Over the past two years I have worked with more young people, from 9 – 18 years old, than ever before and have mixed feelings about it. Whilst I am so relieved that they are reaching out I am also saddened at what some of the young people are experiencing and the rise in anxiety.

A survey published in February 2022 by Place2Be and the National Association of Head Teachers finds that mental health problems among pupils had increased since the start of the academic year, including low self esteem (86%), depression (76%) and constant feelings of anger (68%).

“What we’ve seen across our frontline services in UK schools is rising numbers of young people struggling with anxiety, self-harm, eating difficulties and suicidal thoughts.” Catherine Roche, Place2Be

Mental health in general is a growing concern and not just for young people, for us all.

This blog is intended to offer a few tips on how you can help manage anxiety for yourself, your loved one, in fact it is anyone who needs it!

Feel the Feels

We have emotions for a number of reasons and it is important to feel them. Emotions guide us on how to respond, sometimes they are very subtle and sometimes they are incredibly intense. Emotions help us to get things done, make decisions and take action. They maximise our survival and they help us to understand each other.

However, if we start to ignore them, suppress them and try to push them down we make ourselves vulnerable to mental, emotional and physical health problems. Feel what you need to feel because to heal the mind, we need to experience our emotions.

Our emotions go with our stories, and those are located in the body on a cellular level. Becoming self aware and working with our emotions enhances your wellbeing and allows the processing time required to minimise potential anxiety at a later stage.

The Power of Routines

A dull as you may think a routine is, a routine structures our days, weeks, lives and enable us to be proactive. I love a routine, I love a planner and I love boundaries! Routines provide stability and grounding which is invaluable if we are experiencing anxiety. Many times I have sat with a client and we’ve created a timetable for the week (you can take the woman out of teaching at a high school, but you can’t take the teacher out of the woman!) Creating simple rituals and routines can be a game changer.

Start to think about:

What routine you’d like to have and how can you make it happen?

Why would you like that routine?

Do you have any routines that you did as a child that you like or dislike?

How can you change them?

Comparisonitis

When we are experiencing anxiety it is important to filter out some the external input; beginning with what others are doing. Do not compare where you are with where they are. It’s not your journey! Stay in your lane! The important tip here is to keep your lane as clear as possible from potential rubbish! What I mean by that is when things arise for you deal with them as soon as possible, going back to feeling your emotions. Comparison is a trap, it’s natural to do but don’t get stuck there.

Reflect upon: 

Who have you compared yourself to today?

Did it make you feel better or worse? 

What are my needs? How can I meet them?

Is social media helpful for me right now?

What are my goals?

Breathe

Connecting to your breath when you are feeling anxious is just one method to anchor your energy and come back to the present moment. Anxiety cannot exist when you are in the here and now.

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If you have any questions or need some additional support with anxiety get in touch.