Anxiety Basics
True or False: Anxiety and Stress are the Same
Identify the following thinking distortion: I should never have come here.
Should Statements
“I can feel my heart ___”
Racing
True or false: Our genes and biological background can make some of us more susceptible to anxiety.
True
A calming practice that involves inhaling and exhaling.
Breathing
This is when we have a particular kind of anxiety about something, such as a fear of insects, heights, flying in airplanes, or being in small spaces.
Specific Anxiety or Phobia
Identify the following thinking distortion: People think I’m a loser because I’m not in a relationship. (Hint: Be specific as possible.)
Mind Reading
“It’s hard to take a deep ___”
Breath
True or false: Trauma and/or other significant life stressors have no impact on our ability to experience anxiety.
False
A calming technique in which we focus our attention on our senses in the moment. Specifically, we focus on what we can touch hear, see, smell, and taste.
Grounding
This is when we have a sense of anxiety about a variety of circumstances in our lives.
Generalized Anxiety
Identify the following thinking distortion: If I had been a better parent, my kids would have better jobs.
Personalization
“I ___ about the future.”
Worry
Fill in the blank: Anxiety can affect us mentally, emotionally, and _______.
Physically
A calming practice in which we progressively relieve tension from our heads to our toes or vice versa.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation
This is anxiety that strikes us in particular circumstances, such as taking exams or waiting for results of a medical test.
Situational Anxiety
Identify the following thinking distortion: I feel anxious, so there must be something wrong.
Emotional Reasoning
“I lose my ___ for food.”
Appetite
Fill in the blank: “The relief that unhealthy coping with the discomfort anxiety is ___.” (Hint: They don’t make problems go away permanently)
Temporary or Short-lived
This technique is a way or observing our actions without distractions or judgment. It involves acceptance of the here and now and not thinking about the past or the future.
Mindfulness
This is a mental health condition characterized by excessive and developmentally inappropriate anxiety when a person is separated from someone they are emotionally attached to such as a parent or caregiver.
Separation Anxiety Disorder
Identify the following thinking distortion: He’s just saying I did a good job because he wants something from me.
Mental Filter
“I ___ something bad will happen.”
Fear
Fill in the blanks: “___ the cause of our anxiety or consistently trying to distract ourselves ultimately makes our anxiety ___ to manage.”
1st Blank: Avoiding
2nd Blank: Harder
A calming practice that involves mindfulness, but emphasizes concentration, being still, and centering one’s attention for a specific period of time.
Meditation