Anxiety Detective
Name one way anxiety can show up in your body.
Stomachache, headache, shaky, sweating, fast heartbeat, etc.
Thought or fact: “Everyone is going to notice me.”
Thought.
You notice yourself getting annoyed and overwhelmed. Name one thing you could do before it turns into an outburst.
Take space, breathe, get water, use grounding, talk to someone, etc.
In Minecraft, what dimension do you have to travel to in order to fight the Ender Dragon?
The End.
What has hands but cannot clap?
A clock.
True or false: You can feel anxious even when nothing dangerous is actually happening.
True.
Thought or fact: “I feel embarrassed, so everyone must be judging me.”
Thought.
You have to go somewhere you really don’t feel like going because you’re nervous. What is one thing you could do besides staying home?
Use a coping skill, go for a shorter amount of time, talk to someone, make a plan, etc.
In Fortnite, what are the five weapon rarity levels from lowest to highest before Exotic/Mythic?
Common, Uncommon, Rare, Epic, Legendary.
The more you take, the more you leave behind. What am I?
Footsteps.
A kid has lacrosse practice later. His stomach starts hurting and he keeps thinking about not going. What are two clues that anxiety might be involved?
Stomach pain + wanting to avoid practice/worrying beforehand.
Your brain says, “If people look at me, they probably think something is wrong with me.” Give one other possible explanation for why someone might look at you.
They recognize you, like something you’re wearing, happened to look over, are looking past you, etc.
Your stomach starts hurting before school and your brain immediately says, “I need to go home.” What could you try before deciding to leave?
Breathing, grounding, waiting a few minutes, checking the anxious thought, distraction, talking to an adult, etc.
In Minecraft, how many Eyes of Ender can an End Portal frame hold when completely filled?
12.
I’m tall when I’m young and short when I’m old. What am I?
A candle.
Someone says, “If I feel anxious about doing something, that means I shouldn’t do it.” What would you tell them?
Feeling anxious doesn’t automatically mean something is unsafe or that you shouldn’t do it.
A kid thinks, “If I take my hoodie off, everyone will stare at me.” Change that into a more helpful thought without pretending everything will definitely go perfectly.
“Someone might notice, but that doesn’t mean everyone will stare or judge me.” / Similar realistic response.
Someone makes a comment about something you’re already insecure about. Give three different ways you could respond.
Ignore/walk away, say something assertive, use humor, talk to an adult/friend afterward, etc.
Unscramble these three game titles:
TFNROEIT
FRCMNEAIT
BLXROO
Fortnite, Minecraft, Roblox.
A man shaves several times a day but still has a beard. Who is he?
A barber.
A kid feels sick every morning before school, but the stomachache usually gets better once he settles into class. What would you want to know to figure out whether anxiety could be part of it?
What he thinks about before school, when the stomachache starts/stops, what he’s worried might happen, whether it happens on weekends, etc.
Someone avoids something because they’re worried people will judge how they look. Avoiding it makes them feel better right away. Why might avoiding it actually make the anxiety stronger later?
It can teach the brain that the situation needs to be avoided/is dangerous and prevents them from learning they can handle it.
A kid wants to go swimming with his friends but feels really self-conscious about how he looks. Part of him wants to go and part of him wants to stay home. Make him a 3-step game plan that helps him face the anxiety without forcing him to do everything at once.
1) identify what he’s worried about, 2) choose a manageable first step such as going but keeping a shirt on, 3) use coping/self-talk and decide whether he wants to take another step.
NO REPEATS: You have 30 seconds to name 10 video games. You cannot say Minecraft, Fortnite, Roblox, or any sports game.
Any 10 valid games.
You see a boat filled with people. It hasn’t sunk, but when you look again, you don’t see a single person on the boat. Why?
Everyone on the boat is married—there isn’t a single person.