Becoming Aware of Your Upseang Thoughts and

Feelings
Many people deal with their problems by trying to avoid painful thoughts, feelings, sensaWons,
and memories. They think that if they just distract themselves from these inner experiences,
then they will be fine.
However, while avoiding these unpleasant inner experiences may help temporarily, these
strategies usually only work for a short period of Wme. There is also a significant personal cost
to your avoidance. Some people spend hours each day avoiding the things that could upset
them instead of using this Wme to enjoy life. This worksheet is designed to help you examine
how you are avoiding the things that cause you to be anxious and upset, and how this keeps
you from having a happier and more fulfilling life.
Begin by lisWng the inner experiences you are trying to avoid.
List three thoughts that upset you.
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List three feelings that upset you.

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List three sensaWons that upset you.

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List three memories that upset you.

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Write any addiWonal upseang thoughts, feelings, sensaWons, or memories here.
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Now think about the things you do to avoid these unpleasant inner experiences.
List the things you do to distract yourself from unpleasant inner experiences.
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List the acWviWes or events you avoid to keep from having painful inner experiences.
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List the places you avoid to keep from having painful inner experiences.
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List the people you avoid to keep from having painful inner experiences.
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List substances—including alcohol, cigare+es, drugs, and food—you use to try and avoid
unpleasant inner experiences.
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Is there anything else you do to avoid unpleasant or painful inner experiences?
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Now go back to what you have wri+en and circle the three things you do most onen to avoid
unpleasant inner experiences.

In the space below, write down how your life might be different if you could accept these
unpleasant inner experiences rather than work so hard to avoid them.
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