Anxiety: When Shakes & Sweats Get Out of Hand

Christ Church Episcopal Youth

Wendy Dickinson, M.Ed., ACC.

What is Anxiety?

Anxiety is the mind and body's reaction to stressful, dangerous, or unfamiliar situations. It's the sense of uneasiness, distress, or dread you feel

before a significant event.

A certain level of Anxiety helps us stay alert and aware, but for those suffering from an anxiety disorder, it feels far from normal - it can be

completely debilitating.

*Tanja Jovanovic, Ph.D., Emory University, anxiety.org

What is Normal, and What Isn’t?

Anxiety is a normal part of every person’s life.

The world we live in is in constant change.

Every person constantly changes.

Physical, emotional, spiritual, intellectual changes are uncomfortable and often are anxiety provoking, and normal.

How do we determine if those feelings are the normal, situational responses to the changes around us, or if we have an anxiety disorder that is a treatable medical condition?

Facts about AnxietyAnxiety disorders are among the most common mental, emotional, and behavioral problems to occur- 40 million people, 18% of US population

About 8% of kids experience some kind of anxiety disorder. Symptoms usually develop before age 21.

Only 1/3 receive treatment –even though anxiety is highly treatable

Girls are affected more than boys. About 50% of people with anxiety disorders have a 2nd anxiety disorder or other mental/behavioral disorder

Anxiety disorders may exist along with physical health conditions as well as other mental health challenges

Facts about Anxiety, continued…

• Anxiety is the #1 reason college students seek treatment.

• 70% of teens say that anxiety and depression are major problems among their peers.

• In 2016, nearly two-thirds of college students reported “overwhelming anxiety,” up from 50 percent just five years earlier, according to the National College Health Assessment. (NEA Today, The Epidemic of Anxiety Among Todays Students, 3/28/18, by Mary Ellen Flannery)

What does Anxiety feel like?• Excessive worry• Fear reaction to a specific situation or

thing (i.e. toilets, spiders)• Panic attacks – shortness of breath,

sweaty palms, heart racing, gasping, lightheaded, dizziness

• Difficulty sleeping, remaining asleep, or disturbed sleep

• Difficulty concentrating and/or focusing as a result of worry

• Outward signs of distress – lack of personal hygiene, weight gain or loss, mood changes, withdrawal from activities or relationships

• The 2 most important considerations are the length of time these signs have existed and the degree of impact

How Do You Tell if Your Anxiety Needs to Be Treated?

*Ask yourself these questions:1. Do you feel very anxious or worried about a lot of

things?

2. Do you think your worry is excessive?

3. Do you worry more days than not?

4. Have you been worrying like this for the past 6 months?

5. Is it hard for you to control your worrying?

6. Have you noticed any physical symptoms such as restlessness, feeling tired easily, trouble concentrating, irritability, muscle tension, or trouble sleeping?

7. Does your worry negatively impact your ability to function at school, with friends, family, or in other areas that are important to you?

*anxiety.org

Tell me again, What is Anxiety?

• Anxiety is a general feeling of apprehension or worry and is a normal reaction to stressful situations

• Red flags should go up when the feelings become excessive, thoughts become irrational and everyday functioning is debilitated

• Anxiety disorders are characterized by excessive feelings of panic, fear, or irrational discomfort in everyday situations

3 Common Triggers for Anxiety …& What You Can Do about it.

• Intimidating thoughts, “bigs”

– See Each moment as Equal

• Jumping ahead to the outcome

– Stay in the present

• Anticipating what “they” think…

– Stay in the moment, in your body, in your

experience

Types of Anxiety Disorders

• Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

– People experience six months or more of persistent, irrational and extreme worry, causing insomnia, headaches, and irritability.

• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

– PTSD can follow an exposure to a traumatic event such as natural disasters, sexual or physical assaults, or the death of a loved one. Three main symptoms: reliving of the traumatic event, avoidance behaviors and emotional numbing, and physiological arousal such as difficulty sleeping, irritability or poor concentration.

• Panic Disorders

– Person has unpredictable panic attacks, which are episodes of where the extreme reactions of fight, flight or freeze is triggered. Common symptoms: heart palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness and anxiety and these symptoms are often confused with those of a heart attack.

• Specific Phobias

– The fight, flight or freeze is in reaction to a specific object or situation (such as spiders, dogs, or heights) so the person tries to avoid the thing or situation. The level of fear is usually way out of proportion to the situation. Usually the person knows they are being irrational

2 More Anxiety Disorders….

3 More Anxiety Disorders….

• Social Phobia

– Person is extremely anxious about being judged by others or behaving in a way that might cause embarrassment or humiliation, so they may try to avoid any situation where that might happen.

