Anxiety Basics
What is anxiety?
A feeling of worry, fear, or nervousness that can happen when we think something might be threatening or difficult.
Name one physical sign of anxiety.
Racing heart, sweating, shaking, stomachache, tense muscles, fast breathing, etc.
True or False: A thought is automatically a fact just because you think it.
False
Name one coping skill you can use when you're anxious.
Deep breathing, grounding, music, talking to someone, etc.
You have to introduce yourself to a new group. Your heart starts racing.
Grounding, slow breathing, positive self-talk, focus on the conversation instead of physical symptoms.
True or False: Everyone experiences anxiety sometimes.
True!
When you're anxious, does your heart rate usually increase or decrease?
Increase.
“I know everyone is going to laugh at me.”
Mindreading.
What is the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique?
Notice 5 things you see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you hear, 2 things you smell, and 1 thing you taste.
You send a text to your friend. They don't respond for three hours. Your brain says: “They're mad at me.”
What could you do before believing that thought?
Look for other explanations and check the facts.
What is the difference between helpful anxiety and unhelpful anxiety?
Helpful anxiety can alert or prepare us for something. Unhelpful anxiety can become overwhelming or interfere with everyday life.
Why might someone feel “butterflies” or have a stomachache when they're anxious?
Anxiety activates the body's stress response, which can affect digestion.
“If I don't get an A, I'm a complete failure.”
All-or-Nothing/ Black or White Thinking
Take a slow breath in for 4 seconds and breathe out for 6 seconds. Why might making your exhale longer be helpful?
It can help slow breathing and signal the body to begin calming down.
You get a lower grade than you expected. You immediately think: “I'm terrible at school.”
What could you tell yourself instead?
“I didn't do as well as I wanted on this assignment. That doesn't mean I'm terrible at school.”
Name two situations where someone might feel anxious.
Tests, presentations, meeting new people, sports competitions, talking to someone, etc.
Name 3 things your body might do when your fight-or-flight response is activated.
Faster heartbeat, faster breathing, sweating, tense muscles, increased alertness, shaky hands, etc.
“I missed one snack, so I'm definitely going to fail the rest of the day with my meals.”
Overgeneralization or catastrophizing
You're extremely anxious before a food exposure. Name 3 things you could do instead of avoiding the food.
Take slow breaths, use grounding, remind yourself of coping statements, ask for support, etc.
You have a big presentation tomorrow and you're thinking: “What if I completely embarrass myself?”
Name two things you can control and two things you can't control.
Can control: Preparing, practicing, arriving on time, using coping skills.
Can't control: Exactly what everyone thinks, whether you make a small mistake.
True or False: The goal of coping with anxiety is to make anxiety disappear completely.
False.
The goal is to learn how to manage anxiety and get through the crisis when no real threat is present.
Your hands are sweaty, your heart is racing, and you're breathing quickly before giving a presentation. What is your body trying to do?
Prepare you to respond to something your brain perceives as threatening or stressful.
Change this anxious thought into a more balanced thought:
“Everyone is going to think I'm stupid if I make a mistake.”
“I might make a mistake, but that doesn't mean people will think I'm stupid. Everyone makes mistakes.”
Your friend says, “I'm so anxious I just want to avoid everything.”
“It makes sense that you're anxious. Let's figure out one small step you can take instead of avoiding everything.”
You're feeling extremely anxious and want to leave a situation immediately.
Before deciding what to do, what are three questions you could ask yourself?
Possible answers:
“Am I actually unsafe, or am I uncomfortable?”
“What is my anxiety telling me?”
“What facts do I have?”
“What would help me get through the next 5 minutes?”