Term
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Definition
| ANXIETY is a feeling of nervousness, apprehension, fear, or worry. |
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What is a fact about ANXIETY? |
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Definition
ANXIETY is normal and adaptive. ANXIETY becomes a problem when our body tells us that there is danger when there is NO REAL danger. |
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| Why is ANXIETY normal and adaptive? |
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Definition
| ANXIETY helps us prepare for danger. |
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| What does ANXIETY do to our bodies to help us prepare for danger? |
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Definition
| Example: Our heart beats faster to pump blood to our muscles so we have the energy to run away or fight off danger. |
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True or False Social ANXIETY is one of the most common anxiety disorders. |
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Definition
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| Learning tools to manage anxiety is an important strategy. Name one tool you could use in a stressful situation. |
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Definition
Observe your social ANXIETY Learn to relax Think realistically Face fears |
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| Calm Breathing is a strategy you can use to manage anxiety. Why is calm breathing useful in a stressful situation? |
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Definition
Calm breathing is a strategy that you can use to calm down quickly. We tend to breathe faster when we are anxious. This can make us feel dizzy and lightheaded, which can make us even more anxious. |
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| Calm breathing is a strategy used to manage anxiety. How would you practice calm breathing in a stressful situation? |
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Definition
Calm breathing involves taking slow, regular breaths through your nose. However, it is important to realize that the goal of calm breathing is not to eliminate anxiety completely (because anxiety is not dangerous and it’s normal to feel anxious at times), but to make it a little easier to “ride out” the feelings |
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True or False The goal of "Calm Breathing" is to completely eliminate anxiety. |
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False It is important to realize that the goal of calm breathing is not to eliminate anxiety completely (because anxiety is not dangerous and it’s normal to feel anxious at times), but to make it a little easier to “ride out” the feelings |
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| What can you do to relax in a stressful situaltion? |
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Definition
Practice Calm Breathing or Practice Muscle Relaxation |
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Term
| What are a few physical symptoms of ANXIETY? |
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Definition
Examples: Blushing Sweating Increased heart rate |
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| Why is learning about anxiety an important strategy for managing anxiety?? |
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Definition
| Most people do not recognize their anxiety for what it is, and instead think there is something wrong with them. Some people are preoccupied with the physical symptoms of anxiety (e.g., stomach aches, increased heart rate, shortness of breath, etc.). Others think they are weird, weak, or even going crazy! Unfortunately, these thoughts only make people feel even more anxious and self-conscious. Therefore, the first step to successfully managing anxiety is to learn to understand. Self-awareness is essential. |
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Fact or Myth Reading, thinking, and learning about anxiety will make you even MORE anxious. |
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Definition
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Term
| Your thoughts are __________ about what will happen, not actual ____________ |
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Definition
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| What is an example of a negative or unrealistic thoughts? |
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Definition
"No one will like me!" "I'm going to say something stupid" "People will laugh at me" "I won't know what to say" etc.. |
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"No one will like me!" "I'm going to say something stupid" "People will laugh at me" These statements are all examples of what? |
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Definition
| Negative or unrealistic thinking. |
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Identifying you thought during a stressful situation is a strategy for managing anxiety. Identify the kinds of thoughts you might have in a social situation. Something you think you may do or think. Something you think other people might do or think. |
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Definition
I'll embarrass myself by... I'll have nothing to say.... I'll blush.... etc. Other's won't like me... Others will notice I am anxious.. Others will think I am wierd... etc. |
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Your thoughts are guesses about what will happen, not actual facts. It can be helpful to ask yourself whether your thoughts are based on __________ or whether they are ___________. |
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Definition
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Term
Identifying accurate and helpful thoughts in a stressful situation is a strategy for managing anxiety. What are some questions to help you examine your thoughts? |
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Definition
Am I 100% sure that ______ will happen? How many times has _______ actually happened? Is ______ really so important? Do I have to please everyone--is that really possible? What is another why of looking at this situation? What would I say to someone else having this thought? |
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| People with social anxiety often hold some ________ beliefs. |
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Definition
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| What are some common examples of unrealistic beliefs? |
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Definition
I need to be perfect to be liked. I should never make mistakes. It is important for everyone to like me. It's not okay to be anxious. |
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True or False Anxiety is often a private experience that others don't notice. |
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Definition
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| It's OK to be imperfect and to feel anxiety. It's part of being a human! Rather than fighting these feelings, try working on ____________ them. |
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Definition
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Term
| What is an "alarm reaction"? |
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Definition
| Sensations in our body as it prepares for danger. It takes place when the bodies natural Alarm System (fight, flight, freeze response) has been activated. |
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Term
When you adapt to an anxious situation your body triggers a "flight-fight-freeze" response. What happens in FLIGHT response? In FIGHT response? In FREEZE response? |
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Definition
Flight--you may flee or avoid a stessful situation. Fight--you may become defensive or snap at people. Freeze--you may have a hard time thinking clearly. |
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| We have anxiety when we PERCEIVE or THINK that we are in danger. This response is great when ___________, but becomes a problem when___________. |
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Definition
there is an actual danger (such as encountering a bear) the “perceived danger” is not actually dangerous (giving a talk, seeing a dog). |
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Term
| What are subtle avoidance strategies? |
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Definition
| Things a person does to feel safer or to prevent their feared expectations from coming true in anxious situations. |
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| What are some examples of subtle avoidance strategies or common safety behaviors? |
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Definition
