Strategies for Coping with Anxiety

Strategies for Coping with Anxiety Tommy Sheppard, M.Ed (counselling)

This is a SAFE ZONE! What rules can we implement to make this a "SAFE PLACE" that allows everyone the freedom to share their feelings and opinions?

Remember to Raise Your Hand! • What does the word "anxiety" mean to you?

painful or apprehensive uneasiness of mind usually over an impending or anticipated ill • an abnormal and overwhelming sense of apprehension and fear often marked by physiological signs (as sweating, tension, and increased pulse), by doubt concerning the reality and nature of the threat, and by self-doubt about one's capacity to cope with it Webster’s Dictionary defines anxiety as;

Are these feelings healthy or “normal”? • Stress and anxiety do have their place. • They push us to make necessary changes in our lives. • They signal when we may be in danger, and inspire us to take action to get ourselves out of danger. (This danger can be any type of threat to our physical or emotional well-being, from not doing well on a test to losing a friend.) • In this way, feelings of stress and anxiety are healthy and necessary; without them, we may not act in our own best interest.

Learning About Worries To worry is to think about problems or fears. Worries can be general or specific. Specific means exact, precise, and to the point, and giving a pinpoint accurate description. General is a more broad description and is vague.

YOUR TURN!!Remember to raise your hand! What are some specific fears that cause worry in your life?

What are some physical symptoms that occur when you encounter these specific worries? Remember to RAISE YOUR HAND!!!

Physical Symptoms Continued... Try to pinpoint the place on your body that you feel these symptoms the most?

When is it too much? The point at which worry and anxiety become unhealthy is when they stop pushing us to act. This can either be because we are worried about things that are not under our control or that have not happened yet, or because we are immobilized by the stress and anxiety we feel, rather than being inspired to act. Whatever the reason, this worry and anxiety can cause a lot of stress on our minds and bodies, and affect our health.

Symptoms of TOOmuch Anxiety Some symptoms that may result from too much anxiety may include; Fatigue Fear of being attacked Mental confusion Muscle spasms Fear of terror strikes Trouble with breathing Dizziness and headaches Nightmares Feeling sick Increased stress Trouble sleeping

What are some strategies that you use to reduce stress and feelings of anxiety?

Strategies Continued… • Thought Stopping • Imagine holding up a big STOP sign when your worries appear • Imagine building an imaginary brick wall to stop your worry • Imagine putting your worry in a bubble and blowing it away Can you imagine any other “Thought Stopping” techniques that may be helpful?

Strategies Cont… • Trapping Your Worry Dragons Write or draw what you are worried about on a piece of paper. Put these worries in a box for now and close it or lock it if you can. This will help you to practice stopping and starting and thinking about worries at appropriate times. Make a time that you can address these worries you have locked in your box. This puts you in control of your worries, not your worries in control of you!

Strategies Cont… • Laughing List Make a list of things that make you laugh and consult this list each time a worry begins to bother you.

Practice using strategies when you encounter a worry in your life. Discover which ones work best for YOU and use them!

You can have control over your worries!

Strategies for Coping with Anxiety