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26fc3a68562a-0 | Copyright
© 2019 by Althea Press, Emeryville, California
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any
form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise,
except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United St... | anxiety.pdf |
26fc3a68562a-1 | damages arising herefrom. The fact that an individual, organization, or website is referred to in this
work as a citation and/or potential source of further information does not mean that the author or
the Publisher endorses the information the individual, organization, or website may provide or
recommendations they/it... | anxiety.pdf |
26fc3a68562a-2 | Interior and
Cover
Designer: Jamison Spittler
Editor: Camille Hayes
Production Editor: Erum Khan
Author photo
© Stacy Vaeth Photography
ISBN: Print 978-1-64152-208-3 | eBook 978-1-64152-209-0 | anxiety.pdf |
dfb7c0107b56-0 | peace
for all | anxiety.pdf |
12f9e08aa4f3-0 | Contents
Quick-
Start Guide
Chapter
One: Is Anxiety Running Your Life?
Section
I: Feelings
Chapter
Two: Your Emotions
Chapter
Three: Your Body & Physical Sensations
Chapter
Four: Putting the Tools to Work
Section
II: Behavior
Chapter
Five: Avoidance & Escape
Chapter
Six: Acceptance & Approach
Chapter
... | anxiety.pdf |
eb93858be3c9-0 | Quick-
Start Guide
This book provides a variety of strategies and techniques that have proven
effective at reducing anxiety and its most troubling symptoms. Any of the
strategies you choose to practice will help your anxiety overall, but I’ve
divided them up here based on which type of symptom they target. This
Quick... | anxiety.pdf |
eb93858be3c9-1 | Avoid certain people
•
Frequently cancel plans
•
Call in sick to avoid stressful events like presentations
•
Feel unable to do routine things like drive or go to the store | anxiety.pdf |
0e6985a3d4a1-0 | •
Behave uncharacteristically in anxiety-provoking situations, e.g., you don’t
approach or talk to your friends when you’re at a party
Section III:
Thoughts
Starting
here
, you’ll find strategies to help diminish the inaccurate or
unhelpful thinking that preoccupies the mind when you’re caught up in
anxiety. Thes... | anxiety.pdf |
0e6985a3d4a1-1 | typically have two things in common:
1.
A part of them, no matter how small, believes they can get better.
2.
They learn, and put to work, effective anxiety-reducing strategies.
Simply opening this book and reading this far shows that some part of you
believes your anxious symptoms can get better. And if you’re wil... | anxiety.pdf |
3c1d6e5916a6-0 | feeling as if the waves in the ocean are pulling them under and they have to
fight for dear life, they realize they can float—even in a stormy sea. They ride
out the tempest by using their tools and knowing that the waves will
eventually subside and the sea will be calm again.
The strategies in this book are simple to ... | anxiety.pdf |
3c1d6e5916a6-1 | they are a great way to maximize your results.
A NOTE TO READERS:
The clients in the examples used throughout the book are composites,
and the names are fictional to protect anonymity.
Getting Started
Keep a notebook or journal handy so you can jot down your thoughts about
the strategies as you try them out. Your not... | anxiety.pdf |
3c1d6e5916a6-2 | worried or intrusive thinking, start with
section III, “Thoughts”
. If your
anxiety is causing you to avoid important events or people, you may want to
start with
section II, “Behavior”
. If you’re struggling with your feelings or
physical health, start with
section I
.
To reach longer-term goals of sustained ... | anxiety.pdf |
71444573dc7a-0 | consider breaking the material down into small, doable steps so you
eventually work through the entire book, at the pace that suits your life. | anxiety.pdf |
26af98bed095-0 | CH
APTER ONE
Is Anxiety Running Your Life?
