I am a high achieving student with many fears of failure, and overall a ton of anxiety and in the past OCD. I am going to therapy weekly and taking medication, but none of it seems to be working. Currently I am struggling the most in school, and in general a super busy person (all of which I like to do). Recently I am doing poorly on my assessments and can’t focus at all. I am just really upset due to the efforts I have taken and yet my life is unraveling. I don’t know what to do, even hanging out with my friends at lunch I get super overwhelmed. I am crying everyday and just stuck. My whole life is falling apart.
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. 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.
- I am proud of you and think you are strong that you are already in therapy. 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.
- Please know that you never have to feel that you are being a burden when you’re trying to take care of yourself! Take some time and read about anxiety. We have some information under our LEARN tab. Anxiety is not a one size that fits all and there is no quick fix. Anxiety is like your brain’s alarm system. It’s there to help keep you safe when something is dangerous, but sometimes the alarm goes off even when you’re not in real danger. Unfortunately, your alarm system is unpredictable which is not very helpful when you must juggle school, friends, and life. But the more you understand and know about anxiety hopefully, the more grace you can give yourself. Anxiety is more complicated than you think and you can’t just pop out the batteries of this alarm.
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.
- You asked what comes next? This is your journey. You write your story. Keep positive friends in your circle that understand your situation. If you feel overwhelmed you can give them a safe word or send them a text and they can do whatever you want them to/ they are able to do ( either give you space or support you more depending on what you prefer). If there are certain school assignments that you know need to be completed use this planning TOOL from our site to cut off the anxiety before it starts. Lastly, stay positive. Our brain is one giant circuit board that is wired. Right now your wires are sparking. Every night maybe try keeping a journal and writing down the positive things that happened to you that day, no matter how small. If that seems scary, again you can use our TOOL worksheet. Remember, you can’t just turn off this alarm but you can try to prevent the fire before it starts. If there never was a fire and the alarm just goes off, look towards that inner strength and use your coping skills to get through it and reflect on it later. You got this!
