If you have trouble talking to a group of people or talking to people when you do not know them, being asked to share your experiences at group therapy for rehab. Not being able to express yourself during a situation like that can make a group therapy session come to a halt. When that happens, you can experience symptoms that only make talking up that much more difficult, which usually come from anxieties.
Coping with Anxiety
However, not all situations like this come from clinical or diagnosed anxiety, which means no access to medicines that can help treat anxiety attacks. If this sounds like you and you are expecting to go into a group therapy session sometime soon whether from going into an inpatient program at a rehab center or during outpatient rehab, there are some methods that you can use that may help you open up easier to better participate in group therapy. For the most part, these methods are focused on calming yourself and they can usually be done almost anywhere, even if other people are around. They include:
- Take Deep Breaths and other breathing exercises (i.e. foursquare breathing exercise)
- Count backwards from ten (start at larger numbers if you’re feeling especially anxious)
- Close your eyes to minimize external stimulation
- Shake your body like an animal
- Pectoral door stretches
- Unclench your jaw to relieve tension and headaches
- Give yourself a hug (wrap arms over your chest and reach for your back
Though using these methods might not work in every scenario for every rehab patient, they are very effective for most people to get the most out of group therapy. If the idea of talking in front of your group therapy session causes you to to go quiet or panic, giving the strategies here a try may go a long way in helping you cope with the symptoms of anxiety.
To get started with inpatient or outpatient rehab, there are a few ways that you can contact us. You can do so either by clicking “contact us”, by calling us at (855) 425-4846, or by visiting our Pompano Beach rehab center.