Why We Struggle with Anxiety
A snake on a hiking trail, or a gun in your face, or any direct threat to your
well-being will trigger your fight-or-flight response. When this happens, the
sympathetic nervous system releases a cascade of hormones, in particular
adrenaline and e... | anxiety.pdf |
26af98bed095-1 | on practice exams. The fear of failure can energize and focus him for the hard
work ahead. Or a person driving on a busy highway suddenly experiences
increased heart rate and blood flow when she sees someone screech to a halt
in the lane next to her. The immediate increase in heart rate prepares her for
action, so she ... | anxiety.pdf |
26af98bed095-2 | irrational fear.
Anxiety
isn’t just a problem of overreacting to things happening around | anxiety.pdf |
9cd8991bfb63-0 | us; our anxiety response can be triggered by things that exist only in our
minds. This happens when we worry about and anticipate what-ifs and worst-
case scenarios, which may never come to be. Consider the person who feels
insecure and frets relentlessly about the possibility of doing something wrong
socially and bein... | anxiety.pdf |
9cd8991bfb63-1 | problematic anxiety.
FEAR
ANXIETY
Fear is present-focused and generally rational
in that it’s responding to a threatening situation
or event.
Anxiety is future-focused and can easily
become irrational because it is untethered from
real events. Your imagination continually calls
up what-if scenarios.
You’re in the here ... | anxiety.pdf |
9cd8991bfb63-2 | me?” “What if I have a panic attack?” “What
if I make a fool of myself?”
What
We Can Do About It
The Anxiety and Depression Association of America estimates that 40 million | anxiety.pdf |
60b279ad9d1c-0 | people suffer from anxiety disorders, which are the most common issues that
bring people to therapy. Thanks to decades of research, we know a good deal
about how to treat them. In fact, anxiety symptoms of all kinds are very
responsive to treatment, offering anxiety sufferers long-term relief. This book
gives you acces... | anxiety.pdf |
60b279ad9d1c-1 | help
you behave in a manner, and ultimately live a life, that matches your core
values and desires, regardless of your mood or anxious symptoms.
As you grow to accept that we all suffer sometimes, you’ll find there’s
more room for you to separate from your battle with anxiety. Through
practicing the mindfulness strateg... | anxiety.pdf |
60b279ad9d1c-2 | think and behave. A real-life example of this would be if you
decided
you
wanted to change your habit of snacking right before bed. Perhaps you’ve
eaten chips or crackers before bed for years, and you decide to substitute | anxiety.pdf |
186ee07390bf-0 | sliced vegetables. The plan is solid and you’re ready to go. However, you’re
unlikely to be successful in changing this habit if you substitute your chips for
veggies only once a week or every couple of weeks. On the other hand, if you
consistently eat sliced veggies every night of the week, or even just most
nights of... | anxiety.pdf |
186ee07390bf-1 | plan to cultivate your capacity to believe that freedom from anxiety is
possible.
1.
When I’m told some way of thinking or behaving will help my
anxiety, I zone out, think nothing can help, or that this person doesn’t
get it.
2.
If I have to work hard at something, I feel like something is wrong
with me.
3.
I wan... | anxiety.pdf |
2be60cb34381-0 | WRAP-
UP
•
Anxiety is a normal bodily response to threat.
•
Feeling fearful about something in your immediate environment is
adaptive.
•
Imagining what-if situations that may or may not come to pass is
maladaptive.
•
Anxiety responds to treatment; you can and will get better.
•
The brain is able to grow and... | anxiety.pdf |
f09751969c31-0 | What
You’ll Learn in this Section
Imagine a triangle with “Feelings” in one corner, “Behavior” in
another, and “Thoughts” in the third. These represent the three main
paths to change, which lead to relief from a wide range of anxiety
symptoms. This book is divided into these three main sections, too.
A change in one ... | anxiety.pdf |
f09751969c31-1 | stress of anxiety can lead to unpleasant physical side effects, such
as digestion problems, racing heart, and chronic headaches.
