Anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder)

Characterized by frequent worries and physical symptoms of anxiety: “What if …?” worries about many different things: “If something bad happens, I can’t cope”; images of feeling overwhelmed; etc. Other related areas include: Agoraphobia,  Health Anxiety, Panic Disorder, Phobias, PTSD, Performance Anxiety, Social Anxiety – see the Issues I Treat page for more information on theses issues

Introduction

  1. Introduction and Overview (NHS)
  2. Self-Assessment (GAD-7)
  3. Understanding your anxiety

The problem

  1. Avoidance
  2. Safety behaviours
  3. Reassurance seeking
  4. Checking behaviours

Solutions

  1. The worry time technique
  2. The worry time technique (NHS)
  3. Reframing unhelpful thoughts -I’m having an heart attack!!!
  4. Reframing unhelpful thoughts – This is overwhelming
  5. Reframing unhelpful thoughts blank
  6. Reframing unhelpful thoughts (NHS)
  7. Habituation through Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)
  8. Living one day at a time, tackling one task at a time and living in the solution
  9. Mindfulness and acceptance
  10. Taking in the good
  11. Balanced deep breathing
  12. Progressive muscle relaxation

Using imagery

  1. Relaxation exercise
  2. Feeling Confident and Capable
  3. Planning and preparing responses

Anxiety Beliefs

  1. Common underlying assumptions for anxiety

Behavioural Change

  1. I’m having a heart attack!!!
  2. If I don’t worry then something bad will happen?
  3. Social Anxiety examples. 

  4. If I ask for the money he owes me, he will think I’m really mean; shout at me; it will spoil our relationship forever; I will have to find another job; I won’t be able to find another job; I’ll be stuck at home with no money and … and… catastrophise…catastrophise…catatstrophise…