The Mormon Therapist
GAD is characterized by chronic anxiety that persists for at least six months and can affect people of all ages. GAD is not accompanied by panic attacks, phobias or obsessions. It often occurs together with depression. It affects approximately 4% of Americans and is slightly more common in females than males.
Must have 3 of the following symptoms:
- restlessness
- easily fatigued
- difficulty concentration
- irritability
- muscle tension
- difficulties with sleep
Current Treatments:
- Relaxation Training
- Cognitive Therapy
- Problem Solving
- Medication
- Lifestyle Changes
- Massage Therapy
Self-talk: learning to combat any internal negative voice. Negative self talk is…
- usually automatic and subtle
- appears in telegraphic form: one short word or image contains a whole series of thoughts, memories or associations
- typically irrational but sounds like truth
- perpetuates avoidance
- can initiate or aggravate a panic attack
- developed as a series of bad habits
Types of Negative Self-Talk:
- The Worrier: imagens the worst case scenario
- The Critic: points out your flaws and imperfections
- The Victim: says you are not making progress and that there is something inherently wrong with you
- The Perfectionist: says your efforts are not good enough
Countering Negative Self Talk:
- utilize positive, supportive statements
- replace the lie with the truth
- use the Socratic questions
Socratic Questions
- What is the evidence for this?
- Is this always true?
- Has this been true in the past?
- What are the odds of this really happening?
- What is the very worst that could happen? What is so bad about that? What would I do if the worst happen?
- Am I looking at the whole picture?
- Am I being fully objective?
Traits that perpetuate anxiety:
- Perfectionism
- Excessive need for approval
- Tendency to ignore physical and psychological signs of stress
- Excessive need for control
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