Together we will uncover what lurks underneath your anxiety,
which may be the most important factor when life is disrupted by
anxiety. | anxiety.pdf |
87abe2c8b773-0 | CH
APTER TWO
Your Emotions
Are You Suppressing Your Emotions?
A few years back I took a genetic test to determine if I was at heightened risk
for developing certain cancers. I did this at the urging of my doctor, who
rightfully promoted prevention over treatment. This thinking made sound
sense to me, and given that I... | anxiety.pdf |
87abe2c8b773-1 | become. This self-defeating process is a learned habit that actually worsens
anxiety over time, in part because it reinforces anxious thoughts and anxiety-
driven behavior. This happens because to keep the unwanted emotion at bay,
we have to continually work at avoidance. Over time, keeping up this
avoidance becomes so... | anxiety.pdf |
3e67002e704e-0 | anxiety, use the following chart to help you label the deeper feeling(s) that
may be underneath your anxiety.
EMOTIONS
PHYSICAL/BODILY
SENSATIONS
LABELS TO
DESCRIBE
YOUR
EXPERIENCE
ACTION
URGES
EVOLUTIONARY
SIGNIFICANCE
LOVE
Calm body, relaxed
muscles, sense of peace
and well-being
Sense of comfort,
safety, comfort wit... | anxiety.pdf |
3e67002e704e-1 | treated or
disrespected by
others or the world as
a whole, outrage,
rage, feeling the self
is not valued
Urge to be
aggressive
or harm
another,
urge to yell
or throw
something
Anger cues the
body to self-protect
through physical
force, self-assertion,
or boundary setting.
SADNESS
Desire to remain still,
feeling of leth... | anxiety.pdf |
3e67002e704e-2 | predict
future
events,
desire to
control the
Anxiety triggers
adrenaline, which
puts the body into
high alert, primed
for action and
protection. | anxiety.pdf |
9d36d984010f-0 | mode
threat, flee,
or be busy
GUILT
Stomachache, aching
muscles, feeling that you
can’t be physically at
ease
Feeling like a “bad”
person, feeling
destructive, feeling
you should be
punished
Urge to
make
amends, to
be a
“better”
person, to
berate
oneself
Guilt keeps people
in line with societal
laws and norms
designed ... | anxiety.pdf |
9d36d984010f-1 | their feelings for 50 minutes, and they leave feeling significantly better. Many
often say, “That’s too easy. How can merely talking make such a difference?”
The answer is that the act of talking, labeling, and expressing moves
emotional information from your emotional brain to your frontal lobe, which
helps you better... | anxiety.pdf |
1dea3849bc26-0 | As you explore the feelings table and begin talking about your feelings,
write down in your notebook the emotions that seem to come up for you
the most. Record one or two of these primary emotions. This isn’t a
writing test so don’t worry about your writing style, spelling, or
punctuation. Simply ask yourself the follo... | anxiety.pdf |
1dea3849bc26-1 | overthinking and a sense that we can’t turn our mind off. Without a release
valve, all those negative, doomsday thoughts just keep bouncing around
inside our heads.
Take the example of Zander, a typical patient in my psychotherapy
practice, who is grief struck by the death of a loved one. Instead of expressing
his feel... | anxiety.pdf |
1dea3849bc26-2 | avoidance only increases the loss she has not fully experienced
emotionally,
and so she clings more tightly to her unhealthy eating patterns. | anxiety.pdf |
5f54c1c33dc1-0 | If you’re a chronically anxious person, you’re likely in a habit of
suppressing your negative emotions. You may be aware of your anxiety but
unwilling to explore what might be under, or driving, the anxiety. As
uncomfortable as the anxiety feels, it can still feel easier than managing more
threatening emotions, such as... | anxiety.pdf |
5f54c1c33dc1-1 | present.
3
.
Breathe in and out, simply letting yourself be aware of the anger.
