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d494b6c0da6c-1 | door to our roller coaster car and we hopped aboard. As the machine
accelerated, the fearful thoughts began to retreat into the background of my
awareness. There was an opening now for more than worry.
I became aware of my son’s liveliness and pure elation. Seeing him throw
his hands up in the air, laughing and smiling... | anxiety.pdf |
d494b6c0da6c-2 | seriously would be like visiting a beautiful beach and spending the entire time | anxiety.pdf |
a35dc76064e2-0 | counting the grains of sand.
Perhaps
up until this point, you’ve not even considered your thoughts as
anything other than a literal reflection of your reality. When a thought enters,
you take it seriously. You feel it, you worry about it, and perhaps even begin
to plan based on it. Accepting thoughts at face value le... | anxiety.pdf |
a35dc76064e2-1 | yourself. Recognize that even though your brain might be spinning with
various anxiety-based scenarios, it will eventually return to a more peaceful
pattern. And a peaceful brain will inevitably become
unsettled
again. The
feelings or thoughts that dominate the mind moment by moment eventually
evaporate to be replac... | anxiety.pdf |
ed07f12077f0-0 | Go
Deeper
The Anxiety Struggle
Cultivate your capacity for ease and calm by seeing the bigger picture of
how much your struggle with anxiety has come to limit and define you.
Write a paragraph about your anxious identity. How does your struggle
with anxiety influence who you are as a person? How did your anxiety
stru... | anxiety.pdf |
ed07f12077f0-1 | our circumstances. Start seeing yourself as someone who can (like
countless others!) recover from anxiety.
STRATEGY:
TRAIN STATION
This strategy helps you observe and be aware of your experience without
becoming overwhelmed by it.
1.
Imagine yourself safely on an elevated platform in the middle of a
large train sta... | anxiety.pdf |
9402816fc607-0 | observing the thoughts come and go. Some thoughts linger, others
leave quickly. You have no control or urgency or job responsibility
around this other than to be aware of your thoughts as you would the
trains entering and exiting the station.
3.
Similar to “red train” or “green train,” see if you can label each train... | anxiety.pdf |
9402816fc607-1 | thoughts, emotions, and interactions have a greater impact on how we feel
than do positive or neutral events. In fact, research shows that people are
much better at remembering negative versus positive things, including angry
versus happy faces, and take more time and mental energy processing
negative events than posit... | anxiety.pdf |
9402816fc607-2 | and your world by turning each negative thought into a prediction to be tried
out and tested.
STRATEGY: WHAT’S YOUR ANXIETY | anxiety.pdf |
b495524fa0a0-0 | TELLING YOU?
When you experience anxious thinking, it likely stops you in your tracks
because you take it as a signal or even a command for you to worry and
ruminate. This may be your negativity bias operating at full tilt.
What if the anxious thinking is not a signal to stop and wring your hands
but rather a sign that... | anxiety.pdf |
b495524fa0a0-1 | Write down strategies that might help you.
Example:
Practice progressive muscle relaxation, deep breathing,
guided imagery (imagine driving and being able to cope and arrive
safely). Practice positive self-talk (“I can and I will drive and see her”).
4.
Test out the anxious prediction; see if your hypothesis was ac... | anxiety.pdf |
b30c8f6da5b3-0 | I’ll never be successful.
Take on a new class, work project, hobby. Build
something, take care of a plant, start a garden.
I’ll never be loved.
Ask family if they love you (it still counts even if it’s
family!). Or become a pet owner; pets provide
unconditional love to many.
The world is against me.
Notice the little t... | anxiety.pdf |
b30c8f6da5b3-1 | •
Go out in the world, test out your anxious predictions, and see if they’re
accurate. | anxiety.pdf |
d26068fabe02-0 | CH
APTER TEN
Putting the Tools to Work
Whether you’ve struggled with anxiety all of your life, or if this is
your first time, you’ve likely had hopeless moments along the way.
Your anxious thinking may make you doubt your ability to progress.
It’s no wonder you feel this way, because anxiety can become like a
part of... | anxiety.pdf |
d26068fabe02-1 | now.
