True or False (Anxiety)
True!
Day to day activities that reduce symptoms are important ways to help us regulate all our emotions.
Avoiding what makes us afraid.
Unhelpful
What are some helpful thoughts you can tell yourself to encourage you do try some of the activities on the fear ladder?
Examples
(This is important to me because...)
(One step at a time)
(The more I do it, the easier it will get)
While doing the exposures, it is not good to feel any of the physical symptoms of anxiety.
False.
Experiencing mild/moderate physical symptoms during your exposure is helpful, especially if you continue the exposure until the physical symptoms subside.
Anxiety only exist in real life dangerous situations.
False!
We can experience anxiety symptoms even when there is a "perceived threat". Our thoughts sometimes convince us that we are in danger when really that isn't the case.
Facing our fears head-on.
Helpful!
While completing an activity on the fear ladder, you notice the experience of physical symptoms that typically tell you to run. What can you tell yourself instead?
Examples:
(this is just anxiety)
(this experience is temporary)
(this is uncomfortable but I can handle it)
I only need to do each activity on the ladder once.
False.
The goal is desensitization to the fear. Practice each activity until you feel like you would be comfortable doing this without any avoidance.
You can even go up and down the fear ladder as needed.
Practicing deep breathing and healthy self-talk is helpful.
True.
For the first parts of exposure you can use these strategies in the moment. Eventually you want to do exposure without needing these safety behaviors.
Practicing these strategies regularly (day to day) helps with daily emotional regulation.
Asking for help during gradual exposure.
Helpful (in the beginning phases); eventually you want to get to a place where you can face your fear independently.
When I notice myself thinking about the worse-case-scenario, what can I do?
(Examples)
Ask yourself:How realistic is this?
And if it happens, can I handle it?
Exposure can be both imagery and done in real life.
True.