Panic or anxiety

Anxiety is your body’s natural response to stress. It’s a feeling of fear or apprehension about what’s to come. The first day of school, going to a job interview, or giving a speech may cause most people to feel fearful and nervous.

But if your feelings of anxiety are extreme, you may have an anxiety disorder.

What is anxiety?

Kinds of anxiety

Generalised anxiety: You feel anxious on most days, worrying about lots of different things.

Social anxiety: You have an intense fear of being in a social space or public.

OCD: You have ongoing unwanted/intrusive thoughts and fears that cause anxiety. For example a fear of germs.

PTSD: This can happen after you experience a traumatic event (e.g. war, assault, accident, bullying).

Performance anxiety: You feel tense or fear when you have to deliver a performance, a test or an important moment.

Worrying

It's normal and quite understandable to worry about things, but watch out. Constant worrying can take a heavy toll. It can keep you up at night and make you tense and edgy during the day.

It's hard to suddenly get rid of these feelings of worry, but when you remind yourself of this next sentence, maybe it will help.

'What is the worst that can happen?'

By asking yourself this, you make your mind realistically think about the things you worry about. Usually the chance of 'the worst' happening is very small. And suppose it does happen, that too will be fine.

What is a panic disorder?

Panic disorder is a disorder where you regularly have sudden attacks of panic or fear.

What can I do?

It's sometimes hard to live with anxiety. But there are things you can do. First off try to talk with someone, a friend, a parent or a teacher. It really helps to talk about problems with someone and to feel support.

Try to also not stop doing the things you love, this could only further isolate you. When you have anxious thoughts or negative worrying thoughts, try to write them down and replace them with more realistic thoughts. In other words: encourage yourself.

Tips

Good self-care: eat healthy, exercise enough, explore nature, relax by meditating or by practicing yoga.
Try to avoid alcohol or drugs.
Try breathing exercises, they can help you cope and feel more in control.
When you feel an immense feeling of anxiety or panic, try to do something else, to distract your mind.

Do you want personal help to get better at dealing with anxiety or panic? Or do you want more information? You could use the training options Saxion provides via Study Success Centre or you can get help via our student psychologists. Here you can find more information about it: