Anxiety

Anxiety is a complex problem and can affect anyone at any time in their lives. However, to comprehend anxiety, we need to delve into what it feels like, what it looks like and how it presents itself in our thoughts and in our bodies.

Some feelings of anxiety are quite normal and you could be just you having a bad day and feeling irritable. Nonetheless, if your worries and fears are consistently We often hear the word anxiety mentioned without fully understanding what it actually overwhelming and you are feeling different from usual and you notice a change in your behaviour, please reach out and talk to someone.

Is it anxiety?

If your symptoms affect your emotional health or make everyday life difficult, it’s a good idea to see a doctor to rule out any medical issues that could be causing the same symptoms. If your physical symptoms have no medical cause you could have anxiety. A mental health professional can diagnose anxiety and other mental health conditions.

Signs and Symptoms of Anxiety

Thinking – mind racing or going blank, decreased concentration and memory, indecisiveness, confusion, nightmares.
Feeling – Unrealistic or excessive fear and worry (about past and future events), irritability, impatience, anger, nervousness, fear of dying.
Behaviour – Avoidance of situations, obsessive or compulsive behaviour, distress in social situations, insomnia, increased use of alcohol, tranquilisers or other drugs.

Feelings and affects from anxiety

Racing thoughts
Headaches
Sweating
Dry mouth
Shortness of breath
Pounding heart
Stomach pain, nausea, digestive problems
Feeling wobbly, trembling or shaking
Insomnia or other sleep issues (waking up frequently, for example)
Tearful

Where to get help

Learning self-compassion and being kinder to yourself

One way of dealing with our anxieties is being compassionate towards ourselves rather than critical. Give yourself encouragement and praise yourself when overcoming obstacles. Take a moment to think about how you treat yourself when you make a mistake or fail to reach a goal. If you tend to beat yourself up when things go wrong, you, like most young people, can use a little more self-compassion in your life.

Forgiving and nurturing yourself seem to have benefits in their own right. Strong self-compassion can even set the stage for better health, relationships, and general well-being. So far, research has revealed a number of benefits of self-compassion. Lower levels of anxiety and depression have been observed in people with higher self-compassion. Self-compassionate people recognize when they are suffering and are kind to themselves at these times, thereby lowering their own levels of related anxiety and depression.

Exercise

Exercise does more than build muscles. It also releases chemicals in the brain that improve mood and relaxation, and tires muscles to decrease anxiety symptoms. It’s one of the most valuable tools for controlling anxiety a person can integrate into their lives.

A Healthy Diet

A healthy body is often the key to a healthier mind. Eating fruits, vegetables, wholegrain, lean proteins and the occasional treat allows the body to build a healthy heart, lungs, and muscles that will in turn lessen the strain that anxiety causes the body. Healthy eating doesn’t have to be boring just find what you enjoy eating.

Positive Feedback

Letting a child or a teen know that they are worthwhile and can do whatever they set their minds to will help them to retain a sense of worth as a person when mood swings and teenage drama get them down. Even when they do something stupid due to a lack of judgment, it is good to be as supportive as possible.

A Supportive Attitude

Even when a teen’s desires and dreams seem unreasonable or far-fetched, bear in mind that they are more likely to want to do the opposite of what you say than follow through with doing something you casually approve of. This type of attitude will limit stress on the teen by making them feel as though they have someone on their side and also limit strain in familial relationships.

Meditation

Meditation is a great way for teens and young adults to get time to themselves and also a method of teaching them to discipline their minds and bodies to work for rather than against them. Learning controlled breathing techniques and how to relax their minds will help them to cope with all the stresses they face on a daily basis and provide them with a drug and risk-free method of escaping reality.

Find a Safe Place

If you recognise the signs of the early stages of anxiety in you signs, it is important for you to move to a safe place and prevent yourselves from becoming overwhelmed. Some people may have many ‘safe places’ while others may find it hard to feel safe anywhere. A safe place should help you to feel calm and be somewhere you are comfortable being whatever ‘state’ you are in. A safe place can be a psychical place, a trusted person or a state of mind.

Joining a Club

Finding a club to join is a good idea even for young people that are not as comfortable in social situations. Clubs allow them to engage in activities they are passionate about, with people who share the same interests, rather than forcing them to assimilate socially. Having people to talk to and activities to do, whether it’s knitting, reading, playing chess or protecting animal rights, is a reliable way to relieve stress and promote positivity and purpose.

Self-Help Books or Groups

Self-help books are a more private way of seeking help, while groups offer support from peers going through similar challenges. These types of resources can provide children, teens and young adults with tips and philosophies to help them to cope better with their anxiety symptoms and to prevent anxiety from controlling their lives.

Therapy and Coaching

There are many different forms of talking therapy, which generally involve talking about your thoughts, feelings and life experiences with a trained professional, either on your own or as part of a group. This process can help you to spot unhelpful thoughts and behaviours and think about what you can do to change these patterns.

Have a look at our counselling and therapy page to find out more about the different types of talking therapy, how they can help, and what happens in a therapy session.