Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Anxiety
We just had a great staff meeting where we were discussing a client who has anxiety. One of our staff members has a great background in mental health issues.
Anxiety is a generalized mood state that is physiological and not emotional or cognitive in nature. Anxiety doesn't necessarily have a source in what is happening. For example, fear has a source. Someone threatens you - you are afraid. Anxiety doesn't work that way.
When a person who is feeling anxious blames others for their state, they are generally looking for their own reason for their anxiety. They don't know why they are anxious! Asking them why may only increase their state because now they also feel pressured by you to explain their behavior... and they can't.
What we can do is ask the person to take a deep breath. Make sure they are focused on you and not on other stimuli around them, and ask them again to take a deep breath with you. Model that behavior for them. If they do not respond, step back, stay with them and let them work through it. If they need to cry, let them. Comfort them if needed.
Do not get mad at them for their behavior or frustrated with yourself for not being able to "fix it" for them. You can't "fix it."
We can also review SNAP Curriculum segments of Identifying Emotions and Dealing with Emotions at times when the client is not anxious. Help them to recognize the feelings - tight chest, shortness of breath, etc. - of anxiety, and help them recognize how it feels when they are not anxious.
Then review ways to lessen/deal with the feeling - self relaxation techniques, etc. - that may help lessen the feeling when it comes on. This will not "fix" the condition., but may lessen the intensity or duration of the condition when it comes on.
Anxiety is a generalized mood state that is physiological and not emotional or cognitive in nature. Anxiety doesn't necessarily have a source in what is happening. For example, fear has a source. Someone threatens you - you are afraid. Anxiety doesn't work that way.
When a person who is feeling anxious blames others for their state, they are generally looking for their own reason for their anxiety. They don't know why they are anxious! Asking them why may only increase their state because now they also feel pressured by you to explain their behavior... and they can't.
What we can do is ask the person to take a deep breath. Make sure they are focused on you and not on other stimuli around them, and ask them again to take a deep breath with you. Model that behavior for them. If they do not respond, step back, stay with them and let them work through it. If they need to cry, let them. Comfort them if needed.
Do not get mad at them for their behavior or frustrated with yourself for not being able to "fix it" for them. You can't "fix it."
We can also review SNAP Curriculum segments of Identifying Emotions and Dealing with Emotions at times when the client is not anxious. Help them to recognize the feelings - tight chest, shortness of breath, etc. - of anxiety, and help them recognize how it feels when they are not anxious.
Then review ways to lessen/deal with the feeling - self relaxation techniques, etc. - that may help lessen the feeling when it comes on. This will not "fix" the condition., but may lessen the intensity or duration of the condition when it comes on.
