When anxiety gets out of control, it is necessary to give the illusion of a possible grip on reality. Anxiety comes from the lack (or the feeling of lack) of control.
When the grip, or the illusion of grip, is restored, the anxiety is appeased.
It does not really matter whether there is a correlation between the means of action implemented and the possibility of controlling reality.
I am thinking of the protocol put in place against possible intrusions into schools.
It is a question of inviting the child to play the “ostrich”, by throwing himself under the table in the event of suspicion of intrusion.
This does not change anything, but gives the child the possibility of channeling his peak of anxiety (or that of the supervisors.)
Another possible parallel: what children who are afraid of the dark are given to do to ward off the grip of darkness on their fears (humming, tapping the walls, etc.)
The same mechanisms is activated over and over again in our daily life of micro superstitions (our linguistic incursions to dry up our fear of absence….
Empty sentences, repeated automatic reflexes to exist in the world.)
©FJ June 2022 —
Groupe de Pratique
Recueils — Participations
Notes & Silence 
It hardly requires anxiety to « get out of control », as control destroys anxiety, which is precisely your point.
The irony is that the realisation that control is, generally, impossible, also can remove anxiety.
Perhaps, the most we can control is the viewpoint of our perception, thereby assigning to anxiety the impotence of its triviality.
J’aimeJ’aime