Anxiety Jeopardy AC

Anxiety 101

100

What is anxiety?

Anxiety is a natural human emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts, and physical changes like an increased heart rate.

200

Situation: You're lying in bed Sunday night thinking about everything that could go wrong at school Monday. Your anxiety is 8/10, your heart is racing, and you can't sleep.

Challenge: Identify one anxious thought, one emotion, one body sensation, one coping skill, and one balanced replacement thought.

“I'm thinking tomorrow is going to be terrible. I feel scared and overwhelmed, and my heart is racing. I can use slow breathing and grounding. A more balanced thought is: ‘Tomorrow may be stressful, but I don't know that anything bad will happen. I can handle one thing at a time.’”

300

True or False: Anxiety is always bad.

 False

400

What would you say to a friend who told you, “I'm anxious and I can't handle this”? What is one thing you wish other people understood about anxiety?

Answers Vary

500

Name three situations that commonly trigger anxiety in teens.

 Academic and Performance Pressure 

Social Media and Peer Comparison

 Major Life Transitions 

Family Stressors

Trauma

Body & Brain

100

Name one physical sign of anxiety.

 Your heart beats faster as part of your body's natural fight-or-flight response.

200

Why might your heart beat faster when you're anxious?

The Fight-or-Flight Response

• Your brain perceives stress or danger and activates the nervous system.
• The body releases stress hormones
• These chemicals signal your heart to pump faster and harder.
• More blood rushes to your muscles and major organs to prepare you to react.
• This automatic process can happen even if the threat is only emotional or imagined.

300

Name three physical symptoms anxiety can cause.

• Increased heart rate: Your heart beats fast or pounds, even when you rest, because your body prepares to fight or flee.
• Shortness of breath: Your breathing turns shallow and fast, which can make you feel lightheaded.
• Sweating: Your body produces excess sweat on your palms, underarms, or over your whole body as a reaction to stress.

400

 True or False: Avoiding everything that makes you anxious usually makes anxiety disappear permanently.  

False

500

Name two people you could go to if your anxiety becomes overwhelming.

Answers Vary

Challenge That Thought

100

“Everyone is going to judge me.” Is this a fact or an anxious thought?  

Examine the Evidence

200

Change “I’m going to fail” into a more balanced thought.

“I am feeling nervous, but I have prepared and can do my best.”

300

“My friend didn't text me back. They must be mad at me.” What thinking trap might this be?

This thought is a classic example of mind reading, which is a specific type of jumping to conclusions. It also overlaps with personalization

400

“If I don't get an A, my future is ruined.” Identify the thinking trap and create a healthier thought.

The thinking trap in your statement is catastrophizing, which means expecting the absolute worst possible outcome from a single event.

500

Your thought is: “I'm going to embarrass myself, everyone will laugh, and I'll never live it down.” Challenge this thought using evidence for, evidence against, and a balanced thought.

You can challenge a fear of embarrassment by looking at the facts for and against your worry to build a calm and realistic view.

Evidence For the Thought

• You feel very nervous right now.
• Past mistakes or awkward moments happened.
• People notice small slip-ups sometimes.

Evidence Against the Thought

• People focus mostly on themselves, not you.
• Others forget small errors very quickly.
• You survived past awkward moments just fine.
• No one has laughed or judged you yet.

A Balanced Thought

"I might feel a little awkward, but people are busy with their own lives, and this moment will pass quickly."

Coping Toolbox

100

Name one coping skill you can use anywhere.

Box Breathing:

Inhale slowly for four counts.

Hold your breath for four counts.

Exhale steadily for four counts.

Hold again for four counts before repeating.

200

Name a breathing technique that can calm your body.

The 4-7-8 breathing technique helps calm your body by slowing your heart rate and activating your nervous system's relaxation response. [1, 2]

How to Do It

• Inhale quietly through your nose for 4 seconds.
• Hold your breath for 7 seconds.
• Exhale slowly through your mouth for 8 seconds.
• Repeat this cycle for 4 rounds

300

Explain the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique.

The 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Technique is a simple mindfulness exercise that uses your five senses to help calm acute anxiety and bring your focus back to the present moment.

5 - See: Notice five things around you. Pick small details, like a pen, a shadow, or the texture of a ceiling.

4 - Touch: Acknowledge four things you can physically feel, such as your feet on the floor, your shirt fabric, or a cool desk.

3 - Hear: Listen for three external sounds, like traffic outside, a humming refrigerator, or birds chirping.

2 - Smell: Identify two scents around you, such as coffee, soap, or fresh air. If nothing is nearby, you can think of two favorite smells.

1 - Taste: Notice one thing you can taste, even if it is just the lingering flavor of toothpaste or coffee, or the inside of your mouth

Finish with one more slow, deep breath to center yourself.

400

Give three coping strategies you could use during a stressful school day.

Deep Breathing

• Breathe in slowly through your nose for four seconds.
• Hold the air in your lungs for four seconds.
• Exhale slowly through your mouth for four seconds to calm your heart rate.

Grounding Techniques

• Look around the room and name five things you can see.
• Notice four things you can physically touch, like your desk or clothing.
• Listen for three sounds around you to bring your focus back to the present moment.

Short Physical Breaks

• Stand up by your desk and stretch your arms and legs.
• Walk down the hallway to get a drink of water.
• Step outside for a breath of fresh air if you have a permitted break.

500

 Create a personal 3-step anxiety plan you could use when your anxiety reaches 8/10. 

Step 1: Stop and Reset the Body (0 to 2 Minutes) 

Step 2: Use the 3-3-3 Grounding Rule (2 to 5 Minutes)

Step 3: Shift Focus to a Neutral Task (5+ Minutes)

What Would You Do?

100

You have a big test tomorrow and start worrying. Name one healthy response.

A healthy response to test worry is practicing deep breathing exercises to calm your nervous system

200

You want to avoid school because of a presentation. What could you do instead?

Instead of skipping school, you can talk to your teacher about alternative options or coping methods to handle the presentation.

Manage the Anxiety

• Practice your speech out loud multiple times.
• Take slow, deep breaths to calm your body.
• Focus on your message instead of the audience.

300

Your friends are hanging out without you and you immediately think they don't like you. What should you do before reacting?

Before reacting, you should pause to calm your emotions and recognize that an unverified assumption is not a fact.

400

You feel a panic attack starting during class. Walk us through what you could do.

When a panic attack starts during class, you can pause, step out for air, and use grounding techniques to calm your body. 

Inhale slowly through your nose for four seconds, hold for four, and exhale slowly through your mouth for four to six seconds. 

Feel your feet: Press your feet flat against the floor to anchor your body to the physical space. 

Use silent grounding: Try the 5-4-3-2-1 method by mentally naming five things you see, four you can touch, three you hear, two you smell, and one you taste.

500

You have been avoiding something because of anxiety for several weeks. Describe how you could gradually face it rather than continuing to avoid it.

 You can gradually face an avoided situation by breaking it down into small, manageable steps instead of trying to fix everything at once.