| Removing oneself from a situation (looking busy, frequently going to the bathroom), hiding signs of anxiety (turtle necks, make-up to hide blushing), using alcohol or drugs (drinking in social situations), distracting oneself (zoning out), avoid drawing attention (no eye contact, smiling saying very little), overcompensation ( over preparing for a presentation, rehearsing what you are going to say |
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Term
| What kind of symptoms does anxiety create in the body? |
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Definition
| Rapid heart beat, rapid breathing, sweating, nausea, upset stomach, feeling of dizzy or lightheaded, tight or painful chest, numbness or tingling sensation, unreality or bright vision, heavy legs, choking sensation, hot or cold flashes, |
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| Why does the body's heart beat and breathing become rapid in anxious situations? |
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Definition
| When your body is preparing itself for action, it makes sure enough blood and oxygen is being circulated to your major muscle groups and essential organs, allowing you to run away or fight off danger. |
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| Why does the body sweat in anxious situations? |
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Definition
| Sweating cools the body. It also makes the skin more slippery and difficult for an attacking animal or person to grab hold of you. |
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| Why do people become nauseous or stomach become upset in anxious situations? |
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Definition
| When faced with danger, the body shuts down systems/processes that are not needed for survival; that way, it can direct energy to functions that are critical for survival. Digestion is one of the processes that is not needed at times of danger. Because of this, anxiety might lead to feelings of stomach upset, nausea, or diarrhea. |
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| Why do people feel dizzy or light headed in anxious situations? |
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Definition
| Because our blood and oxygen goes to major muscle groups when we are in danger, this means that we will breathe much faster in order to move oxygen toward those muscles. However, this can cause hyperventilation (too much oxygen from breathing very rapidly to prepare the body for action), which can makes you feel dizzy or lightheaded. Also, since most of your blood and oxygen is going to your arms and legs (for "fight or flight"), there is a slight decrease of blood to the brain, which can also make you dizzy. Don't worry though: the slight decrease in blood flow to the brain is not dangerous at all! |
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| Why do peoples chests become tight or painful in anxious situations? |
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Definition
| Your muscles tense up as your body prepares for danger. So your chest may feel tight or painful when you take in large breaths while those chest muscles are tense. |
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| Why do people experience numbness or tingling sensations during anxious situations? |
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Definition
| Hyperventilation (taking in too much oxygen) can also cause numbness and tingling sensations. The tingling sensations is also be related to the fact that the hairs on our bodies often stand up when faced with danger to increase our sensitivity to touch or movement. Finally, fingers and toes may also feel numb/tingly as blood flows away from places where it is not needed (like our fingers) and towards major muscle groups that are needed (like our arms). |
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| Why do people experience a sensation of unreality or bright vision during anxious situations? |
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Definition
| When responding to danger, our pupils dilate to let in more light and to make sure that we can see clearly enough. This reaction makes our environment look brighter or fuzzier, and sometimes less real. |
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| Why do legs something feel heavy in anxious situations? |
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Definition
| As the legs prepare for action (fight or flight), increased muscle tension, as well as increased blood flow to those muscles, can cause the sensation of heavy legs. |
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Term
| Why do people experience a choking sensation in anxious situations? |
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Definition
| Increased muscle tension around the neck or rapid breathing dries out the throat, which may make you feel like you are choking. |
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Term
| Why do people experience hot or cold flashes during anxious situations? |
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Definition
| These sensations may be related to sweating and constricting of blood vessels in the upper skin layer. This constriction also helps to reduce blood loss if you are injured. |
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Term
| What are the three parts of anxiety? |
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Definition
| Physical symptoms (how our bodies respond), thoughts (what we say to ourselves), and behaviors (what we do, or our actions) |
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Term
| When does anxiety become a problem? |
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Definition
| When your body reacts as if there is danger when there is no real danger. |
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Term
| Why is anxiety like a smoke alarm system? |
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Definition
| A smoke alarm can help to protect us when there is an actual fire, but when a smoke alarm is too sensitive and goes off when there isn't really a fire (e.g. burning toast in a toaster), it is rather annoying. Like a smoke alarm, anxiety is helpful and adaptive when it works right. But, if it goes off when there is no real danger, it is not only scary, it is also very exhausting. However, we do not want to get rid of the alarm (or eliminated anxiety) because it protects us from danger. We want to fix it (i.e., bring the anxiety down to a more manageable level) so it works properly for us. |
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Term
| To help you identify situations that you avoid, try to come up with as many answers as possible to the following: If you woke up tomorrow morning and all of your anxiety had magically disappeared, what would you do? How would you act? How would someone close to you know you weren't anxious? |
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Definition
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| Finish the following sentence: My anxiety stops me from….. |
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Definition
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| Finish the following sentence: When I am not anxious, I will be able to…… |
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Definition
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| Facing your fears is a strategy used to manage anxiety. How can you face your fears in order to manage your anxiety? |
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Definition
| An important step in managing anxiety is to face the situation that you have been avoiding because of fears. Repeatedly facing those situation reduces distress in the long-term and builds up confidence. (Visit general ed classrooms. Participate in group discussions, give presentations, etc.) |
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| Observing your anxiety in a stressful situation is a strategy for managing anxiety. What does this mean and how would you apply it when you are anxious? |
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Definition
| "Get to know your anxiety" Notice which situations cause you anxiety and what you experience physically when you are in those situation. It is easier to manage your anxiety when you have a better understanding of it. |
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Term
| Why is "self-awareness" an important anxiety management strategy? |
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Definition
| Most people do not recognize their anxiety for what it is, and instead think there is something “wrong” with them. Some people are preoccupied with the physical symptoms of anxiety (e.g., stomach aches, increased heart rate, shortness of breath, etc.). Others think they are weird, weak, or even going crazy! Unfortunately, these thoughts only make people feel even more anxious and self-conscious. Therefore, the first step to successfully managing anxiety is to learn to understand and recognize it. Self-awareness is essential. |
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