As a teenager you will experience and endure a wide range of emotions, many of which are interconnect and can greatly contribute to compounding insecurities. It is impossible to move through your adolescence without feelings of anxiety. Anxiety is a normal, emotional reaction to danger, and has been explained as “the body’s automatic fight-or-flight response that is triggered when you feel threatened, under pressure, or are facing a challenging situation.” It is the body’s natural response to stress. There are several benefits to experiencing occasional anxiety, as Psychology Today asserts that “anxiety is built into our primate origins as a warning system.” Anxiety can help you avoid danger because its presence elicits a heightened state of alertness which in turn can help to detect and attend to potential threats. Anxiety can enhance empathy. Situational anxiety can contribute to boosting your motivation and increasing performance levels. Nevertheless, the symptoms of anxiety can be unpleasant, especially when they occur at school. To learn how to best manage your anxiety, consider the following suggestions:
- Focus on external stimuli: look around you and notice tangible items in your surroundings; this can be both grounding and helpful in gaining perspective over your anxiety.
- Breathe: focus on slowing down your breath to help pull your focus away from your anxiety and onto your breath.
- Acknowledge your feelings: although it may seem that your anxiety will last forever, it won’t; by acknowledging and naming your feelings you can help diffuse your angst.
- Arm yourself with a robust supply of relaxation tools and techniques: Test out as many different relaxation methods as you can to figure out what resonates with you best. Consider trying out meditation, yoga, reading, listening to music, journaling, etc. to help quiet your mind. Research has found that meditation can help lower blood pressure, reduce feelings of anxiety and depression, improve insomnia, and more.
- Recognize when you need help and get it: Even if you are fully equipped with an abundance of different coping mechanisms and strategies that have worked in the past, there may be some situations that require additional, outside support. If you are experiencing frequent and/ or severe bouts of anxiety it is best to err on the side of caution and consult a mental health professional.
Learning a variety of strategies to overcome anxiety, whenever and wherever it presents, can help enhance your social and emotional development.
For Information and Support
Every family in need of mental health treatment must select a program that will best suit the needs of their family. When one member of a family struggles, it impacts everyone in the family unit. To maximize the benefits of treatment we work closely with the entire family to ensure that everyone is receiving the support they need through these difficult times. Seeking help is never easy, but you are not alone! If you or someone you know needs mental health treatment, we strongly encourage you to reach out for help as quickly as possible. It is not uncommon for many mental health difficulties to impact a person’s life, long term. Pursuing support at the beginning of one’s journey can put the individual in the best position to learn how to manage themselves in a healthy way so they can go on to live happy and fulfilling lives.
OUR KNOWLEDGEABLE ADMISSIONS TEAM CAN BE REACHED 24/7 AT INFO@PACIFICRTC.COM OR CALL: 800-531-5769 We are available to answer any questions you may have regarding mental health treatment and our residential program, anytime. Contact us today using the form to the right.
