Anxious Brain Flashcards
Know which parts of your body hold your tension and relax them periodically
Shoulders and neck and face. Some times legs
Progressive muscle relax ation
Focus on each set of muscles. Tense for 5 seconds and release. Notice the difference between tensing and relaxing
Shifting attention
Can create calm
Guided imagery
Or imagining in general. Visualization. Creates calm
Amygdala is passed down from our ancestors
It’s another part of your brain that you can train and adjust learn to use as a tool.
Anxiety peaks just before the the event you are anticipating
Your body knows there is a delay. By being early your amygdala is right on time
Freeze
Occurs when you are overwhelmed. Disrupts brain processes. People often feel like they are going crazy. Muscles tense
Coming out of freez3 response
Breath deep and empty lungs
Focus on surroundings, look
Name in your mind the current premise.
Focus on other senses
Dear abi you wrote this protocol without knowing the science.
Tucking in your amygdala
Difficult to sleep when you think of threats.
Bedtime routine
Audio book or podcast
Retraining your amygdala
Focus on goals not fears. Set goals around restricted areas. Face barriers
Focus on goals with
High importance and low anxiety to start and when you are vulnerable
Amygdala learns by association
Hence triggers.
How do I retrain my amygdala to not alert during uncertainty
Positive outlook? If the outcome can’t be prepped for or affected positively then wait for it
Talk back to the amygdala.
N+1 guides me. I drive my amygdala. I need to learn to communicate with it.
Teach the amygdala it is safe
In moments she feels we are in danger. Create controlled moments of danger to practice
Diffusion skills
Diffuse anxiety deliberately diffusing I am having the thought that blank. I am noticing I’m having the though. A more accurate statement and puts buffers in between
What is thought action fusion
A belief that thinking about doing something means you might or will do it
What is radical acceptance
Accepting stress and pain. Takes anticipation out of it
Self monitor
Notice. Anxiety and accept. Accept you don’t have control
Pain plus resistance
Is suffering
What are the 3 components of self compassion?
Self kindness: being non judgemental and understanding to your self when you are suffering or fail
Humanity:
Mindfulness:
Compassion
Is omnidirectional. It includes self and all else
When you have that judgey shame voice
Imagine it as a cartoon character
Cognitive distortions all or nothing
Either black or white. If you are automatically changing not white to black. If Imperfect is wrong. Change to all and nothing. Just doing a more judicious statement of premise helps you see
Cognitive distortions mind reading
This is a boundaries violation. Even if you know what someone is thinking. Which you don’t. If they chose not to say it then respected their autonomy. There is no benefit to reading minds that isn’t also kind of dishonest or stealing.
Cognitive distortion:what if?
Driven by the need for certainty. Not possible. Not possible to anticipate and be ready for everythreat. If you can’t prepare for it, change focus. If you can, use judgement how likely, how drastic the outcome. How great is the need to avoid. Then prepare and worry accordingly
Shoulds
Fuck em
