Anxiety: Cognitive Worksheets

Reworking our negative automatic thoughts in an anxious situation can be easier said than done. We can use guides to help us put our thoughts on trial to reframe our perspective in anxious situations. This worksheet is what we call a thought record. It helps us work through our thoughts in a step-by-step manner to help us reach more rational, helpful thinking in the end during anxiety-provoking moments. 

A thought record has 7 components:

• Situation/Trigger: What is happening?
• Emotions: How do you feel? Rate your feeling 0-100% (0 being worst, 100 being best)
• Unhelpful thoughts: What thoughts are you having that is causing these negative emotions?
  • Facts that support: What facts support these thoughts?
  • Facts that refute: What facts go against your thoughts?
• Alternative thought: After facing the facts, what new thoughts can you think of that will help you through the situation?
• Re-rate Emotion: What is your rating now?

Let's look through an example together of an anxiety provoking situation during the pandemic:

• Situation/Trigger: I can't see my friends during the pandemic and I have anxiety about losing them
• Emotions: Fear, Anxiety, Worried, Upset, Heart-racing, Choked Up (90%)
• Unhelpful Thoughts: I am going to lose my friends. My friends will forget about me. I will end up alone. I won't be able to make more friends. 
  • Facts that support: The pandemic limits me from seeing my friends in person and I usually only see them in person. I am someone who has a hard time bonding and building relationships virtually, unless face-to-face. 
  • Facts that refute: I have a close bond with my current friends. I can find other ways to connect with them over the pandemic. They are going through the same situation. 
• Alternative Thought: Even though it will be harder for me than it was before the pandemic, I can discuss with my friends and plan ways for us to continue spending time with one another while social-distancing.
• Re-rate Emotion: Relaxed, Excited, Calm (30%)

Leaves on a Stream is another therapeutic exercise we can use to take a step back and look at our thoughts in a calm way. This exercise asks you to visualize a stream and as your thoughts enter your mind, to imagine those thoughts and distractions on a leaf floating away on the stream. When doing so, we can better manage our thoughts and evaluate them in a calm state of manner. Take a look at this worksheet for detailed instructions. Also, here is a video with audio if you prefer to this exercise in this method.

Use these worksheets next time you notice that an anxiety provoking situation is causing you to have negative thoughts. When reworking our thoughts, they will improve our mood.