Why are you worrying?...ABarlow & JBroad May 2019 Anxiety is when you often feel scared, and sometimes you are not sure why. How do I Feel Today Say how you are feeling today 5 4 3

ABarlow & JBroad May 2019

Why are you

worrying?

Your guide to what you can do

when you’re worrying

Your Name: _________________________


Session One

Everyone worries at some time. It is normal to

worry now and then. People worry about a lot of things

but worries often go away after a while. This workbook

is going to help you to look at the following:

You can also go to the School Nurses website

www.healthforkids.co.uk and click onto the feelings box for more

information and activities.

Why do we

worry?

What can be

done about it?

Who is there to

help?

How can I

recognise when I

am worrying


Your Emotions We all have emotions. What do these mean to you?

Angry Annoyed Excited

Proud Sad Embarrassed


Hurt Scared Happy

Surprised Worried Nervous


Anxiety is when you often feel

scared, and sometimes you are

not sure why.

How do I Feel Today Say how you are feeling today

5 4 3 2 1

I feel very

happy I feel happy I feel alright I feel sad

I feel very sad

Say why you are feeling like this

Is worrying normal?

Everyone worries at some time but we are all different

and we can all worry about different things. So your

friend may worry about something which you think

there is no need to worry about. Also some people will

only worry for a short moment and others may worry

for longer.


Colour in each bubble that decribes something that you

often worry about

Someone I care

about getting sick

or dying

What’s going

to happen in

the future

Being bullied

Making

mistakes or

messing up

The way I look

What others

think of me

My family not

having enough

Something bad

happening at

school

Changing class

or school

Falling out

with friends

Arguments

at home

The dark

Not being

liked

Getting

bad grades

at school

Exams,

Tests or

SATs

Saying something

wrong

People not

wanting to

be friends

with me

Someone I

care about

leaving me

Getting sick or

seriously

injured

What’s happening

around you such as

fighting, terroism,

pollution


Even though we all worry about different things the

worry is still very real to the person who is feeling it.

Sometimes we worry about things that haven’t even

happened. Such as what if someone close to us dies.

Difficult things happen to everyone and worrying

about them is normal but sometimes we can begin to

feel anxious.

Is there anything else you worry about?


When I am WORRYING this is what my body feels like

Worrying too much is not good for us and this can

affect our body and thoughts and how we feel.

Sometimes worries are big things and sometimes they

are small

Mark which ones you get. You can add others that you can think of.

Butterflies in

the tummy

Heart beat faster

Tense shoulders

Sweaty hands

Not able to say

how you feel

Headache

Feeling dizzy

Face turns red

Feel hot

Harder to

breathe

Shaky

Tummy ache

Fidgity

Need to go

to the toilet


Feeling calm and safe can help you worry less

I can feel calm, safe and relaxed when I….

(How many of these can you fill in)

I taste ….

I talk to….

I listen to….

I stay away from…

….

I go to….

I hug ….

I smell ….

I imagine….

….

I play ….


Try some of these ideas when you are at home

Blowing your worries away

Sometimes we can imagine our worries to float away.

Hold your hands together like you are holding a very

small balloon.

Then gently blow into your hands all your worries.

As you blow your balloon gets bigger and bigger.

Then you can let your balloon go.

You can then watch your balloon take away your worries

Hug a pillow.


Why are you worrying?

Session Two

Your Name: _________________________

How do I Feel Today Say how you are feeling today

5 4 3 2 1

I feel very

happy I feel happy I feel alright I feel sad

I feel very sad

Say why you are feeling like this


Last session we looked at:

• What are different emotions

• Why you are worrying

• How does your body feel when you are worrying

• How you can feel calm and safe

Remember we all worry sometimes.

Have you been able to use any of the exercises you were

given last week?

How did you get on?

Sometimes the worries we had when we were younger

we wouldn’t see them as worries now. This is because

as you grow more mature you see things in a different

way. It’s a bit like putting on sunglasses and seeing

things differently.


Why do I feel like this?

Humans have developed a special way to deal with

situations when they feel they are in danger.

Sometimes when we worry a lot or feel

anxious our brain is telling our bodies to

look out for danger.

This is called the ‘Fight, Flight, Freeze’ response.

Imagine you are walking in the jungle and you

can hear all the animals around you. Your brain

will tell your body to look out for danger.

Your body then makes a chemical called

‘adrenaline’ which makes our heart beat faster

and stronger.

We breathe faster to get more oxygen round

our body.

The pupils in our eyes get bigger so we can see

better.

Our brains begin to think faster.

Our muscles begin to get tense as we are

getting ready to either run away, or to stand

really still or get ready to fight.


Write in Your Lilypad

Good Things

Worries

Wishes


Who can you talk to

What can I do when I am feeling worried?

There are lots of things you can do to help you with

your worries.