• Separation Anxiety Disorder

– Intense anxiety associated with being away from caregivers, results in kids clinging to parents or refusing to do daily activities such as going to school.

• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

– People may be deep into persistent, recurring thoughts (obsessions) and act in compulsive ritualistic habits in hopes that that will help to reduce the anxiety around the obsessions (e.g. constant hand washing).

What to do when Anxiety happens?

• Cognitive-behavioral treatment( people learn to

deal with fears by modifying the ways they think

and behave) CBT

• Relaxation techniques – yoga, meditation

• Biofeedback (to control stress and muscle tension)

• Family therapy

• Parent training

• Medication

4 Practices that Help Anxiety

• Ask open ended questions instead of interpreting

or assuming

– Use generous listening

– Don’t give up, if you don’t understand keep asking

• Address anxiety related thoughts head-on

– List the thoughts

– Ask yourself, how true is this?

– Ask What’s the worst that can happen?

– Then, ask, What’s the best thing that could happen?

4 Practices that Help Anxiety, cont.

• Push thoughts of the future into the future.

– Focus instead on today & the very next step

– What if ’s generate anxiety without the ability to solve

anything & everything

• Choose to live in the moment

– Set up “flow” for yourself

– Ask, “Is there anything I can do about this now?”

– If the answer is yes, do it. If it’s a no, then let it go.

What Does Untreated Anxiety Cost YOU?

• School failure > grade point average

• Absenteeism > miss too much school

• Classroom disruption > lose focus

• The inability to complete basic tasks

• Family stress > miscommunication

• Impaired social relationships > friendships

suffer

• Leadership & development opportunities

Tools for Dealing with Anxiety-what to ask for…

• Because change and separation are so hard for people with anxiety disorders, think about asking for accommodations for late arrival and/or provide extra time for changing activities and locations at school.

• Let the people know that a person’s anxiety can cause him or her to zone out, it’s not necessarily disrespect or intentional.

• Develop a “safe” place where the you can go to relieve anxiety during stressful times or ask for calming activities.

• Develop relaxation, meditation, and breathing techniques that can work at home or at school. Use them often. Explain to others what you need.

• Work with your teachers on class participation and answering questions at the board, ask for time to explain that anxiety leads to a fear of answering incorrectly.

• Ask for small group interactions and help in increasing your confidence in group situations. Celebrate the wins. You deserve to celebrate every win.

• Determine what works best for you - an organized, calming, and supportive environment?

• Set yourself up to succeed, and to build resilience.

More Tools for your toolbox…..

Let’s fill that toolbox with more Strategies…..

• It’s important for your tools to be

understood and supported at home as well

as in school. Ask your parents to be

involved in the process.

• Help your parents understand what will

help, and what doesn’t help your situation.

What if you see a friend suffers from anxiety?

• Listen generously. Let your friend talk

about stress, without trying to “fix” them.

• Studies show that social support from

family and friends is one of the strongest

shields against debilitating anxiety.

• Offer to support them in finding a

counselor. There is still a lot of shame in

seeking help. Remember, Anxiety is very

treatable!

You could also try these:

• Avoid shaming or making fun or telling the

person to “get over it”. That doesn’t help.

• Ask your friend how you could help.

• Try to listen generously and to make the

most generous assumptions that you can

possibly make in the situation.

Resources

• Contact Adam Williams, Christ Church Episcopal Youth

Minister for local practitioners who offer treatment

• Contact your school guidance counselor’s office for local

referral partners

• Ask friends and parents who may have had experience with

local practitioners

• Anxiety is highly treatable. Anxiety is also very common.

You are NOT alone. Take steps to find relief with the help of

a trusted professional who will offer you support as well as

tools for relief.

Online Resources• PsychCentral

http://psychcentral.com/disorders/anxiety

• National Institute of Mental Health

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/HealthInformation/anxietymenu.cfm

• Anxiety Disorders Association of America

http://www.adaa.org/

• NYU Child Study Center

http://www.aboutourkids.org/aboutour/articles/sub_abuse.html

• DSM-IV Diagnosis in the Schools(2002) ~~ Alvin E. House

• Psychology Today series by Susan Heitler, Ph.D., “3 Mistakes that Invite Anxiety

to Undermine Your Performance”, “Anxiety Problems Part II, 3 Habits That

Help”, and “High School and College Student Anxiety: Why The Epidemic?”

• Anxiety.org Site that defines anxiety, contains a quiz, looks at treatment options

https://www.anxiety.org/what-is-anxiety - recognizing-the-disorder-in-others