What is the theory behind this anxiety what if worksheet?
Cognitive distortions are internal mental biases or filters that exacerbate our worry and increase anxiety. One of the cognitive distortions known as catastrophizing is the tendency to assume the worst in every situation, regardless of how unlikely it is. What-if queries are frequently accompanied by this cognitive error. To address these faulty cognitions, cognitive restructuring, a CBT tool, is used.
How will the worksheet help?
The worksheet will psychoeducate clients about cognitive distortions and help clients to identify their own cognitive distortion and deal with them.
How to use the worksheet?
The therapist uses this worksheet to psychoeducate clients about cognitive distortions. Identifying one’s own cognitive distortion is a difficult task so the therapist will provide this worksheet to the client during the session and assist him.
Anxiety what If Worksheet
“What if” are the questions that make our anxiety worse. During Anxious state our mind generates “what if” questions leading to negative consequences that play a role in maintaining the anxiety cycle. List your “What if” negative questions, and try to make their alternative “what if” positive question.
| “What if” negative question | Evidence for | Evidence against | Alternative “what if” positive question. |
| Sample What If I got fired? | Recently My friend got fired. | My boss praised me for my work in a recent meeting. | What If I got promoted? |
References
10 cognitive distortions you’ll learn about in therapy. (2011, March 3). Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/ten-cognitive-distortions-identified-in-cbt-22412
You can download this worksheet here.