Tuesday we reflected on one of the ways anxiety entered my life, andyesterday we examined some of the ways that anxiety might be creeping into your life...
1. Identify the times when you experience anxiety...
Past: All the time...when I thought I had disappointed someone...when I was in
Present: Mostly when I am in crowds (I can get really agitated if I feel like someone is too close to me) and when I feel I have disappointed someone, especially my mom (who has never told me she is disappointed in me...however, I am really good at convincing myself she is or will be...it is partly a first-born thing and partly from what I shared earlier this week...
2. What are some of your body's signs that you are becoming anxious?
Past: racing thoughts, tightness in chest, feeling of being threatened, tight jaw, disoriented...
Present: all these same things only I now I have a handful of coping skills that greatly diminish the severity of my anxiety...
3. What are the ways that you currently cope with anxiety?
Past: isolate, disengage, push people away, get angry...
Present: I still struggle with wanting to handle my anxiety the same way I did in the past...so I make the choice to challenge my feelings, practice coping skills, and breath until the feeling subsides...
Now, to the good stuff...what can you do when you are anxious...
- Sit with it! I've said that before and I will probably say it again but sitting with it and learning that you WILL not die from it takes the power away from the anxiety and puts it back in your hands...
- learn some deep breathing techniques...the wonderful things about deep breathing is that you have your breath with you everywhere you go...if you have a smart phone, there are some apps that guide you through deep breathing as well as You Tube videos...I have found that after a lot of practice, deep breathing has become second nature and I catch myself unconsiously doing it when I become anxious...IT WORKS!
- challenge the path that your thoughts take by learning about Cognitive Distortions...
Past: All the time...when I thought I had disappointed someone...when I was in
Present: Mostly when I am in crowds (I can get really agitated if I feel like someone is too close to me) and when I feel I have disappointed someone, especially my mom (who has never told me she is disappointed in me...however, I am really good at convincing myself she is or will be...it is partly a first-born thing and partly from what I shared earlier this week...
2. What are some of your body's signs that you are becoming anxious?
Past: racing thoughts, tightness in chest, feeling of being threatened, tight jaw, disoriented...
Present: all these same things only I now I have a handful of coping skills that greatly diminish the severity of my anxiety...
3. What are the ways that you currently cope with anxiety?
Past: isolate, disengage, push people away, get angry...
Present: I still struggle with wanting to handle my anxiety the same way I did in the past...so I make the choice to challenge my feelings, practice coping skills, and breath until the feeling subsides...
Now, to the good stuff...what can you do when you are anxious...
- Sit with it! I've said that before and I will probably say it again but sitting with it and learning that you WILL not die from it takes the power away from the anxiety and puts it back in your hands...
- learn some deep breathing techniques...the wonderful things about deep breathing is that you have your breath with you everywhere you go...if you have a smart phone, there are some apps that guide you through deep breathing as well as You Tube videos...I have found that after a lot of practice, deep breathing has become second nature and I catch myself unconsiously doing it when I become anxious...IT WORKS!
- challenge the path that your thoughts take by learning about Cognitive Distortions...
"Cognitive distortions are simply ways that our mind convinces us of something that isn’t really true. These inaccurate thoughts are usually used to reinforce negative thinking or emotions — telling ourselves things that sound rational and accurate, but really only serve to keep us feeling bad about ourselves."
go here to learn about the most common kinds of distortions and here for some ways to challenges those with realistic thoughts...
- try the below worksheets...they will guide you through challenging your irrational thoughts and replacing them with more rational ones...
- try the below worksheets...they will guide you through challenging your irrational thoughts and replacing them with more rational ones...
While looking for these worksheets, I found a letter I had written at the end of my 2nd week of therapy I shared here...sharing it with you in the hope that it provides you HOPE...
"with this acceptance has come a peace, I can breath, I can be messy, I don't have to be PERFECT! And I need to remind myself that while I serve a perfect God I live in an imperfect world."
Carelessly,
April
April
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