Family Focused Therapy in Bipolar

Our goal is to help you reduce your anxiety by reforming the way you think. In addition, we will help you reduce and test your anxiety level by providing you with some strategies to reduce anxiety.

Turning negative thinking habits into positive thinking

The Intention is to help you reduce your anxiety by replacing negative thinking with positive thinking. Ask someone in your family to participate with you through the steps in the next worksheet.

Reduce Anxiety

Next we will help you reduce your anxiety. We will use strategies to help you reduce your feeling of uneasiness. Follow the techniques and strategies below to build coping skills.

Deep breathing exercises

You can ask your family to participate with you in this article. All of those who participate will be asked to do some deep breathing exercises. For about two to five minutes, each of you performs the breathing techniques at intervals. Close your eyes while concentrating on the air that is going in and out of your lungs. Take some deep breaths until you notice that the lungs and abdomen is filled and then hold your breath and then exhale.

Next, ask your family to assist you with tensing and relaxing muscle groupings. Tense and relax your neck and shoulders. By performing this action you will become aware of the relaxation of muscles. You can learn to relax more. In addition, you will feel more in control of your anxiety.

With your family participating, ask all members to join you in positive self-talk while thinking about

1) Rational responses to counter the negative thoughts

2) Thoughts that help you cope with stress

3) Thoughts that help you to focus: For example: “I have the ability to conquer my disorder” “Some anxiety is good” “I can solve my problems by breaking them down into parts”

Now, each of you moves to visualize yourselves doing well. Do not compare yourself to others. Once you complete the session give each member including yourself a reward for your efforts.

Summary

In the last article, we asked you to join your family in how to reduce negative thinking by replacing your negative thoughts with positive thinking. We also helped you to learn how to reduce anxiety. In next article, we will learn how to solve problems effectively and resolve conflicts.

Help is available online - use the links below to learn more or to take a test.