These are the steps I’ve been told about (and then edited a bit to fit how my brain works better) to go through when feeling anxious.
- Go through the feelings wheel and write down which feelings you identify with, and then allow yourself to feel those feelings. https://feelingswheel.com/ (see below)
- What triggered this? Identify the event/thought/etc triggers for the emotion(s).
- What cognitive distortions are happening? Write down if possible. https://www.therapistaid.com/worksheets/cognitive-distortions (see below)
- Cope in any ways that decrease painful emotions for you. Meditate, step away and intentionally “avoid” for a short time if you have to, do something you enjoy, etc.
- After decreasing the intensity of negative emotions through coping, address and challenge negative thoughts/cognitive distortions identified previously. See “Challenging Negative Thoughts” below
- Give yourself permission to shift gears into things you want to engage in (could be something entirely separate, or maybe could be shifting back to experiencing the thing that you were initially anxious about).
You may need to repeat these steps for the same thought/emotion(s) however many or few times. By breaking the Cycle of Avoidance, you’re forming a new cycle utilizing muscles you’re not used to using, so be patient and kind to yourself!
