Wildcat Pause: The Anxiety Issue

Self-Help Strategies
Sarah Cain and Heather Tepper
Staff Writer and Editor-in-Chief
Self-help is people’s attempts to use their own resources and efforts to try and improve
themselves. In regards to anxiety, this is easier said than done. However, sometimes selfhelp
can greatly decrease a person’s level of stress or anxiety, even if it is momentarily.
Warm Bath
Burning Essential Oils
Calming Music
Alone Time
Meditation
Yoga
Spend Time Outdoors
Yoga
Walks
Exercise
Clean Eating
Sleep
Hydration
Support Systems
Positive Social Media
Asking for Help
Spending Time with Friends and Family
Positive Work Environment
Safe Living Space
Places to go for Help
Yoga and Meditation
Sunshine Barre Studio (Rocky Point)
Solntse Hot Yoga and Barre (The Shoppes at East Wind)
Peaceful Warrior Yoga Center (Sound Beach)
Nature Trails
Wildwood State Park (Wading River)
Calverton Pine Barrens State Forest Loop
Wading River Road Loop (Brookhaven State Park)
Wading River Marsh Reserve Loop
Gyms
Defined Health and Fitness (Wading River)
Personal Fitness (Rocky Point)
Planet Fitness (Rocky Point)
Wading River Health Club (Wading River)
Talk to Someone
Guidance Counselor
School Social Worker
School Psychologist
Teacher
Friend
Family Member
Hotlines:
RESPONSE of Suffolk County Crisis 631-751-7500 (24/7 Availbility)
RESPONSE Conexion 631-751-7423 (Spanish Speaking)
National Suicide Prevention Lifelife 1-800-273-TALK
Crisis Text Line Text CONNECT to 741741
The Trevor Project LGBTQ Crisis Center 888-488-7386
National Runaway Safeline 800-Runaway
Journaling
Hobbies
Positive Self-Talk
Clean Living Space
Money Management
Time Management
Distorted Thinking
Catastrophizing- this is when a person
assumes the absolute worst occuring.
For example, people who catastrophize
entertain the what if questions, such as
“What if I die today?” or “What if I amount to
nothing in life?”
Overgeneralization- this is when a person
comes to a general conclusion based on
one incident. For example, if a person gets a
bad grade on one test, they overgeneralize
themselves to be a horrible student.
Black and White Thinking- this is also
known as polarized thinking. This is when
things are either “all or nothing.” It is the idea
that there is no middle ground between
perfection and failure. For example, a person
who thinks like this views everything at an
extreme level.
Personalization- this is when a person
wrongly believes that everything other
people do somehow is directed at them.
They take everything personally, even when it
has nothing to do with them or was meant to
be taken a different way. For example, when
a person’s friend doesn’t wave to them in the
hallway, they immediately assume their friend
is mad at them.
Control Fallacies- this includes external
and internal control. If a person feels
externally controlled, they feel like a helpless
victim of fate. For example, a person would
feel that they couldn’t help that their work
was late because the teacher gave too
much. If they feel internally controlled,
they feel responsible for the happiness and
sadness of others. For example, a person
would believe that their friend is unhappy
because of something they did.
Going for a Run
Building Legos
Coloring
Playing Games
Identifying Common Errors in Our Thinking
Irrational Thought Patterns, known as Cognitive Distortions, are simply
ways that our mind convinces us of something that isn’t really true.
These inaccurate thoughts are usually used to reinforce negative
thinking or emotions.
Shoulds- these are statements that people
make for themselves and others about how
everyone should behave. People who break
these “rules” make the person following these
should statements frustrated. The emotional
consequence is guilt. For example, a person
thinking that they really should eat healthier
and are frustrated by people who don’t.
What to Try
To counteract these what
ifs, remind yourself that there
are many other potential
outcomes and try to maintain
a positive perspective.
Take into account that an
incident may only apply to
one specific situation, rather
than all other areas of life. The
student might have just failed
that one test, and that doesn’t
mean they are a poor student
or are failing out of school.
Recognize that there are
shades of gray in life, meaning
not everything is all good or all
bad.
Try to acknowledge that there
are other possible factors
that could be influencing the
situation or circumstance that
may be out of your control and
have nothing to do with you.
The person should consider
that their friend simply did not
see them in the hallway.
Understand and remind
yourself that sometimes things
are out of your control and
you can’t control how other
people feel. Try to do your best
and accept that that is all you
can do.
Realize that you cannot
project your own rules
onto other people, and
acknowledge that it is okay to
not follow these rules all of the
time.
Illustrations by A. Tonetti
Wildcat Pause/March 2020/Page 8