Worry Brain Strikes Again
True or False: Your brain can make you feel like you're in danger even when you're actually safe.
True.
Name five emotions in 10 seconds.
Any five feelings/emotions.
Which is a fact: "My friend didn't text me back" OR "My friend is mad at me"?
My friend didn't text me back.
Name three healthy coping skills.
Any three.
Which takes more courage: doing something when you're not scared OR doing it while you're scared? Why?
Doing it while scared; bravery doesn't require absence of fear.
Sam thinks, "I have a test tomorrow, so I'm definitely going to fail." What mistake is Worry Brain making?
Treating something that might happen like it's definitely going to happen.
Thought = what your brain says/thinks
Feeling = emotion
Jamie hears an ambulance outside and she immediately worries it's going to someone she loves. What does Jamie know vs. what is she guessing?
Knows she heard an ambulance; guessing someone she loves is hurt.
True or false: A coping skill only works if it makes the uncomfortable feeling disappear. Explain.
False; it can reduce or help us tolerate/manage the feeling.
Someone you love is upset. Name one thing that IS your responsibility and one thing that ISN'T.
Alex's dad is 10 minutes late picking him up. His brain says, "He got in a car accident." Give two other possible explanations.
Traffic, stopped for gas, work ran late, forgot the time, etc.
Taylor gets invited to perform in the school talent show. Name two feelings Taylor could have at the same time and explain why both make sense.
E.g., excited to perform AND nervous about the audience
Cameron's stomach hurts before school. Name three possible explanations besides "something bad is wrong."
Anxiety, hunger, needs the bathroom, ate something, illness, excitement, etc.
Drew tries deep breathing and is still nervous afterward. Give two things Drew could do next.
Try another skill, continue breathing, ask for support, proceed while nervous, etc.
Why can asking someone "Are you sure everything's okay?" over and over sometimes make worry stronger instead of weaker?
Reassurance provides temporary relief but can teach the brain that it needs reassurance to feel safe.
Riley feels butterflies before going to a birthday party and thinks, "If I'm nervous, maybe I shouldn't go." What could you tell Riley?
Feeling nervous doesn't mean something is unsafe/wrong; Riley can be nervous and still go/have fun.
Morgan snaps at her friend after having a terrible morning. She looks angry, but what are three feelings that could be hiding underneath anger?
Hurt, embarrassed, scared, sad, overwhelmed, jealous, etc.
Avery's friend whispers something to another kid, and they both laugh. Avery thinks they're laughing at her. What information would our detective need before closing the case?
What they actually said/were laughing about; more evidence/context.
What's better: avoiding everything that makes you nervous or doing manageable scary things while using coping skills? Why?
Gradually doing manageable anxiety-provoking things teaches the brain that they can be tolerated/handled.
Sometimes avoiding something scary makes you feel better immediately. Why can it make anxiety worse later?
The brain learns avoidance kept us safe and never gets the opportunity to learn the situation can be tolerated.
Jordan thinks, "Something bad could happen while Mom is gone. I can't prove it WON'T happen, so I need to keep worrying." What's wrong with Worry Brain's argument?
We can never have 100% certainty; possibility doesn't equal probability/danger; worrying doesn't prevent bad things; etc.
Two people experience the exact same situation but have completely different feelings about it. How is that possible? Give an example.
People can have different thoughts, experiences, expectations, or perspectives about the same situation, which can lead to different emotions.
Quinn is worried about something that could realistically happen but probably won't. Is that automatically a real problem or a worry-brain problem? Explain.
Worry-brain problem until there's an actual current problem requiring action. Something being possible doesn't make it a present problem.
Someone says, "I can't do it because I'm anxious." Change that sentence into something more helpful without pretending they aren't anxious.
E.g., "I'm anxious AND I can try." / "This feels scary, but I can handle it."
What's the difference between "I feel unsafe" and "I am unsafe"? Give an example.
Feelings can signal danger even when no actual danger exists; e.g., feeling unsafe during a new activity despite being objectively safe.