Talk to someone

Talking to someone can help you look at why you are

worrying and what you can do. Think of who you can

talk to when you are at home, school or club.

Talk to someone you trust such as your Mum or Dad or

a teacher. You can’t always stop things from happening

but talking can help.

Sometimes it is hard to talk so try writing down what

you are thinking first.


Things that I enjoy doing

Go and do an activity which you enjoy

Doing exercise or something fun can take your mind off

your worries for a while and make you feel more

relaxed.

There are lots of things you can do which will help you

relax and when you’ve done something fun sometimes

your worry does not seem so big.

Listen to music; Go for a walk; Draw or write in your

diary your feelings; Be active – run, cycle, do a sport;

Read; Have a bubble bath; yoga; play a game.


Worries I can do something

about Worries I cannot do

something about

Look at what you are worrying about

Sometimes we worry about things that we can’t change.

Have you ever worried about whether someone likes

you? You can’t make people like you, all you can do is be

nice to people and just be you.

Look at your worries and put in the inner circle the

worries you can do something about. Put in the outer

circle the worries you have that you cannot do

something about.


If you can’t change the thing you are worrying about

then why are you worrying about it? Go and have fun

with your family and friends instead.

What to do about worrying?

What am I

worried

about?

Can I do

something

about it?

No -let it

go. Stop

worrying. Yes

What can you

do about it?

When are you

going to do

it?

Now stop

worrying

Now Go and

do something

fun!


Think positive thoughts

Sometimes when you are worrying it is hard to

remember the positive things about yourself and the

good things you have.

Write six positive statements about yourself. What

would your friends and family say about you?

You can add more later. When you are worrying use these

to remind yourself of the good things.


Get enough sleep

When you don’t sleep well your worries can seem a lot

worse.

What can you do to help you relax before going to sleep

Have a nice bath and either read a book or watch a bit of TV

before going to bed. Don’t play on your computer, your i

pad or on your mobile phone at least an hour before you

go to sleep because the light from these stops your brain

from thinking it’s time to sleep.

You don’t have to stop watching TV all the time but

don’t watch scary movies, DVDs or games on your

computer. Sometimes these can play on your mind and

make you worry or stop you from sleeping.

Even if your friends say they have watched a scary

movie they probably haven’t really.


Some Relaxation Exercises To Do

Sometimes when we worry learning to relax can be

really helpful. It gives us a chance to forget what we

are worrying about. It can also help you to sleep better.

You can do these quietly or with some relaxing music.

Remember that you have to practice to get it right.

Tense and Relax Exercise

Learn to tense and relax your muscles:

• Squeeze your fists,

• Stretch your legs,

• Scrunch up your face,

• Keep your body tight count to 5 and then let your

body go loose.

Another way is to use breathing exercises.

1. First of all concentrate on your BREATHING….

2. Breathe in through your nose and imagine your

breath going down to your belly.

3. Breathe out through your mouth.

4. Do this a few times – nice and slowly

You can practice these exercises before going to

sleep


Eat healthily

Sometimes when we worry we can either eat too much

or we may not feel like eating. It is important you eat

and drink healthily to help your body and brain work

properly. Make sure you drink at school and after

sports. Take a bottle of water with you to school.

Look around you.

What do you see?

Listen carefully.

What do you hear?

What do you taste?

Use your hands & feet

What do you feel?

Use your nose

What do you smell?

Sometimes when we worry we cannot concentrate on

anything else. Do this ‘grounding exercise’ to help

you stop worrying so you can carry on doing other

things.



What if this does not work for me?

Helpful websites

Information from: CBT training provided by Nottingham University; Young Minds

ChildLine Freephone 0800 1111 – any time. You can call for advice,

information or support for any worry. You can also visit their website

on www.childline.org.uk.

Bullying support Helpline 0808 800 2222 You can also visit their website on www.bullying.co.uk

Remember to Surf Safely Never give out your real name, telephone number or address on line. Visit www.thinkuknow.co.uk on how to keep safe on the internet and social media.

For More Information on your emotions why not look on the School Nurse websites. If you go to Primary school go on: www.healthforkids.co.uk If you age 11 – 19 go to: www.health for teens.co.uk

Public Health Nurse (School Nurse) Your School Nurse team works at Telephone

Web Sites www.Young Minds.co.uk is a website for young people with lots of information about feelings and emotions.

Sometimes we worry so much that we need to go and talk to

our doctor and they can arrange for you to see a counsellor

or someone who could work with you about your worries.

They will give you a chance to talk about how you feel. These

services are confidential so your friends and school don’t

need to know about it if you don’t want them to.

http://www.childline.org.uk/

http://www.bullying.co.uk/

http://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/

http://www.healthforkids.co.uk/

http://www.health/

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Why are you worrying?...ABarlow & JBroad May 2019 Anxiety is when you often feel scared, and sometimes you are not sure why. How do I Feel Today Say how you are feeling today 5 4 3