing serious criminal charges after a relationship that had ended badly, with accusations she said were false.
But what stood out most wasn’t just the legal situation – it was what was happening inside of her.
I could feel the weight she was carrying.
She couldn’t stop thinking about what might happen next.
Worst-case scenarios played on a loop.
Her appetite was gone. Her chest was tight. Her stomach was in knots.
She felt disconnected from the people around her.
In many ways, Alicia wasn’t just facing criminal charges – she was living inside them.
As a therapist who works alongside legal teams, I see this often. When someone is going through a criminal case, the legal process doesn’t just happen in the courtroom – it happens in the mind and body, every single day.
If you’re having panic-like symptoms, intrusive thoughts, or can’t sleep, that doesn’t mean something is wrong with you – it means your nervous system is overwhelmed by what you’re going through.
For many people, what shows up during a criminal case is also layered on top of past experiences – like earlier trauma, domestic violence, or substance use – that your body already carries with it.
Why Legal Uncertainty Feels So Unbearable
When we face uncertainty, especially during something as serious as a criminal case, our brains try to protect us by imagining the worst.
This instinct helped our ancestors survive.
But in modern life, it can turn against us.
Instead of preparing us, it traps us.
We begin to mentally rehearse the worst possible outcome – over and over again. We live it daily, long before anything has actually happened.
This is how anxiety during legal proceedings takes hold.
We create a kind of prison in our own minds. This mental prison shows up in your body – tight muscles, shallow breathing, racing thoughts, constantly scanning for danger.
And when that happens, we lose access to the very things that help us get through difficult situations: connection, clarity, presence, and even moments of relief.
This doesn’t just affect how you feel – it can impact your ability to think clearly, make good decisions, communicate effectively with your attorney, and fully participate in your defense.
Finding Meaning When Your Future Feels Uncertain
When everything feels uncertain, I often guide clients back to something simple but powerful:
Focus on what is true right now.
Right now – you are here.
Right now – you are breathing.
Right now – you still have the ability to create moments of connection, meaning, and even joy.
Viktor Frankl, a Holocaust survivor, observed that the people who were able to survive the unimaginable were often the ones who could find a reason to keep living.
He wrote:
“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms – to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances.”
You may not be able to fully control the outcome of your case.
But you can choose freely how you move through it.
Grounding Techniques for Anxiety During a Criminal Case
When anxiety spikes, we start with the body.
5–4–3–2–1 Grounding Using Your Five Senses
Name:
5 things you can see
4 things you can touch
3 things you can hear
2 things you can smell
1 thing you can taste
This simple grounding exercise brings you out of your thoughts and back into the present moment.
A Simple Breathing Exercise for Court-Related Anxiety
Try this when you’re waiting for court, lying awake at night, or sitting in your attorney’s office:
- Inhale gently through your nose for a slow count of 4
- Hold your breath for a count of 4
- Exhale through your mouth for a count of 6
Repeat this for 1–3 minutes, noticing your shoulders and jaw soften as you breathe.
Engage Your Hands to Calm Your Nervous System
Fidgets, textured objects, or even holding something cold can help regulate your nervous system.
These small sensory anchors remind your body that you are here, now – not inside the worst-case scenario in your mind.
Focus on What Is True Right Now
In this moment – you are here.
You are breathing.
You are getting through this.
Bringing your attention back to the present doesn’t erase your case, but it can make the next five minutes more manageable.
Use Music to Reconnect With Yourself
Listen to music you love, especially songs that remind you of better times or calmer parts of your life. Your body remembers joy. Music can help you access it again, even in the middle of a difficult legal process.
Therapies like Dialectical Behavior Therapy often talk about building a “life worth living” even when circumstances are overwhelming, and grounding practices like these are some of the first building blocks.
Staying Connected and Reducing Isolation During Your Case
Coping with a criminal case can be deeply isolating.
Shame and fear often push people away from others – but connection is one of the most important protective factors we have.
Notice who has shown up for you.
Let yourself lean on safe people.
Allow support, even if it feels uncomfortable.
These moments are not distractions.
They are part of how you survive this.
Small Acts of Kindness That Shift Your Mood
Something I often suggest may sound simple – but it matters:
- Practice small acts of kindness
- Let someone merge into your lane
- Hold the door for a stranger
- Show up for a friend
- Write down three things you are grateful for each day
These moments:
- Gently shift your emotional state
- Remind you that good still exists
- Reconnect you to who you are
Because a criminal charge can make people feel like they’ve been reduced to a label.
But you are not just your case.
Alicia’s Story: From Constant Fear to Small Moments of Calm
Over time, Alicia’s stress did not disappear – but it no longer consumed her.
She began to have small moments where she could step out of the constant fear loop.
She started sleeping again.
Eating again.
Going back to the gym.
Reaching out to people she trusted.
She allowed herself moments of calm.
That is the goal.
Not perfection – but movement.
Legal Support, Emotional Support, and a Life Worth Living
Facing criminal charges is not just a legal experience – it’s an emotional one.
Having the right legal support can reduce uncertainty and help you understand what to expect.
In many ways, you can allow your attorney to hold the legal weight of the case – so you don’t have to carry it alone.
And having the right mental health support can help you stay grounded while you move through it.
Final Thought: Your Life Is More Than Your Case
No matter what happens in your case, this remains true:
You still have the capacity to live a life worth living – right now.
Not someday.
Not after everything is resolved.
Now.
You don’t have to navigate this alone. If you or a loved one are facing a criminal charge, reach out to Max Pines Law by calling 505-226-2249 to discuss your options.
To protect the privacy of our clients, names and identifying details have been changed, and this case example reflects a combination of client experiences. This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for legal advice or mental health treatment tailored to your specific situation.