NOTE:
Becoming aware of anger doesn’t mean you need to react to it. One client I worked with
recognized that when she was starting to become angry her jaw clenched up. Recognizing this
anger signal helped her know when she was angry l... | anxiety.pdf |
5f54c1c33dc1-2 | Consider
when sadness was present but was
overlooked and unattended to. Review your relationships, experiences,
achievements, and various circumstances through the lens of sadness.
3.
Now be a gentle, curious observer. Where is the sadness located in | anxiety.pdf |
b01b9507d80a-0 | your body? Do you feel tenderness in your stomach, behind your eyes,
a feeling of fragility or vulnerability? Maybe you can observe an urge
to cry or to retreat. Perhaps your heart feels tense or heavy.
4.
Recognize when a voice in your head pulls you away. Gently direct
your attention back to your sad feelings.
5.
... | anxiety.pdf |
b01b9507d80a-1 | of control.” When we negatively judge our emotions, we experience double
the emotional pain. On top of the original hurt or upset, we feel worthless for
having the feeling in the first place.
Telling yourself you’re a weak loser for a feeling you can’t help but
experience is a particularly harsh torment. Take, for exam... | anxiety.pdf |
b01b9507d80a-2 | strategies are
designed
to help you let go of judgment and allow your feelings
to surface.
STRATEGY: JUDGING ANGER
By changing your anger associations, or judgments, you can be at ease with
the emotion. Take a moment to consider what you associate with anger— | anxiety.pdf |
c47e9dd673b3-0 | whether memories from your childhood and/or adult experiences.
Write down in your notebook four or five specific words you associate with
anger. Do you understand why you associate these words with anger? Where
did the judgments come from? Were they ideas you got from observing others
or things you were told when you e... | anxiety.pdf |
c47e9dd673b3-1 | you become.
Whatever the loss may be, it’s always okay to acknowledge your sadness
about having missed out on something or losing something very dear.
Bring to mind three or four specific occasions when you pushed away the
feeling of loss, grief, failure, or rejection.
•
Were you honest with yourself or with others a... | anxiety.pdf |
4dd1a323462f-0 | conscious attention by noticing your chest rising and falling. Meet whatever
emotion or feeling arises in your mind with your inner observer.
Your inner observer carries no judgment. Your inner observer places no
pressure on you to act on your emotions. It merely notes what you are
experiencing.
For example, your inner... | anxiety.pdf |
4dd1a323462f-1 | we believe necessary to avoid, push away, or somehow “fix” the upset.
We all experience negative emotions, including anxiety. No one is
immune. Even people without full-on anxiety disorders go through anxious
spikes; it’s just part of life. Bringing acceptance to your emotional world
means giving up the fight against s... | anxiety.pdf |
4dd1a323462f-2 | fingers are trapped. Trying to become unstuck, the inexperienced immediately
attempt to pull their fingers out. The harder they pull, the tighter the tube | anxiety.pdf |
b6ec7512fd48-0 | becomes, evoking fear and even a little panic. The solution: Push the fingers
toward the center of the tube. The tube becomes slightly bigger and then it is
easy to wiggle the fingers out.
When we continually push away and avoid our experiences, we become
increasingly afraid of the negative. Over time, we stop knowing ... | anxiety.pdf |
b6ec7512fd48-1 | allows us to play the game of life with the full deck of cards.
Go
Deeper
Understanding What We Learned Early On
Most of us learn how to cope with our feelings while growing up. We
model ourselves based on what our parents did, what they told us about
how to handle negative feelings, or how they interacted with us wh... | anxiety.pdf |
b6ec7512fd48-2 | expressed frustration or sadness?
•
Do you think you need to appear in control of emotions all of the time | anxiety.pdf |
1e2965a2e7ab-0 | or do you feel completely out of control and so try to clamp down as
much as possible?
•
Can you recall any expressions from caregivers, coaches, or teachers
telling you that you are “too sensitive,” “overly needy,” or “too
emotional”?
