Anxiety Prevention For College Students Plan

Mary Winford

January/31/2021

Rationale

While I was in undergrad I struggled with anxiety and it affected my ability to focus in

class. I met some friends in my residence hall, and they were also diagnosed with anxiety. I

spent the last 2 years of undergrad seeing the effects of anxiety on college students such as my

friends, classmates, and myself. I have learned methods of coping with anxiety and so have my

friends. I have seen how healthy coping helped my friends and I do well in school. I recognize

that when my anxiety was really bad I could not function in school. Therefore, I believe it is

important to have a prevention workshop to reduce levels of anxiety.

The following workshop is designed to address the effects of anxiety on college

students. In the first session, students learn what anxiety is and how to recognize feelings of

anxiety in their everyday lives. They will learn about the negative effect it can have on college

students. The second session discusses mindfulness. It focuses on being aware of feelings and

sensations experienced in certain situations. It will help students recognize the feeling and listen

to it. The third session focuses on relaxation exercises such as breathing exercise. This will help

prevent anxiety by giving a relaxing breathing method to help the student cope. The fourth

session is about healthy life changes used to prevent anxiety. The second, third and fourth

sessions are focused on prevention. If students learned ways of relaxing during anxiety

provoking or stressful situations, it should help prevent the students from having anxiety attacks.

Also, learning about mindfulness should help the students learn to manage their feelings of

anxiety. Lastly, practicing healthy habits such as sleeping enough, eating healthy, and

exercising should be physically and mentally beneficial to the body as well. Therefore, it could

prevent future anxiety issues.

 Anxiety Prevention For College Students Plan

Session 1: What is anxiety

Goal:

● Help bring awareness to the students about what anxiety is and how it affects people.

Objectives:

● Students will learn what anxiety is.

● Students will learn how it affects college students.

● Students will be presented with data on the negative effects of anxiety.

Methods:

● Activity: What is anxiety

○ Students will each describe anxiety in their own words.

○ They will then write down situations where they felt anxious.

○ Next, they will discuss with a partner about those situations.

Session 2: Mindfulness

Goal:

● To help students to become aware of their feelings including, feelings of anxiety.

Objectives:

● Students will recognize what types of situations bring them anxiety.

● Students will become more mindful of their emotions.

Methods:

● Activity: the Observer Meditation

○ Students will sit down and try to clear their mind of thoughts.
 ○ They will focus on the room they are sitting in and picture themselves from

the outside.

○ Next, they will try to feel their skin and imagine the shape of their skin as

they sit and shift their awareness toward any sensations they feel.

○ They will then recognize any emotions that appear and create a space for

them.

● Activity Homework

○ If facing an anxiety inducing situation, write down the emotions experienced.

Session 3: Relaxation techniques

Goal: Learn to relax before and during anxiety inducing situations

● Students will practice relaxation exercises.

● Students will learn which methods help them become more relaxed.

● Students will use relaxation techniques in situations where they feel anxious.

Methods:

● Activity: Breathing techniques

○ Students will practice breathing exercises by sitting and place a hand on their

chest and one on their stomach.

○ They will take slow breaths through their nose and watch and sense their hands as

they breathe in.

○ They will then breath out through their mouth slowly

○ Then they will repeat 10 times

Session 4: Healthy habits for Anxiety reduction

 ● Students will be presented with data that shows the effects of different healthy habits on

anxiety.

● Students will make a plan on the healthy habits they would like to include in their daily

life

Methods:

● Activity: Healthy Plans

○ After being educated on healthy habits to reduce anxiety such as setting a sleep

schedule to get 7 or more hours of sleep, an exercise schedule, eating healthy, and

meditation, students will choose 2 methods that they promise to commit to first.

○ Next they will match up with the people who chose the same healthy habits and

discuss why they chose those.

○ Next they will meet with those who chose different healthy habits and talk about

why they chose those.

○ Next they will write down how they think they would feel if they commit to each

healthy habit.
 Helpful Websites:

https://ibcces.org/blog/2019/05/01/impact-anxiety-depression-student-progress/#:~:text=When

%20students%20have%20anxiety%20and,practices%20and%20low%20self%20esteem.

https://buckeyerecoverynetwork.com/college-anxiety-guide/

https://www.healthline.com/health/anxiety-exercises

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/eating-well-to-help-manage-anxiety-your-questions-

answered-2018031413460

https://positivepsychology.com/mindfulness-exercises-techniques-activities/

https://www.healthline.com/health/breathing-exercises-for-anxiety#equal-breath