How does the anxiety cycle start?

By interpreting danger as a real threat.

How can one create a sense of internal safety?

By making lists of safe places, people, music, and sensations.

Making lists of safe places, people, music, and sensations.

By enhancing the parasympathetic response for increased safety.

To regulate the nervous system and create a memory within the window of tolerance.

Interpreting perceived danger as a real threat triggers anxiety responses in the body, leading to prolonged anxiety states.
Practical exercises like creating safe spaces, identifying safe individuals, and recalling positive memories can retrain the brain to reduce anxiety, offering valuable resources during challenging times.

How does the anxiety cycle start?
By interpreting danger as a real threat.
How can one create a sense of internal safety?
By making lists of safe places, people, music, and sensations.
What are some practical exercises to break the anxiety cycle?
Making lists of safe places, people, music, and sensations.
How can one strengthen the nervous system to reduce anxiety?
By enhancing the parasympathetic response for increased safety.
What are safety and resourcing skills used for in anxiety management?
To regulate the nervous system and create a memory within the window of tolerance.

00:00

Anxiety cycle involves interpreting danger as a real threat, triggering anxiety responses in the body.
Excessive worrying, catastrophizing, or negative thoughts can lead to perceived danger even when safe.
Spending hours daily in perceived danger can result in prolonged anxiety states.
Challenging thoughts that lead to perceived danger can help break the anxiety cycle.
Strengthening the nervous system can enhance the parasympathetic response for increased safety.
Creating a sense of internal safety can retrain the brain to be less anxious.
Practical exercises include making lists of safe places, safe people, safe music, and safe sensations.
Drawing safety exercise involves visualizing and drawing a safe place to activate a sense of safety.
Creating a safe-person anchor involves identifying individuals who make you feel safe and supported.
Other exercises include the light-stream exercise, listing strengths and accomplishments, recalling best memories, and placing worries in a container for later processing.

14:12

Safety and resourcing skills were used to regulate the individual's nervous system, aiming to create a memory within their window of tolerance. These exercises are not just coping skills but should be practiced regularly, ideally when not stressed, to easily recall them during moments of anxiety, providing a variety of resources to draw from in challenging times. The information is part of an online course called "Break the Anxiety Cycle in 30 days," with a link provided for further details and a demonstration of the safe person exercise by an EMDR therapist for trauma survivors.