•
Did your family or caregivers describe you as being very
independent/mature as... | anxiety.pdf |
1e2965a2e7ab-1 | in childhood and how accepting you are now of your emotional
experiences. Start changing the way you support yourself emotionally so
you can be more unconditionally accepting of whatever you feel.
STRATEGY:
PRACTICING ACCEPTANCE
Although it can be hard to accept painful emotions—to not avoid or push
them away—the con... | anxiety.pdf |
17552b3dd4fa-0 | EMOTIONS
It is likely you have avoided negative emotions because you’re afraid of
feeling them or you don’t know how to feel them. Here is a way to do just
that, and it takes only 10 minutes:
1
.
Set a timer for 10 minutes. Bring to your conscious awareness an
emotion you tend to avoid or suppress. Try to conjure i... | anxiety.pdf |
17552b3dd4fa-1 | because you’re afraid of this emotion and I’m asking you to feel it.
You can be afraid and still invite the emotion in. Show yourself you
can enter into the feeling and still be okay.
When your time is up, move forward and let go of this experience.
WRAP-
UP
•
All emotions are a normal (and helpful) part of human e... | anxiety.pdf |
ce3d81118a07-0 | CH
APTER THREE
Your Body & Physical Sensations
Anxiety and the Body
Cole struggled with debilitating physical symptoms including lack of appetite,
racing heart, an inability to concentrate, feeling internally keyed up, and
insomnia with racing thoughts. These distressing symptoms were all he could
talk about because ... | anxiety.pdf |
ce3d81118a07-1 | believed that eventually a specific physical ailment would be identified as the
root of his very real suffering.
Anxiety impacts the brain and the brain impacts anxiety. In other words,
emotions influence our physical functioning and our physical functioning
influences our emotional states. Improving our overall physic... | anxiety.pdf |
653aeb04dd3f-0 | judgment. You are simply observing yourself in the here and now.
2
.
Each time you breathe out, feel your body relax as it releases tension.
Recognize when your attention shifts and gently direct it back to your
body awareness.
3.
One by one, focus on each segment of your body, opening up to
whatever is present i... | anxiety.pdf |
653aeb04dd3f-1 | shoulders, hands, arms, stomach, buttocks, legs, feet) while breathing in for a
count of 5, and then release the muscle while breathing out for a count of 5.
While doing so, pay close
attention
to the contrast between your experience of
muscle tension and muscle relaxation.
Repeat this exercise a few times. Notice y... | anxiety.pdf |
7ef73f588502-0 | pathway. Nerve pain increases the expression of the neurotransmitter PACAP,
which is the same neurotransmitter the brain releases in reaction to stress. In
other words, stress can bring on and/or worsen physical pain symptoms.
The
body’s biological response to stress can also significantly impact our
cardiovascular, ... | anxiety.pdf |
7ef73f588502-1 | impact breathing, making these illnesses all the more distressing. The stress
reaction due to anxiety is also linked with migraines, rheumatoid arthritis,
hyperthyroidism, diabetes, and autoimmune illnesses.
Unfortunately, anxiety is often not considered a significant factor when
treating these complicated and often de... | anxiety.pdf |
2db817859b9b-0 | gastroenterologists without gaining relief. When I talked to her about the
relationship between stress, anxiety, and medical conditions, she was
exasperated and felt that I was minimizing her genuine physical illness. After
some conversation, Sierra softened her view, although she was unable to
believe that her GERD sy... | anxiety.pdf |
2db817859b9b-1 | more you say them, the less you will feel at the mercy of your physical
symptoms.
•
I believe I have some control over my physical symptoms.
•
I believe if my physical symptoms were to improve it would be due in part
to anxiety-reduction strategies.
•
The way I think about my physical state impacts my symptoms.
•... | anxiety.pdf |
8ed0ebc34cd3-0 | Obsessive thinking is a way to avoid facing deeper emotions. Perhaps we
worry we can’t manage the painful emotions, or perhaps we fear they
will overwhelm us.