Consider what can come if you continue to do this work. Perhaps your
baseline anxiety level, what you feel most of the time, was at a 6 on a 1 to 10
scale (1 is entirely relaxed and 10 is full anxiety meltdown). Once these
strategies become habits you’ll find that your baseline drops, so now perhaps
it is more lik... | anxiety.pdf |
a4198edd828b-0 | struggle. What
will
take you out of it is making a choice for yourself. Do you
want to live in a different way? You would not be engaging these strategies on
any level if the answer wasn’t yes. So make a commitment to yourself to
work on your anxiety each day, no matter how small the effort. When you
miss a day, jus... | anxiety.pdf |
a4198edd828b-1 | cue for the brain that will hasten the “neurons-that-fire-together-wire-
together” process.
Track
Your Progress
One of the most powerful ways to make a new behavior into a habit is to track
what you’re doing. It’s essential to long-term progress that you set up a
system where you track on a daily basis the strategies... | anxiety.pdf |
30fda49b06b7-0 | Probable vs. Possible
Outcomes
✓
Unproductive vs.
Productive Worry
Spot Overgeneralizing
✓
Stop Underestimating
Your Competence
Become Aware of Your
Self-Talk
Pink Unicorns
Replace Negative
Thoughts
✓
Un-Learn Helplessness
Cost-Benefit Analysis
✓
Become an Observer
Train Station
What’s Your Anxiety
Telling You?
Rate Yo... | anxiety.pdf |
30fda49b06b7-1 | stuck in a mental state where we’re neither fully present nor able to enjoy the
things we cherish most.
Take a break from treading water. Imagine yourself safely on a boat, even
if only for a few moments. From this vantage point, you can observe your
anxiety spiral without becoming entirely engulfed by it. With this pe... | anxiety.pdf |
6fdf92f604cd-0 | in mind, consider your goals for anxiety management:
•
What made you pick up this book?
•
What do you want to achieve?
•
How do you want to feel on the inside?
•
How do you wish you could cope with anxious thoughts?
People
often get to this point and then start to doubt themselves, or talk
themselves out of t... | anxiety.pdf |
6fdf92f604cd-1 | in yourself, increase your self-esteem, and make your anxiety seem less
daunting.
STRATEGY OF THE DAY
Pick a few strategies from this section that you can incorporate on a daily
basis, or a different specific focus each day. One example would be to label a
day “Positive Self-Talk Day,” where you’re mindful of your inte... | anxiety.pdf |
5643b93b7af8-0 | step to combat what is making you anxious. Or commit to a hypothesis test
and use it to challenge at least one of your anxious beliefs.
Go
Deeper
Create Your Weekly Strategies Calendar
Revisit your weekly strategies calendar you created in chapters 4 (
here
)
and 7 (
here
). Take a moment to look over the current... | anxiety.pdf |
5643b93b7af8-1 | thinking for you. On days or
times
where you anticipate anxious thinking
or see a red zone, write down a strategy (or strategies) that you think will
be particularly suited for that specific trigger. For example, if you’re
anticipating a few events that will cause you to ruminate or overthink,
consider keeping a tho... | anxiety.pdf |
c222649b530f-0 | of your setbacks, recommit to persevering. Rewiring the brain takes practice
and time.
How Did You Do?
Start by reflecting on how you’re doing every couple of days. Then as you
notice your symptoms improving, check in once a week and then eventually
monthly.
•
How successful were you with your daily goals?
•
How ab... | anxiety.pdf |
c222649b530f-1 | better and start new techniques.
For example, you might have the thought, “Doing these exercises will
improve my anxiety,” and simultaneously think, “These exercises are hard, so
I probably won’t get anywhere.” Consider incorporating more realistic
thoughts. For example, “Other people have done this and made themselves... | anxiety.pdf |
04f13176d905-0 | and calm you deserve. Now keep going. Don’t give up; you’ve already come
so far. | anxiety.pdf |
6321573cef83-0 | What
You’ll Learn in This Section
Recognize that you do have the ability to manage your anxiety and
experience the kind of ease and calm you want. This confidence
doesn’t have to come all at once. However, it’s something we’re all
capable of building, and this section addresses how to stick with the
strategies for th... | anxiety.pdf |
4f519be56a2f-0 | CH
APTER ELEVEN
The Road Ahead
Long-Term Outlook
It is estimated that one in five adults in the United States meets the diagnostic
criteria for an anxiety disorder. As prevalent as anxiety is, it is also highly
responsive to treatment. But how can we tell who will get better and who
won’t? Well, I see it consistently... | anxiety.pdf |
4f519be56a2f-1 | As we’ve seen, people just like you
all over the world experience anxious patterns yet find sustained peace
of mind, so why couldn’t this be you? Believe in yourself, and you will
gain control over your anxiety.
