Dealing with Anxiety
Have you ever felt the feeling of panic rising in your chest? That feeling that makes everything but your racing heart and fear fade to the background? If you haven’t, chances are you know someone who has. While the feeling that was just described may seem awful, there are people who go through life having to deal with this every day, and you might not even know it. This condition is called an anxiety disorder. It can come in many forms and may even feel a hundred times worse than what was just described. Some types of anxiety are OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder), PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), social anxiety, and panic disorders. There are many more. As you can probably tell, dealing with anxiety is a terrible thing, but imagine having to deal with it at school! I’m going to cover a few tricks to help you calm down and breath if you ever feel like you’re going to have a panic attack.
The first trick is counting. It may seem stupid, but if you can take your mind off of what’s making you feel unsafe, do it. Counting is the trick that I find works best for me. Count your breaths, count how many beads are on your necklace, count how many bumps are on your chair; you can count anything!
The second trick is similar to the first. You find five things you can see, four things you can feel, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste. This also distracts your mind and can help you calm down. Repeat the steps if necessary, and take as long as you need to distract yourself.
Third, always have a way out of an uncomfortable situation. Have an excuse. Is a stranger talking to you and making you nervous? Check your phone and claim that your mom needs you. Never be afraid to use the parent excuse: “I’m sorry, my mom needs help cleaning the living room, I can’t go out,” or “I’m sorry, my dad just texted, I have to leave.” Then, you can make your escape.
Fourth, have a comfort object. If you’ve had a stuffed bear since you were five and it helps you to calm down, carry it in your bag. If it embarrasses you, don’t show it to people. It doesn’t matter if it’s a stuffed animal, a piece of jewelry, a phone, a rock, or a sweater. If it brings you comfort and makes you feel safe, then keep it by you.
The fifth and final trick is to ask your teacher (or parent) if you can leave the room and take a quick break if you get too uncomfortable or upset. Go to the bathroom and be alone for a few moments. Walk a bit and breathe. Life is going to hit you hard, and sometimes you’re going to be feeling the blow for a long time, but that doesn’t mean that you should live your life feeling scared to get hit again. Sometimes, you have to stand up and use everything you have to hit life back so that you can walk away feeling happy.