Facts & Stats
Is anxiety always disordered?
No
What are some examples of how anxiety causes difficulty sleeping?
restlessness (in body and/or mind), worries, rumination, "racing thoughts," bad dreams, impair quality and maintenance.
The 4 automatic danger responses
Fight, flight, freeze, faint
What types of breathing facilitate calm?
deep breathing, belly breathing, star breathing, 4-7-8 breathing breathing, etc.
Can anxiety ever be helpful?
Yes (it's a protective mechanism at it's core)
What is quickened (and usually heavy) breathing called?
hyperventilation
Part of the brain responsible for anxiety
Amygdala
Are everyone's coping strategies the same?
No.
True or false: Anxiety is one of the least common mental health concerns in children and teens.
False! It is the most common among children and teens.
rumination
How does deep breathing help calm the body?
takes us out of "danger mode" and allows parasympathetic nervous system(PNS) to take over; PNS then sends "I'm safe" signal to the brain, brain stops pumping stress chemicals through the body and allows body to relax.
What is a grounding strategy?
Any strategy that helps you feel "grounded" (connected to surroundings, safe); can incorporate the 5 senses (sight, sound, touch, taste, smell).
Difference between anxiety and phobia
Phobias are more specific and may insight more extreme reactions
The following are examples of psycho-somatic symptoms of anxiety
headaches, muscle aches, gastrointestinal distress
Neurotransmitter (brain chemical) responsible for happiness
Serotonin (The reward chemical, dopamine, is also acceptable).
What are some examples of distraction strategies?
Reading a book, playing video games, watching movies, & sleeping.
Approximate percentage of adolescents (age 13-18) in the U.S. who have/had an anxiety disorder.
About 31.9%
(as of 2017)
Panic attacks (a.k.a anxiety attacks) are a common symptom of anxiety. Approximately what percent of the population experience a panic attack at some point in their lives?
About 35%
Part of the brain where the amygdala is
The limbic system
What are some examples of self-soothing strategies?
different kinds of deep breathing, grounding exercises and engaging the senses, mindfulness.