my anxiety gets the worst when it comes to school or it feels like i’m being left by anyone. i can be out with my friends, even in crowded places, and i’m fine. i could be home alone or just out of the house anywhere and i’m fine. but when i’m in school, i think i feel trapped and can’t get out. i know a lot of people – it’s not that i don’t have friends or anyone i can go to – but i feel like i can’t leave or something could happen.
HELP YOURSELF
- It is not always easy to talk about those moments when we feel anxious, so thank you for opening up and sharing your story on TeenCentral.com. If you take time to browse through some of the other stories on the website, you can read about how others have tried to manage their anxiety in similar situations. Knowing that you are not the only one going through the same thing may offer a sense of relief and remind you that you do not need to face these feelings on your own!
- Sometimes when we are feeling trapped or worried that something negative may happen, it can help to express those emotions, rather than bottling them up inside. Even if you have many friends who are normally able to help, the reality is that it may be hard to reach them at certain points during the day, especially if you are all at school. If you ever need a safe and supportive individual who is available to listen whenever you need it, you can always start a conversation with somebody from the Crisis Textline by texting “HELLO” to 741741.
- Although it sounds like you have a strong system of supportive friends, are there any adults at your school who may be able to offer you some additional help when you are feeling anxious? Even though teachers may not always be available as they are leading a class, perhaps there is an aide or counselor who would be able to help you process your feelings in a safe space. Leaving a situation to receive the help and support you need may seem like a disruption to the learning process, but trying to tough it out and manage your anxiety on your own is probably the biggest distraction that you could face.
CONSIDER THIS
- When you are feeling anxious at school, have you ever thought about how you are physically responding to this stress? Oftentimes when we feel trapped, our bodies can start reacting without us even becoming aware of what is really happening. It can be a little scary to feel like we do not seem to have any control over the situation or even our own bodies! Instead of becoming overwhelmed by these anxious feelings, you could try doing some breathing exercises to help calm both your body and your mind. Check out more information about these simple, yet effective techniques by reading Calm Your Breathing – Anxiety Help on TeenCentral’s What’s New Blog.
- It is great that you seem to have isolated that the source of a lot of your anxiety seems to be associated with the school environment. Now, if you are able to notice any early warning signs that you are starting to become anxious, take action and respond by utilizing healthy coping skills. The classroom may seem to limit your options, but you can always doodle or write down your favorite song lyrics. Even if you do not have pencil and paper, try thinking of your favorite place and how you experience it through your senses – what can you smell, hear, taste, see, and feel? Utilizing these distraction techniques can often free us from feeling trapped and help us tolerate stressful situations.
- Sometimes it may be challenging to process your thoughts with another person, especially if you seem to be most anxious while at school. However, have you ever considered journaling as a way to express your feelings? By writing down how you are feeling in a particular moment, you can then look back and learn a lot about yourself and gain valuable insights about your emotions. It is also probably a pretty easy way to manage your anxious feelings without attracting a lot of extra attention in the middle of class! If you have never tried journaling, you can read more about how to get started by checking out the post Journaling as a Coping Skill for Stress on the What’s New Blog of TeenCentral.com.
