Body Detective
What is one thing your body might do when you feel anxious?
Heart beats faster, stomach might hurt, feel tense
" I know I'm going to mess this up!" is an example of what kind of thinking?
An anxious thought.
Name one slow breathing exercise you could use when you're anxious.
box breathing, 4 in 6 out
You have a test tomorrow and you're worried you'll fail. What is one thing you could do tonight that might help?
Study for a reasonable amount of time, prepare what you need, then practice a coping skill and get some sleep.
What is the opposite of letting anxiety make every decision for you?
Making your own choice / being brave / facing the situation.
True or False: Anxiety can cause real physical feelings even when you aren't actually in danger.
True
True or False: Just because you think something bad will happen doesn't mean it will happen.
True
What are the five senses you can use for a grounding exercise?
Sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch.
You walk into a birthday party and don't know anyone. Your anxiety says, "I should leave!" What's one small thing you could try first?
Take a few breaths, find one person to talk to, stay for five minutes, get a drink, etc.
True or False: Being brave means you never feel scared.
Your stomach feels like there are butterflies flying around before you have to give a presentation. What might that be?
Physical Anxiety
Your friend doesn't ask you to play at recess. Your brain says " they must be mad at me!" What could you ask yourself?
Do I actually know that or am I guessing?
You're feeling really anxious and your thoughts are racing. Would it probably help more to slow down and ground yourself or keep arguing with every anxious thought?
Slow down and ground yourself.
You make a mistake in front of your class. Your face gets hot and you want to hide. What's one thing you could tell yourself?
"Everyone makes mistakes." / "This feels embarrassing, but I'll be okay."
What is a brave step?
A small action you take toward something that makes you nervous instead of completely avoiding it.
Name two things you could notice in your body when anxiety starts.
fast heartbeat, shaky hands, stomachache, headache
What is catastrophizing?
Imagining that something bad will happen and assuming it will be the worst possible outcome.
Name three healthy coping skills you could use when anxiety gets big.
breathing, grounding, movement, talking to someone, drawing, music, taking a break, positive self-talk.
Your friend says, "We need to talk later." Your brain immediately thinks, "I'm in trouble!" What are two other possible explanations?
They want to tell you something exciting, they have a question, they need help, they want to make plans, etc.
You are nervous about raising your hand in class. Which is more realistic:
A) I have to feel completely calm first
B) I can be nervous and still raise my hand
B
Why does your body sometimes react like there is danger when you are actually safe?
Your brain has an alarm system that can accidentally turn on when it thinks something might be dangerous.
Your brain says " Everyone is going to laugh at me". Give one useful thought you could use instead.
I might feel nervous but that doesn't mean everyone will laugh. I don't know what everyone is thinking.
You're at a 9/10 anxiety level. Is this usually the best time to solve a complicated problem? Why or why not?
Probably not. First calm/regulate your body so your thinking brain can work better.
You have something coming up tomorrow that makes you extremely nervous. Create a three-step plan for what you can do before, during, and after it.
how you prepared for it, how you coped with it and how you recovered
Create your own Brave Brain statement that you could use when anxiety is trying to stop you.
I can handle uncomfortable feelings
I don't have to be 100% sure
I can take this one step at a time
Anxiety is an alarm, not always a warning.