I'm ten and I worry a lot .... I dont know why but when my mum and dad go out I get really worried and think they will crash , one time they went for a walk and I ended up calling my nana because I was so worried.. im not being abused or bullied but I want someone to understand . I tell my parents but they dont understand me . When I go to sleep , I cant sleep because I think about ghosts and me not waking up or the world ending , my family are trying to help but they just dont know how upset I am over it . Please help me and give me advice R
Sam
Hi,
Youve explained your feelings really well in your letter. Thanks for sharing how things have been for you. It sounds like your worries are starting to feel a bit out of control, which is scary for you. You arent alone in worrying about something bad happening to people you care about. Lots of people have worries like this at times, but it seems like your worrying is getting so much that its really starting to upset you and is even stopping you from sleeping.
Worries often come from our mind thinking the worst about a situation. More often than not, the worry doesnt actually come true. One thing you could try is to think about some past worries youve had, try and remember how real they felt at the time and then look at whether they actually came true. Youll probably notice that most of the time, even worries that feel incredibly real dont actually come true in the end.
Another idea is to try and find ways of taking your mind off your worries when they feel too big. You could try saying the alphabet backwards, doing a wordsearch, or thinking of all the animals that start with a particular letter. Anything that keeps your brain really busy is good. Sometimes doing something physical is another good way of getting rid of anxiety. You could go for a short walk (with an adult), or do some star jumps or skipping in the garden. Have a look at the Anxiety page in Explore for some more ideas.
Talking to other people can also be a helpful way of coping with worries. I can hear youve tried to talk to your parents but they didnt understand. It can be hard for people to understand exactly how someone else feels. You have explained things clearly in this letter, so one idea might be to write a letter to your parents to try and help them see what youre going through. You could also think about talking to someone like your nana, or a teacher. Its good to have someone you can regularly share your thoughts with.
Doctors and school nurses can also offer support for people who worry and feel very anxious, especially if it stops you sleeping. They might suggest something like talking to a counsellor, or listening to a CD with some relaxation exercises.
You are welcome to talk with a Childline counsellor either by logging in for a 1-2-1 chat or by calling 0800 1111.
Hope this has been of some help,
Take care
Sam
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