Coping with anxiety

solves the problem that is causing the anxiety

• Examples:
• anxiety about an upcoming examination is reduced by studying effectively and passes the exam

discharge from the hospital is handled by writing down medications, dates and times of follow up appoitments ect.. the patient keeps appoitments and attends self- help meetings, takes medications and returns to work

• Temporarily decreases the anxiety but does not solve the problem, so the anxiety eventually returns
• temporary relief allows the patient to return to problem solving

• Examples:
• anxiety about the examination is temporarliy reduced by jogging for half an hour. Effective studying is then possible and a passing grade

discharge is handled by watching television in the evening in the morning the patient takes the discharge instructions written by the nurse and puts them in his pocked he keeps first follow-up appoitment and some self help groups and returns to work

Unsuccessful attempts to decrease the anxiety wothout attempting to solve the problem the anxiety remains

• Examples:
• anxiety about the examination is first ignored by going to a movie and then handled by frantically cramming for a few hours

discharge is handled by saying that he remembers all the appoitments and meetings, and medication directions will be on the bottles forgets to take noon meds and is anxious all day

• Not sucessful
• examples:
• goes out drinking the night before the exam and fails has to repeat the couse

ignores the discharge instructions and is brought back to the hospital in 3 weeks and repeats the process