One client, Jack, told me if he did not think about his medical condition
so regularly, he would begin to feel a tremendous sense of helplessness
and vulnerabili... | anxiety.pdf |
8ed0ebc34cd3-1 | daily, exercised regularly, ate a healthy diet, and
worked on breathing and positive self-talk. The rest he turned over to his
medical team and the universe.
Take a few minutes to reflect and journal in your notebook about the
following topic:
If you did not fill your conscious mind with thinking about your medical
con... | anxiety.pdf |
847b64930577-0 | picture of physical and emotional health. Tell your doctor about your physical
symptoms and also your struggle with anxiety. Ask your doctor for a medical
physical with blood work as well as a full thyroid panel test.
Thyroid imbalances impact anxiety and need appropriate medication.
Also, make sure your doctor checks ... | anxiety.pdf |
847b64930577-1 | symptoms may have then reinforced your original fearful thoughts. The mind
and the body constantly communicate. If your mind is filled with a sense of
emotional peace, you are much better equipped to handle medical/physical
challenges.
The mind-body connection is empowering because your anxiety
symptoms will likely imp... | anxiety.pdf |
cf40cb01c841-0 | Creating
a nightly sleep routine places cues in the brain. When practiced
regularly, the cues remind us that it’s time to start unwinding. The key is to
follow the routine consistently so you become accustomed to the cues.
Eventually, you will need only to start your routine to feel more at ease and
even sleepy.
Many... | anxiety.pdf |
cf40cb01c841-1 | Lie down comfortably and read fiction or something light.
•
Turn off your lights when you feel sleepy and your eyes start closing.
•
When you can’t sleep, don’t think, “Why can’t I sleep?!” Tell yourself,
“It’s okay if I don’t fall asleep, at least I’m resting.” If waking up
continues, try progressive muscle relaxa... | anxiety.pdf |
cf40cb01c841-2 | weeks ahead. Then when the lights are out, your brain won’t have to remind you of everything
you haven’t thought about earlier.
STRATEGY:
EXERCISE | anxiety.pdf |
67524d373883-0 | Anxious energy needs a release or it will continue to run amok. Adding
regular exercise into your life will pay off. Thirty minutes of aerobic exercise
five days a week will lessen your stress, increase your self-esteem, improve
your sleep, and improve your physical and emotional functioning. Feeling
good about yoursel... | anxiety.pdf |
67524d373883-1 | mood will improve and your anxiety will decrease, so consider doing
something on a daily basis.
When experiencing acute anxiety, employ the “10-minute remedy.” If you’re
anxious and you vigorously exercise for 10
minutes—
a brisk walk, jogging,
bouncing on a trampoline, jumping jacks—your anxiety will decrease almos... | anxiety.pdf |
67524d373883-2 | mood will suffer. Make sure you’re drinking 8 to 10 glasses of water daily.
When experiencing an acute bout of anxiety, pour yourself a tall, icy glass of
water. This will quickly change your physiology, turn the brain’s attention to | anxiety.pdf |
b332ad657977-0 | the cold sensation, and reduce your anxiety.
Caffeine:
It’s astounding how many people who struggle with anxiety also
drink a lot of caffeinated beverages.
Make
no mistake: Caffeine increases
anxiety. Decreasing or eliminating caffeine and other stimulants from your
diet will immediately lessen the intensity of yo... | anxiety.pdf |
b332ad657977-1 | week. It doesn’t necessarily have to be at the same time each day but
remember: Consistency makes it easier to stick with a routine. Taking
care of yourself needs to be a higher priority in your life, so you might
have to give something up or put to the side something that’s important
to you.
