Here’s another anxiety management example

Challenging In Action, 2: Dealing with Physical Symptoms of Anxiety

“I feel dizzy and light-headed. I am beginning to sweat and feel sick. I am sure that I am going to pass out in this shop and make a fool of myself.”

1. Are there reasons for my having this worrying thought? Yes, there are: my friend works in a shop and says that customers frequently feel faint and sometimes pass out in public. I once fainted in church, so I know that it is possible.

2. Are there reasons against my holding this thought? Yes, there are: I have often felt like this when I have been anxious. I now know that symptoms of anxiety are like the sensations that I am experiencing now – and 1 know that worrying and over-breathing will make them worse.

3. What is the worst thing that could happen? The worst thing is that I would faint here in the shop and I would look foolish.

4. How would I cope with this? I could get myself to reception and find a chair and someone to help me if I needed help. Meanwhile, I can try to cope with the unpleasant feelings by practicing my controlled breathing and brief relaxation exercises. If I did actually faint, someone would come to my rescue: my friend says that shop staff are always ready to deal with this kind of emergency.

5. What is a more constructive way of viewing the situation? It is very hot in here and that could have triggered these unpleasant feelings; my anxiety is probably making them worse and I know that I can control things by finding a quiet spot and using my anxiety management skills.

Even if I fainted, I would recover and feel all right because I felt fine when I came round after I passed out in church. However, I was ill at that time and that is why I fainted – I am not ill now. My friend says that people do feel faint in large shops, so a staff member won’t be surprised if I ask for help. I never think that someone is foolish if they feel unwell, so people are unlikely to think that I am.