A Worksheet for Anxiety related issues in relationship communications

 

(CBT) Worksheet for Anxiety related issues in relationship communications:

Overview

This worksheet is designed for individuals dealing with high Anxiety who are experiencing relationship communication issues. The goal is to help develop improved communication skills through cognitive-behavioral techniques, specifically using thought challenging.

Goals

1. Identify and challenge anxious thoughts related to communication in relationships.

2. Improve communication skills by practicing effective dialogue techniques.

3. Develop actionable steps to implement in daily interactions.

Section 1: Recognizing Anxious Thoughts

Exercise 1: Thought Record

In the space below, write down any anxious thoughts you have related to your communication in relationships. Consider the situations that trigger these thoughts.

Date:___________

Who were you communicating to: _______________________________________________________

Describe Situation:____________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

What were you thinking:_______________________________________________________________

Anxious Thought (see pg. 2): ___________________________________________________________

Emotion (rate 1-10) __________

How did you react?___________________________________________________________________

Impact on your conversation: ___________________________________________________________

How could you have changed outcome (See pg 3):__________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

Write your thoughts about this event.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Anxiety based Communication issues

Credit to: Micah Abraham, BSc

https://www.calmclinic.com/anxiety/impairs-communication

• Distracted Thinking: One of the main issues caused by anxiety may be distracted thinking. You may find yourself anxiously thinking about numerous things, find yourself overly focused on the way you feel, or find yourself stuck on a particular thought. Regardless of what the issue is, distracted thinking makes it very hard to listen and hold a conversation, and your ability to communicate is impaired as a result.

• Overthinking From Nervousness Being nervous can create problems with overthinking. When you're nervous while talking to someone else, it's not uncommon to overthink each and every word you're about to say in an effort to make sure that you say the right thing. But when you are rethinking everything you are about to say, it disrupts the natural flow of conversation.

• Tongue Stumbling: Anxiety can make natural movements feel unnatural or bizarre. A great example is stumbling over your tongue. Generally, your tongue moves exactly as it needs to in order to make the sounds and letters you want to make. But when you have anxiety, it's not uncommon for some automatic body movements to become less automatic because your brain focuses on that action. This can make it harder to move your tongue correctly, leading you to stumble over your words.

• Light headedness/Trouble Thinking/Loss of Reality: In some cases of extreme anxiety – most notably with panic attacks – there are several issues that can impair thinking. Anxiety can essentially overload your brain. It can cause a loss of reality which makes it nearly impossible to hear or think coherent thoughts. It can also cause lightheadedness and trouble thinking. In these cases, the impaired thinking often doesn't resolve itself until the panic attack has subsided and disrupted breathing gets back under your control.

• Trouble Listening: When you are focused on your anxiety it can cause trouble with listening and understanding what the other person is saying. This is often due to the distracted thinking, as mentioned above. Becoming anxiously focused on the person’s facial expressions or nonverbal communication can impact your ability to listen and pay attention to what they are saying. Anxiety about the content of the person's message may lead you to focus too much on any one particular word or phrase which can cause you to miss out on the other content that is necessary to respond correctly.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Anxiety based Communication Fixes

Credit to: Micah Abraham, BSc

https://www.calmclinic.com/anxiety/impairs-communication

• Tell the Other Person: When something is keeping you from focusing, be open about it with the person you're communicating with. While most people don't like their anxiety to be known, the truth is that people can tell when you're anxious, and when you try to hide it you'll often find that you experience more anxiety. It may be better to tell the other person "I've been tripping over my tongue a lot recently" or "I'm sorry, I’m feeling a bit lightheaded" rather than trying to pretend that you're okay and struggle through the conversation.

• Ask them to Repeat Themselves: If you are struggling to focus on the conversation, take a moment and ask them to repeat themselves. Rather than becoming more anxious because you missed what they said, simply requesting them to repeat it gives you another opportunity to listen.

• Don't Overthink: Of course, telling someone not to overthink is easier said than done. It makes sense that you want to make sure you don't say anything silly or embarrassing, but if overthinking is causing you to say things in an odd way, then what value did overthinking have? Try to talk as you think, and if you say something embarrassing so be it.

• Practice Conversing: The more often you engage in conversation with people, the easier you may find it to be. Try practicing conversing with someone you feel comfortable with. You can also try to practice holding a conversation when you are alone. Make sure to speak aloud, not just in your mind, since this is what you will have to do when speaking with another person.