Then, each day do aerobic ... | anxiety.pdf |
2012a0a50df5-0 | As we’ve seen, good sleep hygiene is perhaps the most impactful way to
improve mood and anxiety. A regular nightly wind-down ritual cues the
brain to calm and switch into sleep mode. Make that a goal, starting with
a regular bedtime. Identify which sleep aid techniques discussed
previously you will incorporate into you... | anxiety.pdf |
2012a0a50df5-1 | significance. In the same way, switching your attention from your anxious
thoughts to the physical sensations created by those thoughts can alter your
perspective.
When you experience an anxious-thought spiral, observe your physical
sensations—tight chest, tense shoulders, racing heartbeat, whatever they are
—and give ... | anxiety.pdf |
3524e31f322e-0 | Try to feel the earth from within your body. What is that sensation like? Does
the sole of your foot on the ground feel heavy? Can you make it soft?
Explore each of your senses. Notice what you feel on your skin; is the air hot
or cool? Do you smell anything as you inhale and exhale?
Simply observe any sounds you hear.... | anxiety.pdf |
3524e31f322e-1 | in your body.
•
Anxiety is associated with a variety of medical conditions.
•
Healthy sleep, nutrition, and exercise habits typically improve anxious
symptoms.
•
Practicing body awareness exercises helps reduce anxious-thinking spirals. | anxiety.pdf |
dc6fd65e3d44-0 | CH
APTER FOUR
Putting the Tools to Work
Your intention is set. Anxiety will no longer rule your life. Now you
know it’s within your reach to experience a peaceful emotional life
and to feel physically at ease. The techniques you’re learning in
this book can reduce anxiety on the spot, in the moment that it
arises. Re... | anxiety.pdf |
dc6fd65e3d44-1 | downshifting or easing your foot off the gas. Because old patterns of neuronal
activity fire quickly and before we have time to consciously think, changing
automatic habits can feel hard.
It takes about 90 days to build a new habit. This is roughly enough time to
rewire a bit of your brain. It does take discipline and ... | anxiety.pdf |
8e9e992d30e6-0 | think through how and when you will integrate the techniques into your day-
to-day routine.
Outside of your responsibilities—work, school, volunteering, childcare,
social life, family obligations—what do you do for yourself? When you do
have downtime, how do you currently spend it? People with anxiety often feel
as if ... | anxiety.pdf |
8e9e992d30e6-1 | progress that you set up a system where you track on a daily basis the
strategies
you’re using, and the intensity of your anxiety. Here’s an example
of a quick and easy way to track progress. Each day, check any and all
strategies you use from
chapters 2
and
3
. Also be sure to rate your
anxiety
for
the day,... | anxiety.pdf |
b4f75cc2093a-0 | Sitting with Difficult
Emotions (Meditation)
Body Scan
Progressive Muscle
Relaxation
What Stories Are You
Telling?
✓
Take Care of Medical
Health
Practice Good Sleep
Hygiene
✓
Exercise
Nutrition
Mindful Movement
(Walking Meditation)
Rate Your Anxiety 1 to
10 Scale
6
7
2
5
3
5
8
The
1 to 10 scale is a way to look back ... | anxiety.pdf |
b4f75cc2093a-1 | deliberate steps to do so. You might worry that you won’t be successful. It’s
sometimes easier, particularly in the beginning, to say, “I can’t do it,” or “I
don’t need this.” If you hear yourself saying these things, it might be because
you’re afraid of failure. If so, dig deep; believe in your ability to change. You
... | anxiety.pdf |
741b73c11ec9-0 | get their
support.
Sharing a bit about your struggle and how you’re working
on getting better will make your goal more real and increase your likelihood
of success. And it will boost your ability to believe in yourself. Joining an
anxiety support group in your community or meeting with a therapist will also
help kee... | anxiety.pdf |
741b73c11ec9-1 | each morning.
STRATEGY
OF THE WEEK
Pick another strategy that you can work into your calendar at least three times
this week. This does not need to take a long time; choose one reasonably
achievable for you. For example, this week, commit to brisk walking or light
jogging for 20 minutes three times, or schedule a ful... | anxiety.pdf |
2e362f824990-0 | chapters in this section that you’re willing to employ every day of the
next month.