Your Biggest Victories So Far
Take a moment to remember what emotions and habits were ruling you before
you ... | anxiety.pdf |
ae4f24174ba5-0 | fearful and anxious-thought patterns. You may even have moments now
where you’re able to observe your thoughts or feelings without becoming
overwhelmed by them.
If
you’re thinking about your struggle differently, if you’re engaging new
ways of thinking or behaving, consider yourself victorious. Now keep on
doing what... | anxiety.pdf |
ae4f24174ba5-1 | might benefit from additional support to help you with the rougher patches
(more on therapy and medication in
chapter 12
). Give yourself compassion
for going toward what’s difficult, and for not giving up.
The
Road to Progress Isn’t Always Straight
Change doesn’t unfold in a straight line, although we often belie... | anxiety.pdf |
82da67c7e8a5-0 | consider the roadblock a signal of your growth and progress. After all, if you
were still stuck doing what you’ve always been doing, you wouldn’t have
come across a roadblock. When progress on the anxiety-reduction trail stalls,
or even halts completely, it means you’ve likely progressed, more than you
imagined, and th... | anxiety.pdf |
82da67c7e8a5-1 | what is going well, or at least okay, in your life or what you feel
positively about within yourself.
Building
Your New Habits
Once you’ve been successful with a strategy, take it to the next level. Practice
the strategies on multiple occasions across a variety of settings.
For example, if you fear eating out in publ... | anxiety.pdf |
c632b1aade08-0 | used to avoid, and think in the ways that bring peace of mind, the quicker new
habits will form and then, before you know it, they’ll become automatic.
Exercise: Catch Anxiety Early
Catch anxiety early, before it’s left the barn, so to speak, and you’ll stop it in
its tracks before it becomes too intense to pull back. ... | anxiety.pdf |
c632b1aade08-1 | stretches of time when you’re no longer deliberately thinking about the
strategies. You may feel that you’re “in the zone,” able to effortlessly manage
life’s hardships.
Still, even with progress, it’s easy for us to go back to old ways of
thinking and acting. Consider placing sticky notes in key locations (car,
bedroo... | anxiety.pdf |
c632b1aade08-2 | works when under stress, consider implementing this strategy
every day while driving to work, with or without stress. | anxiety.pdf |
a69efc083cf5-0 | Once your overall anxiety level decreases, you’ll likely find that you think
about your goals in new ways and find deeper, more meaningful, ways to
impact your life. And as your well-being increases, the overall picture of the
path forward will no longer bring dread but instead pleasure and optimism.
You have much to l... | anxiety.pdf |
04f77bafdd80-0 | CH
APTER TWELVE
Building Your Support Network
Human connection relieves anxiety. Looking another person in the
eye and sharing our vulnerable moments, aspirations, and setbacks
soothes our nervous systems. If you’ve been caught in anxiety’s grip
for some time, you may not have had the mental space to sustain
close fa... | anxiety.pdf |
04f77bafdd80-1 | new skills with another human in real time. Unlike your “real” life, the
therapeutic life is safe and confidential, and the therapist has no connection
with your outside relationships or broader life.
Often, working with a therapist can be tremendously effective in
understanding yourself and in developing a support net... | anxiety.pdf |
68bcf16d4b98-0 | exploring your deeper emotions and issues. You may be faced with
other
complicated emotions, but awareness of them will significantly accelerate the
recovery process.
Medication
In some cases, medication along with psychotherapy is the best approach for
anxiety reduction. This should be considered only after using the... | anxiety.pdf |
68bcf16d4b98-1 | comes roaring back in, even stronger, and then you’ll feel the immediate need
for more of the drug.
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin-
norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) are generally more effective for
anxiety reduction over
the
longer term. However, it’s essential that you
under... | anxiety.pdf |
68bcf16d4b98-2 | therapy) through video conferencing, phone, or email.
The Social Anxiety Institute website also provides a referral list of | anxiety.pdf |
a3fdd6b3f74d-0 | treatment providers as well as other resources for lessening social anxiety.
