Making Sense of Anxiety

understanding

Stress• NOW

• Existing stressor

• Outside source (deadline, event)

Anxiety• FUTURE

• After stressor is gone, before a stressor occurs

• Internal fears, worry

Stress vs Anxiety

Sleep Exercise Nutrition

Types of Anxiety

• Separation Anxiety

• Generalized Anxiety

• Specific Phobias• Arachnophobia

• Aerophobia

• Agoraphobia

• Claustrophobia

• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

• Social Anxiety

Monkey Mind on the Loose

Monkey Miscalculations

• Catastrophizing (assuming the worst possible outcome)

• Discounting the positive (ignoring what went well)

• Labeling (putting a negative name on yourself)

• Mind reading (guessing what others are thinking or will think)

• Perfectionism (setting a standard for yourself that you would not set for someone else)

• Intolerance of uncertainty (inability to accept risk)

tools

• Anxious situation

• What am I afraid of?

• What is the worst that could happen if this come true?

• What would this mean about me, my life, or my future?

Spot the Thought

Worry Time

• Chose a thought

• Write your answers out in a paragraph

• Set a timer for 15 minutes

• Worry as hard as you can until the timer goes off

Facing FearsChallenge Ladder• Make a list of fears

• Break things up into small steps

• Include lots of situations, variations

• Rate your fear 1-10

Calming Breath

Mindfulness

• Engage the senses

• Body Scan

Paying attention to the present moment with kindness and curiosity

Self Compassion

• Practice acceptance

• Become aware of self-talk

• Surround yourself with love

• Have compassion for others

• Develop a personal vision/mission/purpose

resources

Books

Apps

Online

Gospel“Nevertheless, the Lord God showeth us our weakness that we may know that it is by his grace, and his great condescensions unto the

children of men, that we have power to do these things.”