Now think about when your anxious moments might be during the
coming month. Are there specific days of the week or times of the day
that you anticipate being particularly anxious? Or are there specific
commitments that always trigger yo... | anxiety.pdf |
2e362f824990-1 | have lost sight of on your path to a peaceful life. And you can 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 succes... | anxiety.pdf |
dd9a28d1c6fd-0 | STICKING
WITH IT
Whatever you do, please, please be sure to recognize and celebrate your
successes. I have worked with many people who make major progress, but
once the progress is made they minimize or dismiss it. When that happens,
they self-defeat future progress.
For example, Hannah started therapy not being able... | anxiety.pdf |
dd9a28d1c6fd-1 | through the night for a few solid weeks. You think those sleepless nights are
behind you, then, ugh, the baby starts waking again.
Nevertheless, the typical pattern is for setbacks to become fewer and fewer
over time. Eventually the new behavior becomes routine.
Every couple of weeks, reflect on where you started. Remi... | anxiety.pdf |
f242f51fedb9-0 | What
You’ll Learn in This Section
Imagine again the triangle with “Feelings” written in one corner,
“Behavior” in another, and “Thoughts” in the third. Any change in
one corner of the triangle will impact the other two. That insight is
at the core of all the strategies in this book. In this section, we are
going to f... | anxiety.pdf |
f242f51fedb9-1 | your feelings (over time, you won’t experience as much fear when
you take an elevator).
Responding to anxiety with avoidance/escape behavior makes
your world smaller and smaller. Eventually you may lose tolerance
for even day-to-day, basic interactions. As we explore strategies to
tackle avoidance/escape behavior, we’l... | anxiety.pdf |
47087b1b05e3-0 | CH
APTER FIVE
Avoidance & Escape
The Avoidance Paradox
Imagine standing in front of a beautiful pool on a sunny day. The pool is full
of swimmers making the most of the sunshine. You’re in your suit and poised
on the edge of the water, looking as if you are ready to dive in and join them.
But in reality, you’re froze... | anxiety.pdf |
47087b1b05e3-1 | isolation soon arise. Your decision to avoid limits your enjoyment, your
spontaneity, and your social life, because your fear has taken control.
The swimming pool is a simple example, but there are many ways we
avoid what we fear: We avoid by indecision, by not showing up, by not
following through on commitments, by di... | anxiety.pdf |
47087b1b05e3-2 | your colleagues criticizing you for not coming in?
Far from relaxing and enjoying a day off, you’re spinning back and forth
in your mind. Eventually all that anxiety keeps you stuck in avoidance; you
don’t go to work not only that day, but also the next day and
perhaps
even the | anxiety.pdf |
6bccdb245aa5-0 | next. Now you likely have actual negative consequences to face.
Avoidance feels protective in the short term, but in the longer term
generates real peril and more anxiety than ever. It’s worth keeping in mind
that the fundamental problem is not the anxiety, but how you respond to it.
Hardwired to Avoid
The fight-or-fli... | anxiety.pdf |
6bccdb245aa5-1 | reptilian brain doesn’t know this, and may react to your fear with a fight-or-
flight response that’s unhelpful in a professional setting.
In
other words, the fight-or-flight response can be triggered even when
real danger doesn’t lurk. Once the information regarding the perception of
danger makes its way to our more... | anxiety.pdf |
6bccdb245aa5-2 | chapter 8
). Let’s look at how to start changing your tendency to avoid. | anxiety.pdf |
2d44f34f0c06-0 | STRATEGY:
WHAT ARE YOU AVOIDING?
As we’ve seen, avoidance and escape only beget more avoidance. The
avoidance loop continues because it’s a habit that becomes unconscious. A
helpful step is to consciously identify what you’re avoiding so you are no
longer doing it on autopilot.
Take a moment to reflect on your patter... | anxiety.pdf |
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