Managing Anxiety

By Tim Kuss, LADC, LMFT

This assignment is for anyone who experiences anxiety, which includes worry and fear. You may or may not have a diagnosis of anxiety disorder.

1. Describe how you experience anxiety, fear or worry.
a. If you have fear, what are you afraid of?
b. If you worry, what do you worry about?
c. Obsessive compulsive behavior can be a sign of anxiety. If you have this behavior, what is it about?
d. Are there physical symptoms? How do you breath when anxious? What happens to your heart rate? Your blood pressure?

2. Dysfunctional behavior?
a. Did you use chemicals to feel better? If so, what kind of chemicals? What effect did they have? How did you feel when the chemicals wore off?
b. What other things did you do to try to feel better? Sex, gambling, spending? How did those things work?

3. Did you know that some medications can relieve anxiety?
a. Anti-depressant meds, specifically SSRI’s can help. Are you willing to try that?
b. Benzodiazepines, such as Valium, Xanax and Klonopin are NOT good ideas for people with chemical dependency.

4. Individual therapy could be helpful
a. If you are willing to try this, please ask the therapist if they have experience with working with people with anxiety.
b. Some group therapies, such as cognitive or rational-emotive therapy can help.

5. Even if you take meds and go to therapy, it’s still a good idea to learn other COPING SKILLS for managing anxiety
a. Mindfulness skills include deep breathing and progressive muscle relaxation, including imagery and affirmations.
b. Yoga, acupuncture, or meditation may also be helpful
c. Cognitive restructuring is another positive method. This means noticing your negative self-talk, and learning to challenge and change it.
d. Distraction can help. This means doing activities like tv, reading, video games, housework, walking, work, etc,
e. Have a support network and connect with them on a regular basis
For example, find at least one person who you can share your worries or fears with and talk with them at least once a week. You can tell them that you don’t need advice and just need someone to listen. Or you can ask for suggestions some times.


6. Be involved in healthy activities that help you prevent anxiety
a. exercise for at least 15 minutes 3 to 4 times a week.
b. maintain a healthy diet. See your doctor if you need a plan for this
c. sleep 6 to 10 hours a day, depending on personal need
d. Have a daily schedule go to bed and get up about the same time every day
eat meals about the same time every day
e. Do fun stuff every day. Set aside time to do fun stuff for 1 to 3 hours at a time every week.
f. Connect with people who care about you regularly. Put it on your schedule.

7. Take a daily inventory of your anxiety, fear and worry
a. Make a plan to use coping skills to manage each one.

Questions:

What new things did you learn about anxiety, fear and worry?
What coping skills and/or strategies do you plan to use in the next week?
What skills or strategies do you plan to improve, or to develop through practice?

Read pp 12-15: Overcoming Major Anxiety Disorders and Addiction by Ihson M. Solloum, MD, MPH and Dennis Daley, MSW to get more ideas.