Anxiety and Emotional Regulation
Anxiety is the body's response to perceived ______ or stress.
What is danger/threat?
These are limits we establish to protect our well-being, relationships, time, emotions, and recovery.
What are boundaries?
A goal becomes easier to accomplish when it is broken into smaller ______.
What are steps/actions?
A person, place, thought, feeling, or situation that increases the desire to use is called this.
What is a trigger?
This is something you intentionally do to manage stress, anxiety, cravings, or difficult emotions.
What is a coping skill?
Name one physical or emotional sign that anxiety is increasing.
Examples: racing heart, muscle tension, restlessness, worry, irritability, difficulty concentrating.
Name the three boundary styles discussed in group.
What are porous, healthy, and rigid boundaries?
Instead of saying “I want to do better,” identify one thing that would make the goal more useful.
Make it specific/measurable.
This is a strong desire or urge to use a substance.
What is a craving/urge?
Name one healthy coping skill that can be used when you begin feeling overwhelmed.
Examples: deep breathing, grounding, walking, talking to support, mindfulness, reading, taking a healthy break.
This skill involves slowing down before automatically reacting to an uncomfortable emotion.
What is pausing/emotional regulation?
Saying yes when you really want to say no may be an example of this boundary style.
What is a porous boundary?
In SMART goals, the “M” stands for this.
What is measurable?
Name one recovery support you can contact instead of isolating when struggling.
Examples: sponsor, sober peer, counselor, recovery group, supportive family member.
This coping technique brings your attention away from racing thoughts and back to what is happening right now.
What is grounding/mindfulness?
True or False: Avoiding everything that makes you anxious is always an effective long-term coping strategy.
False.
Refusing to trust anyone, share feelings, or allow others to become emotionally close may represent this boundary style.
What is a rigid boundary?
You planned to attend a recovery meeting Tuesday, but transportation falls through. What should you have prepared ahead of time?
What is a backup plan/Plan B?
Name two warning signs that could indicate someone's recovery is becoming less stable.
Examples: isolation, increased cravings, stopping meetings/treatment, poor sleep, increased anger/anxiety, reconnecting with unhealthy people, stopping coping skills, loss of routine.
True or False: A coping skill only works if it completely removes the uncomfortable emotion.
False. The goal can be to manage the emotion safely and effectively.
A person is thinking, “I know everything is going to go wrong.” What skill could help them examine and change that thought?
What is cognitive challenging/reframing?
Your friend asks you to do something that could interfere with your recovery. Give an example of a healthy boundary response.
Example: “No, I can't do that. My recovery has to come first.”
Turn “I want to work on my recovery” into a measurable weekly action.
Example: “I will attend two recovery meetings this week.”
You experience a trigger and a strong craving. Give a three-step response that could protect your recovery.
Examples: recognize/pause → use a coping skill → contact support/remove yourself from the situation.
Final Jeo
You notice yourself becoming angry during a disagreement. Name two actions you could take before reacting.
Examples: pause, breathe, ground yourself, identify the emotion, take appropriate space, use assertive communication.