With the oral exam looming ahead, she sat on the bathroom floor rocking back and forth, crying, desperately wishing someone to kill her before school started. The thought of an oral exam almost made her belch. This girl has anxiety, not just the emotion, but the disorder.
Anxiety is a common emotion, however, for people with the disorder, anxiety is so extreme that it takes over their lives. It comes in many different forms, so it is not easy to tell. Panic attacks, phobias, and social anxiety are some of them. Social anxiety occurs more commonly for teens as they especially have to endure judgement everyday, from peers and teachers alike, so it is not surprising that some even have an unreasonable fear of social situations. Panic attacks can also be common; it is when a person is constantly worrying, sometimes without a reason to be. They can be severe, and the victim may feel like they can’t breath. It gets harder and harder to talk to someone and harder to think about what to do. “During a panic attack everything's a mess and nothing makes sense,” adds a victim of anxiety. Sadly, anxiety can also bring along a friend; depression.
Depression is a medical condition that affects how you think, behave and function. It is a growing problem amongst the young, and about 121 million worldwide are affected. It can be mainly caused by anxiety, which comes from pressure and stress and school and at home. The workload teens face from these days can be a great deal, alongside the pressure to get into good schools and other extra curricular activities. On top of that, students are always labelled by the numbers and rankings they get in school as well as the labels from other students, it is common to know that most have self esteem problems.This can happen to anyone, however, for people suffering from anxiety, this is how it feels like all the time. Sometimes, for children, the anxiety and the fear of being judged can affect their education. One 13 year old student at UWC shared that “I used to play rugby, but there were no girls teams so I had to play with the boys”. She added that “Because of this I obviously felt judged and I quit doing something I loved”. She is not the only one, as a lot of kids stop following their passion because of the fear of what people think. Anxiety may stop you from following your dreams and stress out from school, however, there are many ways to help.
Nowadays, there are plenty of support groups available, physically and even online. More and more people have also become more aware about topics like this. It is important to do what is best for yourself, and know that there are other people who also feel the same and who are here to help. There are a lot of antidepressants and medication available, however, make sure it is safe and prescribed before use.
Apart from medication, there plenty of other methods to help deal with panic attacks or anxiety. One anonymous tumblr user suggested going outside and taking in the fresh air. They also suggested practicing breathing techniques, also advising to “practise them before, when you feel calm, so you know how to use them and they are familiar to you when you need them”. Taking deep breaths and counting to 10 also helps. Listen to music, read and take a time-out.
It is also important to talk to someone who you feel comfortable with. If there isn’t anyone you know who understands, there are a lot of support groups on the internet or in your area. Like mentioned before, there are many others dealing with the same person. Letting it out instead of keeping it all in is extremely helpful. One of the main causes of panic attacks is stress, and stress can be caused by the lack of sleep. Let your body rest and get additional sleep. If your anxiety is stopping you from getting any rest, try focusing on your breathing or counting. As well as rest, your body will also still need balanced meals. Do not skip any meals, and have energy boosting snacks at hand.
Anxiety and panic attacks aren’t things you can ignore, and should be acknowledged. If someone needs help, they shouldn't be ignored.
