Stress / Anxiety

Stress and mental health challenges are not something to be ashamed of. Talking to someone about what you’re feeling is actually the best way to make the shame dissolve.

It’s impossible to know how to do something you’ve never learned, so it’s okay to ask people for ideas. Whether it’s sharing your favorite breathing trick for when you feel panicked or a go-to image to relax when you’re doing public speaking, everyone has had to find ways to deal with stress and bad moods. Learning more about what you’re experiencing, finding supportive people to help you navigate it, and identifying what additional resources you need are part of managing your health as you become an adult.

Anxiety can form in different ways. Some people have specific fears about things like dogs or needles, fear of social interactions or strangers, or fear of sensations and certain spaces (heights, the dark, etc.). Other times anxiety is mostly physical causing panic attacks or fainting. If you are experiencing anxiety that is not getting better with simple tools, it may be time to talk to a counselor about how to get better control of it – so it can stop controlling you.

If these sound familiar, please know that there are ways to help. Sometimes being mindful of how much caffeine and sugar you consume (chocolate counts too!) can dramatically calm your emotions throughout the day. You can start feeling better today by calling us at Teen Link and making a plan to get input from a counselor or doctor. You don’t have to keep feeling overwhelmed. Relief is possible, and you deserve to have it.