The first thing to remember is that it is normal to feel anxiety when you are going through stressful times. If you feel like your anxiety is becoming unbearable, that’s a sign that you need to take a break and take care of yourself. Managing stress means utilizing good coping skills to get through the present moment. It also means taking breaks throughout the day if you are starting to feel overwhelmed. A lot of times you can start feeling anxious if you are very hungry or if you did not get enough sleep the night before. We have 11 things that you can do to combat anxiety:
- Get at least 8 hours of sleep every night
- Stop drinking caffeine, especially if you are under stress
- Eat healthy foods and stay away from the sugar “crash” that comes from drinking sugar drinks and eating things like donuts and candy bars
- Exercise everyday
- Meditate before bed (use a meditation app or search YouTube for "mindfulness meditation" tracks)
- Write down your fears and worries in a journal or notebook
- Use the Mood App to keep track of when you feel anxious and see if you can find a pattern
- Talk to someone you trust about how you feel
- Meet with your school counselor or your therapist
- Call Your Life Your Voice and speak with a trained counselor: 1-800-448-3000
- See your doctor if the anxiety will not go away