Psychiatrist Alejandro Martínez on calming anxiety: "It's a reset button your body has, and it works."

Alejandro Martínez Rico, a psychiatrist nominated for Best Psychiatrist in Spain, has shared on his Instagram account a trick that, he explains, can help calm anxiety in a matter of seconds. His approach doesn't require medication or complex tools— just a little ice and a few minutes of time. The specialist describes it as one of his "favorite methods" and says he recommends it to many of his patients.

"It's a reset button your body has to calm down in just a few seconds," he says in the video, which has quickly gone viral among users looking for natural solutions to curb the symptoms of an anxiety attack. The trick, he explains, is to apply ice to the neck while taking deep breaths. Although it may seem too simple to be effective, the psychiatrist assures that it works thanks to a little-known bodily mechanism: the diving reflex.

This reflex is part of the autonomic nervous system and is activated when the face comes into contact with cold or ice water. It's the same reflex that comes into play when someone immerses themselves in very cold water. Its activation produces an immediate physiological effect: the body reduces its heart rate and breathing slows, leading to a feeling of calm. "It works because you're activating your parasympathetic nervous system," Martínez explains in the video.

But the trick doesn't just have a physiological basis. It also influences the psychological aspect of anxiety. According to the psychiatrist, by focusing attention on an intense and real physical sensation, such as the cold of ice on the skin, "we manage to shift the focus of attention from anxious thoughts to a real, physical sensation, in the here and now." In this way, the cycle of repetitive thoughts that often accompanies anxiety is interrupted.

In his post, Alejandro Martínez also wanted to make it clear that this method does not replace professional therapy nor is it a definitive cure for anxiety. "It is not a long-term solution, but rather a tool for specific moments," he warns. Despite its immediate effectiveness in certain cases, he emphasizes that it should be viewed as a complementary technique within a broader emotional regulation strategy.

The so-called "diving reflex" is especially activated in situations of overstimulation. Therefore, Martínez recommends using it when a person feels like they're about to have an anxiety attack, when they need a physiological reset, or when they want to activate the relaxation response . Furthermore, she points out that it doesn't work the same for everyone: some people may not notice significant effects, but others may find this gesture a valuable tool for curbing panic.