Anxiety & Stress
Anxiety and Stress
Anxiety and stress are often used interchangeably. In short, stress is a physically, emotionally, or psychologically strained reaction. It is a tool used by the body to respond to change in our environment. Stress can cause anxiousness, which may be characterized by feelings of dread, increased arousal, and worry. Stress and anxiety are natural physiological responses part of the human experience. When these feelings become persistent, pervasive, and impair day-to-day functioning you could be experiencing an anxiety disorder. A chemical imbalance involving two chemicals in the brain (norepinephrine and serotonin) may contribute to the development of anxiety disorders.
Symptoms
Accelerated breathing, shortness of breath Restlessness
Dizziness Fatigue
Muscle tension Irritability
Sweating Difficulty concentrating
Head and stomach aches Compulsively completing rituals like hand washing
Excessively worrying how others think of you Perfectionism paired with fear of failure
Let's Break the Stigma
31.9% of adolescents experience anxiety disorders in the United States.
When you are feeling anxious..
Talk to someone you trust
Tell a trusted adult, a friend, your school counselor, or someone in the wellness center.
Utilize some coping skills
Breathing exercises, mediation, physical movement, time outdoors, and journaling are some useful coping mechanisms. This webpage discusses some potential coping skills for moments of anxiety or stress.
Talk to a mental health professional
If feelings of anxiety are preventing you from regular day-to-day functioning, like participating in your favorite activities, going to school, or spending time with friends, mental health professionals have tools to help you feel better, like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).
Coping Skills
**These should not replace being seen by a mental health professional**
Take care of yourself by eating regular, well-balanced meals and drinking less caffeine.
Get the right amount of sleep. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends 9-12 hours of sleep per night for children aged 6-12 and 8-10 hours of sleep per night for adolescents aged 13-18. Improving sleep hygiene promotes a good night's rest. Sleep hygiene may look like creating a short bedtime routine with relaxing elements like a warm shower, turning off screens an hour before bed, and only using your bed for sleeping (not sitting in bed to do homework or read).
Exercise on a regular basis. Create space in your schedule for daily movement that is enjoyable to you. This could be walking your dog, practicing yoga, or participating in a team sport.
Keep a journal. Write anything! Make a list of the things that are triggering your anxious thoughts, write what you are grateful for, or journal about a time or place where you felt peaceful. Journaling can "offload" your worries and help you to focus on other things.
Practice the 4 A's of stress relief:
Avoid. If possible, sometimes avoiding situations or commitments contributing to stress can be beneficial. Say no to hangin gout with friends who add to your anxiety or to extracurricular activities that you consistently dread.
Alter. Tweak circumstances that make you anxious. Do you dread homework for a certain class? Try listening to relaxing music while you work on it. Do you just dread going to school? Try planning a fun activity to look forward to once you get home, like your favorite TV show or hanging out with you best friend. Don’t over-commit yourself. If you’re already too busy, don’t promise to decorate for the school dance. If you’re tired and don’t want to go out, tell your friends you’ll go another night.
Accept. If you cannot avoid or alter the situations causing your stress or anxiety, work ot accept them. This is easier said than done and working with a therapist can be incredibly helpful. Talk to a trusted adult or someone in the school wellness center who can connect you with a therapist or counselor.
Adapt. Changing our expectations is another effective way to relieve anxiety. Lower your expectations of yourself if perfectionism is causing your anxiety. Try to reroute your thoughts when you begin replaying an embarrassing or stressful moment in your mind. Give yourself a break. Remember that you can’t make everyone in your life happy all the time. And it’s okay to make mistakes now and then.
Parents, Caregivers, and Teachers
Here are some tips for engaging with your student when they are feeling anxious:
Empathize. When your student says something or has a reaction that seems extreme... pause. Take a breath. Listen and validate. This is an opportunity for you to show them you are supportive and that you care. Here are some examples of what you could say:
"I can see you are feeling... (upset, frightened, anxious, stressed, angry)."
"That must have been so hard for you."
"So I am hearing that... (summarize what they told you). Am I understanding correctly?"
Relate. After listening and validating, offer your own experience. Let them know when you felt the same way. Were you anxious in high school? Sharing your own experience can humanize you and reassure your student that what they are feeling is normal.
Ask. If you know or sense that your student is anxious, check in regularly. If they tell you something alarming, try to keep your cool so they don't feel ashamed or nervous about sharing their feelings with you again in the future. Here are some questions you could ask:
"I know you have a test (game, performance, etc.) coming up, how are you feeling about it?"
"We have a busy weekend coming up, are you feeling stressed about it?"
"What's been on your mind today?"
