Body Signals
This fight-or-flight hormone floods your body when you’re anxious, causing a racing heart
What is adrenaline?
A grounding exercise where you name 5 things you can see, 4 you can touch, 3 you can hear, 2 you can smell, and 1 you can taste.
What is the 5-4-3-2-1 technique?
"I always mess everything up" is an example of this kind of thinking.
What is an unhelpful or all-or-nothing thought
Your friend tells you they feel sick and nervous before presenting a project to the class. What coping strategy can you suggest?
Answers vary: take 3 deep breaths, use positive self-talk, visualize success.
What's causing the rise in teenagers with severe anxiety?
What are High expectations and pressure to succeed, A world that feels scary and threatening, Social media.
Name three physical signs of anxiety.
What is sweaty palms, stomachache, muscle tension, or shallow breathing
True or False: Distraction is a bad coping skill.
What is False? It’s a great short-term tool to break out of a panic loop!
Reframe this thought: "I'm going to bomb this test"
What is "I have studied and I will do my best"
A classmate is dealing with social anxiety and avoids going to large parties. What is a baby step they could take?
Answers vary: go with one close friend, stay for only 20 minutes, etc.
True or False: Anxiety is a choice or a sign of weakness.
What is False.
True or False: Feeling anxious and feeling intense excitement can actually feel exactly the same in your body.
What is True?
Breathing deeply into your _________ instead of your chest sends a signal to your brain that you are safe.
What is your stomach or belly?
True or False: Avoiding a situation that makes you anxious fixes the problem permanently
What is False? It only helps in the short-term and makes the anxiety worse later
Your friend starts over-apologizing and blaming themselves for something that went wrong in a group project. What thought distortion are they experiencing?
What is personalization or taking the blame?
Limiting the use of these devices one hour before bed helps your brain calm down because of backlit screens.
What are phones, computers, or tablets?
How does a racing brain physically impact your sleep?
What is causing difficulty falling asleep, insomnia, or restless sleep?
Naming 3 things you are grateful for or like about yourself actually releases this in the brain.
What is dopamine or serotonin?
Are our thoughts facts? (this term is referred to as emotional reasoning) (e.g., "I feel awkward, so I must be an awkward person")
What is no, our thoughts are not facts.
Your friend texts you at 11:00 PM the night before a big test, panicked and crying. What can you text back to validate their feelings?
Answers vary: "It's okay to be scared, you've got this," "Take a deep breath," etc.
The brain structure that acts as an alarm system for perceived danger.
What is the amygdala?
A mental health professional would call this rapid physical reaction to a false alarm...
What is a panic attack?
Progressive Muscle _________ is a technique where you tense and then release muscle groups from head to toe.
What is relaxation?
Assuming you know exactly what someone is thinking about you in a social situation
What is mind-reading?
You notice your friend is isolating themselves and not talking to anyone. What trusted adult at your school and home could you encourage them to speak with?
Answers vary: the guidance counselor, school nurse, or a favorite teacher, parents, older sibling, trusted parental figure
True or False: You can inherit anxiety genetically from your family.
What is True