To Sam, I don't know whether this is even serious enough to be replied to but i'll write this non the less. On Monday there was a terrorist attack in manchester. I am someone who is quite affected by these things wherever they are in the world but I live in Manchester very close and I know people who went and people who have had friends been put into hospital. Luckily, I've not had one of my friends in hospital but it makes me feel very scared to do anything. I've declined going out to busy places with my friends and all I want to do is stay inside where I am safest. What do I do???
Sam
Hi there,
Terrorism is something we can all be affected by - whether it's happening in our city or somewhere else. Seeing some of the tragic and difficult things that happen in the world can leave us feeling scared and like we don't want to go out.
But I know from the letters I get that you're not alone in your worries. And there are lots of things you can try to help you cope with your feelings, like talking to an adult you trust or getting support from other young people on our message boards.
When we worry about the world around us it can cause us to imagine bad things happening to us all of the time. It might make you scared to go out and do everyday things you would've had no problem doing before. It can be hard to get past these worries when you see things on the news all of the time. But it's important to remember that in reality, terrorist attacks are very rare. And the government and police are always finding new ways to protect us.
If reading about what's happening is having a big effect on you, you could try to not watch things like the news too much at the moment. It can be tempting to want to know more about what's happening but sometimes it can make our anxiety worse. It can be hard to escape the news sometimes - especially when you're online or watching TV. So you could try doing something different, like a favourite hobbies. Doing normal things that are familiar to you will help you feel less anxious.
Getting over anxiety around being in public places might take some time. And it may mean taking some brave steps to go out and do things with your friends. Letting them know how you're feeling is probably a good idea, so they can watch out for signs that you're feeling scared or overwhelmed. If you don't feel ready to go to these places with friends, try it with close family or the people you feel most safe with.
I hope this has helped, but if you need to talk then our counsellors are always there for you.
Take care.
Sam
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