Body response
Name 1 thing that happens in our body with anxiety
Restlessness
Face gets hot
Body shakes/ trembles
Heart beats fast
Stomach feels queasy
Breathing heavy
etc...
Name 2 skills for coping with anxiety.
Deep breathing | Grounding | Challenging negative thoughts | Muscle relaxation | Listening to music | Meditation | Guided imagery | Focus on what you can control | Exercise | Talk to someone you trust | Distract yourself | etc...
What is a worry?
Thoughts, images, emotions, and actions of a negative nature in a repetitive, uncontrollable manner.
True/False: None of my friends have anxiety.
False: Anxiety and Anxiety disorders are very common. Anxiety presents differently in everyone
Describe a time you were able to calm anxious feelings or thoughts. What did you do?
Any answer works as long as it was helpful
True/False: Anxiety may affect your sleep. Why?
True: Anxiety can make it hard for us to wind down, feel relaxed, or manage overthinking.
Tell us:
5 things you see | 4 things you can feel/touch | 3 things you can hear | 2 things you can smell | 1 thing you can taste
No wrong answer. Just use your 5 senses in the present... Bonus points if you can name this coping skill
Name 1 thing you can do when you have a worried thought.
Allow it to be there
Take a deep breath
Talk to someone
Focus on what you can control, not what you can't
Think about alternatives
etc...
True/False: A phobia is a type of anxiety. Why (not)?
True. A specific phobia is excessive and persistent fear of a specific object, situation or activity that is generally not harmful. These fears cause such distress that some people go to extreme lengths to avoid what they fear.
Examples: public speaking, fear of flying, fear of spiders.
True/False: Avoidance helps with anxiety
False: Avoiding the anxious threats can help temporarily, but also makes anxiety worse over time. The more we avoid an anxious threat, the more it makes it difficult to overcome.
What can anxiety disguise as in our bodies?
Temperature changes
Body tension and soreness
Heart beats fast
Upset stomach
Difficulty breathing
Fatigue
etc...
How do you do deep breathing?
Various answers:
Breathe in through nostrils, hold, breathe out through mouth.
Different types of breathing techniques count.
True/false: If I don't worry about things, bad things can happen.
False: Anxious thoughts or worries are often inaccurate or unhelpful.
What is social anxiety?
Social Anxiety is characterized by overwhelming anxiety in specific situations and social settings that can lead someone to avoidance.
Includes fear of being judged, humiliated, making mistakes, etc...
Name unhealthy coping strategies for anxiety.
Sleeping too much or too little
Procrastination
Aggression
Social Withdrawal
Self-harm
Overeating
Substance use
What can you do to help your anxious body?
Relaxation and grounding exercises may help reduce anxious symptoms. (deep breathing, 5 senses, muscle relaxation, meditating, exercise...)
What is 1 way to challenge or reframe anxious thoughts?
Ask if thoughts are true or helpful
Look for evidence for/against thoughts
Best outcome/ worst outcome/ likely outcome
Think of what is in/ out of your control
Ask if this will matter in the future
Think of what you would tell a loved one going through it
Challenge the worry:
If I get this answer wrong, everyone will think I am stupid.
Any answer that is not this thought.
Ex: It's ok if I get this wrong. I am learning. I don't know what people think. I can try again. I am doing well by just trying. etc...
True/False: I am to blame for having anxiety. Why (not)?
False: A lot of things contribute to having high anxiety like genetics, experiences, nutrition, influential people, substances, brain and body health, etc.
Think of a goal that feels impossible or anxiety provoking to you. (You don't have to share)
Now share a possible step towards this goal.
Any step counts.
Ex: Ask a question, make a list, practice a skill, do some research, talk about it, etc...
This is what happens when our body prepares for a threat by giving a burst of energy and heightens our senses.
What is Flight-Fight (Freeze)?
What is a body scan? How can it help?
A simple meditation practice that instructs listeners to scan their body, from the toes to the head, observing any sensations they experience along the way, bringing awareness to the present moment.
How can anxious thoughts be unhelpful?
Anxious thoughts, or worries, make us think about what COULD happen, not what WILL happen. They can distort our thinking by overestimating negative outcomes that can be worse than reality.
True/False: Having anxiety means I am crazy! Why (not)?
False: Anxiety is a normal reaction to stress and can be beneficial in some situations. It is meant to protect us from danger and focuses our attention on problems. Some people just experience more than others.
How are anxiety attacks and panic attacks different?
Anxiety builds gradually and can last for months. May include restlessness, muscle tension, irritability, fatigue, etc...
A panic attack is an intense and sudden feeling of fear, terror, or discomfort accompanied by several other mental and physical symptoms (hot flashes, chest pain, tension, shaking/trembling, sense of detachment,...). PAs peak at about 10 minutes.