Skip navigation Home Accessibility information
Hide this page (shortcut Esc key) - This will take you to the google website
Page Utilities
Change wallpaper
Help
Accessibility

Anxiety

People can feel anxious for all sorts of reasons and anxiety can happen at any time in our lives, not just around exam time.

The good news is that there are plenty of things you can do which will help you to deal with these anxious thoughts and allow you to cope a little better.

Anxiety

Anxiety
Watch this animation film about anxiety.

Transcript

We're all different, and there are many different feelings we can experience, at different times.  Some are more well known than others, such as `Excitement' or `Anger', but some can be harder to understand, like Anxiety.

Millions of years ago we relied on Anxiety to keep us out of harm's way.  At the slightest sign of danger our bodies would bring on this uneasy, urgent feeling to jolt us into action or get us to RUN AWAY!

These days our bodies still try to protect us, but life's evolved.
       
There are a load more things to worry about and they have a habit of piling up without us noticing.

Anxiety can feel like all kinds of things ­ that twisted, shaky feeling in your stomach or the strange nervousness that makes you want to hide away from the world. It can make you tired, frustrated and upset.

Anxiety can start as a simple worry but grow into a panic! And convince you that you're losing it altogether.  It can make you scared, restless, speed up your heart but give no explanations as to why it’s happening.

It might not feel like it, but anxiety is completely natural and can affect anybody, for all kinds of reasons like exam stress, family troubles, new places or a mixture of things.

It can even come for no apparent reason, but the good news is that you can reduce it, and the first step is to talk about it.

Talking about how you feel is a great way to feel better. You don’t have to face things alone.  So if you ever want to get stuff off your chest, then you can contact ChildLine. They’re there to listen.

 

 
 
 
 
 

Symptoms of anxiety
Anxiety can sometimes make you feel tired, upset, worried, shaky, light-headed, frustrated or feeling like you might ‘go crazy’.  It can also present itself as a panic attack, or make you feel like you might be sick.

Anxiety can be a result of something specific (like writing exams) or you could be feeling anxious for no specific reason, which is normal and okay too.

Tips for beating anxiety

Boost your confidence
When we’re stressed out, we can start to lack confidence in ourselves. You might feel like you can’t do something because you feel like you’re not good enough.

Try and challenge these negative thoughts and replace them with positive ones, such as, “I am worthwhile” instead of, “I am worthless”. The more you repeat them, the more likely positive thinking will become a natural way of thinking.

Make a list of all the good things about yourself in a diary or notebook and if a negative thought appears scribble it out and replace it with something that makes you smile.

Use this handy worksheet to capture, check and change your negative thoughts.

Distract yourself
Focusing your attention on something else is a good way to distract yourself and stop you feeling anxious. The more difficult the activity, the better. It could be a crossword, puzzle or counting backwards from 100.

Why not take your mind off it by playing a game or using the Creative tool.

Take your mind off it


Take your mind off it by playing a game!

Get creative


Take some time out with the Creative tool.

Gentle exercise
When we get anxious, adrenaline rushes through our bodies to prepare us to either run away or fight the feared object / situation. This causes the physical effects of anxiety such as feeling shaky or light headed. By undertaking regular activities such as walking, going to the gym, running or swimming you can burn off the adrenaline which will reduce the physical symptoms of anxiety.

Diet
Paying attention to your diet can help you to improve your mood and help reduce mood swings.

  • Reduce your sugar and caffeine intake – these stimulants can make the anxiety worse.
  • Try and eat balanced meals at set times.

    • A healthy diet will provide you with enough strength to successfully deal with stressful situations. Having your breakfast, lunch and dinner at the right times will also help your body to fit into a routine.
    Find out more about healthy eating and exercise.

    Relaxation techniques

    • Meditation – find a quiet room away from any distractions and let your mind clear, focusing only on your breathing.
    • Deep breathing exercise – gently breath in and out from the diaphragm instead of the chest.
    • Muscle relaxation – focus on each muscle group, one at a time, tensing and then relaxing the muscles.

    Other things that might help

    • Diary writing

      Writing a diary can be very helpful for some people. Writing down what you are experiencing can be an effective way of gaining a new perspective on the problem, making it easier to deal with. You can also keep a gratitude journal where each day you write or draw 3-5 things that you feel grateful for.

    • Active problem solving

      When a problem seems really big, it can be scary to know where to start sorting it out. First of all, look at what the problem is. Think of all of the possible solutions and write down the consequences of each one. This will help you choose what the best solution would be. If you still feel unsure as to what to do, why not Ask Sam or send an email in private.

    • Talk to others

      Talking with a friend, family member or trusted person about how you feel can often leave you feeling calmer and more comfortable. Why not visit the message boards and get support from the ChildLine community. 

      If you feel you need professional help and support, you can also talk to a therapist or mental health practitioner, or come and talk to a ChildLine counsellor.

    • Reward yourself

      When you have avoided being negative or used new coping skills - reward yourself. Make a list of things you enjoy and choose one to reward yourself with. This can be something as simple as a trip to the cinema or reading your favourite book.

    Find out about the different ways to get support

    Tips for beating anxiety

    Want more tips for beating anxiety? Or perhaps you have some of your own? Post a message on the message boards.

    Mental health message board

    Ask Sam

    Worried? Anxious? Stressed out? If you want to get something off your chest, or let off some steam you can tell Sam about it.

    Ask Sam

    Wall of Expression


    Write down what is upsetting or worrying you on the Wall of Expression, then piece by piece knock the wall down and watch it crumble away.

    Did this help?

    How did these tips for beating anxiety help you?

     
     
     
     
     
    Anxiety 

    Accessibility

    Help