Anxiety

What is anxiety?
Is anxiety normal?
How do I know if I'm experiencing anxiety?
How can I deal with anxiety on my own?
When should I talk to an adult or counselor about getting help with my anxiety?

What is anxiety?

Anxiety is a type of stress.

Is anxiety normal?

Everybody experiences some anxiety in their daily life, whether it is worry about friends, grades, romance, expectations at home, money, acceptance, or performance anxiety.

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How do I know if I'm experiencing anxiety?

Anxiety can take the form of worrying, feeling butterflies in your stomach, having a fast heart beat, constantly thinking about a stressful event, sweaty palms or forehead, tight muscles, not being able to sleep or stay asleep, or having difficulty concentrating.

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How can I deal with anxiety on my own?

Self-care (or coping skills) can be an excellent way to manage your anxiety. Some examples of self-care are deep breathing exercises, physical exercise, healthy eating, adequate sleep, journaling or poetry writing, talking to a friend about your anxiety, or listening to music that calms you.

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When should I talk to an adult or counselor about getting help with my anxiety?

Anxiety can become overwhelming and may need professional attention if either of the following occurs (taken from the DSM-IV, American Psychiatric Association):

First Signs
If you experience a period of intense fear or discomfort, in which four or more of the following symptoms developed quickly and peak within ten minutes:

• fast heart beat, pounding heart
  
• sweating
  
• trembling or shaking
  
• sensations of shortness of breath or smothering
  
• feeling of choking
  
• chest pain or discomfort
  
• nausea or abdominal distress
  
• feeling dizzy, unsteady, lightheaded or faint
  
• having feelings of unreality or feeling detached from yourself
  
• fear of losing control or going crazy
  
• fear of dying
  
• numbness or tingling sensations
  
• chills or hot flushes

Second Signs

• If you have experienced excessive worry or anxiety for more days than not for at least six months about a number of events or activities,
• You have a difficult time controlling your worry
• You feel restless
• Easily fatigued
• Have difficulty concentrating
• Feel irritable
• Have muscle tension
• Have trouble sleeping

If you're feeling either the first or second signs, it could be good for you to talk to a counselor about your anxiety.

Both of these types of anxiety are treatable with therapy and medication.

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