I’m so scared and I don’t know why.
CONSIDER THIS:
- Not knowing why you’re scared can make you feel confused and alone. You are brave for admitting you’re fearful of something and trying to get help with figuring out what’s wrong with you.
- If you need someone to talk to, you can head to the Teen Central website and click the Help tab to call one of the hotlines or use a text line. You may also speak to a trusted therapist, school counselor or religious leader.
- On the Teen Central website, you can click the Learn tab to read about issues you may have such as anxiety or depression. The Tools tab has downloadable resources for maintaining positivity, doing yoga or understanding healthy relationships among others. The Stories tab has stories submitted by other teens that you can read.
- If you feel afraid, you might have anxiety or depression. You can educate yourself about these issues by reading educational internet articles and books on the subjects. Understanding these issues can help you deal with them better. If you can’t find a way to deal with your problem by yourself, you can speak to a trusted therapist.
- You can be more positive by repeating positive affirmations to yourself whenever you feel the need to. You may also read inspirational quotes and/or write down a few things you’re grateful for each day. Keep yourself from spiralling out of control by staying hopeful. You can have hope by always having something to look forward to, especially a meaningful activity. This could be finding something positive to laugh at, volunteering, reading a favorite book, watching cartoons or spending time with a pet.
- Spirituality can help you calm your fears or anxiety, feel less alone, live in the moment more, focus better, bring meaning into your life and help you have something to believe in. Prayer, meditation and yoga are useful spiritual techniques to try. You may also want to attend church services.
- Volunteering can give you a meaningful activity to focus on, improve your health and happiness, help you find positive friends who think like you and change someone’s life for the better. Some ways to volunteer include reading to children at your local library, writing letters or sending care packages from home, conserving the environment by planting a garden, helping out at a pet shelter or training to become a counselor among others. You can find opportunities online or in your area by visiting websites like Volunteermatch. If you lack unconditional love at home, you may want to foster or adopt a cat or dog from a pet shelter. You can have a constant companion and give an animal the love and home they deserve in return.
- If you have unhealthy relationships, you can benefit from learning to keep appropriate boundaries. You have the right to say no if someone makes you uncomfortable, angry etc. You don’t have to have a relationship with anyone, including family or friends, who crosses your boundaries, bullies you or abuses you. If you’re forced to see or speak to these types of negative people, you can find ways to get away from them as often as possible. You may try going to the library, park, or focusing on homework or other activities to get away.
- Creativity can help you express your feelings in a healthy manner, feel less alone, be more positive and use your imagination more. Some creative activities are creative writing, drawing, coloring in a coloring book, making crafts, playing a musical instrument, clay sculpture or painting among others.
HELP YOURSELF:
- In what ways can committing to having a positive mindset improve your life now and in the future?
- In what ways do you deserve to have healthy relationships, positive goals for the future and a meaningful life?
- How can you commit to living the life you deserve as a human being?
- How can focusing on something positive help you push your fears out of your mind?