The American Psychological Association, a professional organization for
psychologists, has an online tool to find a psychologist near you, as does
Psychology Today
where you can read various therapists’ profiles to see who
might be a good fi... | anxiety.pdf |
a3fdd6b3f74d-1 | and educates on behalf of the mentally ill and their families. The NAMI
website offers support regarding a range of mental health experiences, as well
as what it is like to live with the stigma of mental illness.
The Anxiety and Depression Association of America has an online
anxiety and depression support group where ... | anxiety.pdf |
99b31a39fcf3-0 | experience reduces shame and isolation and also helps with the idea of
accepting anxiety while you continue to live your life.
Communicating and connecting in a group therapy setting often helps
people develop self-awareness around their role(s) in social relationships.
While in the group, a person may act out a role t... | anxiety.pdf |
99b31a39fcf3-1 | it, and becoming comfortable expressing it.
Finding a Group
If you decide that group therapy is a treatment approach you’d like to try, and
you have an individual therapist, consider asking your therapist if they know
of a group that would be a good fit for you. Alternatively, there is a “Find a
Support Group” feature ... | anxiety.pdf |
99b31a39fcf3-2 | one, chances are others are, too. | anxiety.pdf |
0aef3c9ffcb7-0 | If you decide to start a group, think carefully about how you wish to
structure it, what kinds of members you’re targeting for the group (only
anxiety, anxiety and other mood issues, relationship issues), and who will be
the leader. Consider if you want this to be a process-oriented or more of an
information-sharing gr... | anxiety.pdf |
0aef3c9ffcb7-1 | symptoms. One strategy may work for a while, but it’s important to try new
ones so you stay challenged and keep growing. As your symptoms improve,
the anxiety will likely change and present itself differently. You will need to
adjust and bring new skills into your repertoire. If the strategies aren’t
working or are goi... | anxiety.pdf |
2583c71b54ea-0 | Resources
Online
Anxiety and Depression Association of America (
adaa.org
)
Social Anxiety Institute (
socialanxietyinstitute.org
)
American Psychological Association (
apa.org
)
National Alliance on Mental Illness (
nami.org
)
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255)
Headspace:
Meditation app
Ca... | anxiety.pdf |
2583c71b54ea-1 | Hanh,
Thich Nhat. (1999).
The Miracle of Mindfulness: An Introduction to the
Practice of Meditation
. Boston: Beacon Press.
Hayes, S. C. (2005).
Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life: The New
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger.
Knaus, W. J. (2014).
The Cognitive Behavioral Workboo... | anxiety.pdf |
837ebbef820c-0 | References
Baltazar, N. C., Shutts, K., and Kinzler, K. D. (2012). “Children Show
Heightened Memory for Threatening Social Actions.”
Journal of
Experimental Child Psychology
, 112(1): 102–10.
Boswell, J. F., Thompson-Hollands, J., Farchione, T. J., and Barlow, D. H.
(2014). “Intolerance of Uncertainty: A Common Fact... | anxiety.pdf |
837ebbef820c-1 | , 35(2): 363–
74.
Jakubovski, E. and Bloch, M. H. (2016). “Anxiety Disorder-Specific
Predictors of Treatment Outcome in the Coordinated Anxiety Learning and
Management (CALM) Trial.”
Psychiatry Quarterly
, 87(3): 445–64.
Katon, W. J., Richardson, L., Lozano, P., and McCauley, E. (2004). “The
Relationship of Asthma a... | anxiety.pdf |
837ebbef820c-2 | Journal of
American College of Cardiology
, Jun 29; 56(1): 38–46.
Wegner, D. M., Schneider, D. J., Carter, S. R., and White, T. L. (1987).
“Paradoxical Effects of Thought Suppression.”
Journal of Personality and
Social Psychology
, 53(1): 5–13. | anxiety.pdf |
2ab1e948ba1f-0 | Willgoss, T. G. and Yohannes, A. M. (2013). “Anxiety Disorders in Patients
with COPD: A Systematic Review.”
Respiratory Care
, 58(5): 858–66. | anxiety.pdf |
38bd3f2ec98c-0 | About
the Author
Jill P. Weber, PhD, is a clinical psychologist in private practice in Washington,
D.C. She is also a psychology author and a speaker. Dr. Weber works with
teenagers, individuals, and couples managing varying degrees of anxiety from
panic attacks, generalized anxiety, and life stress. Dr. Weber uses a... | anxiety.pdf |
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