The Low-down on Stress, Anxiety, and Panic

My Life
Colleen Mokler, 16
Massachusetts

There are so many things going on. It may not be a big deal for others but it’s stressing me out. In school it’s CRAZY because I’m trying to pass two classes that I’m failing so I won’t have to go to summer school again. On top of that my parents are looking for a place to move to and that’s stressful but also a good thing.

I think no matter what I do right now for my grades, it isn’t going to be enough to graduate. I called my sister because I needed to talk to someone. She said she knows it’s hard but in these four days I’m going to try to pass. People just don’t understand how much these things get to me. It gets me sad, mad, and frustrated.

What’s stressful about moving is having my mother tell me every day that we have to keep the house clean all the time because people are coming to look at it. My mother will be happy and fine one second, then mad and frustrated the next. I’ve learned just to ignore her. I can’t really talk to her about what I’m going through; she just doesn’t understand. I don’t feel like I can talk to my teachers either because they don’t know where I’m coming from. The only person I can relate to and talk to is my sister, but I only see her sometimes, and I don’t like to bother her. I don’t like to bother people with my problems. So this puts me in a mad, sad, stressful mood.

This period of time in my life is so messed up. Kids have to go through a lot of stuff and adults say we have it easy, but I don’t agree with that. Sometimes kids don’t turn to adults when they have a problem because adults don’t know what it’s like to be a kid. I think adults should think like they’re in our shoes and stop trying to be role models.

"Kids have to go through a lot of stuff and adults say we have it easy, but I don’t agree with that."

Piece of the Past
Melissa Cotterman, 15
Arizona

It’s just so physically draining
and I’m running out of myself to give.
My life is a ball of glass
rolling along, waiting for the chance to shatter.
What now, is the ever-consuming question
and I keep trying to find the answer.
Seems like all I do now is search for something.
Ripped apart internally,
pulled like the tides of the moon
between the wide world at my fingertips
and everything I can’t have.
I’m an abstract painting,
appreciate it for its beauty.
But something isn’t quite right.
All I want is a little piece of the past,
now really, is that so much to ask?

Bust Your Stress

You’re probably always going to run into people, places, and things that make your stomach clench and your shoulders tense. But there are ways to lessen stress and anxiety, both in the moment you feel it and over the long haul. Try these tips.

• The fight or flight response sometimes kicks in at times when you don’t need it, leaving you with feelings of stress and anxiety. If this happens, try fighting it with breath. Close your eyes. Breathe slowly through your nose, and let your stomach swell up with air. Then breathe out through your mouth. This sure-fire way to calm down activates the relaxation response.
• Have you ever tried quieting your mind? Pick a time each day to chill out by yourself, sit or lie down, close your eyes, and repeat a word (try “Om”) over and over. Your head will clear and you will probably—for a few minutes anyway—forget about your worries (this is another way of bringing on the relaxation response).
• If you prefer to sweat out your stress, try a cardiovascular exercise like aerobics, Tae Kwon Do, or anything that makes you feel good.
• People who talk negatively can stress you out. So if someone says, “This is impossible to do,” say “No, it’s not. As long as we work hard we can do it.” Or, you can try changing the subject.
• Learn to say “No!” Try not to over-schedule yourself with unnecessary tasks that can stress you out. It is OK not to go out with your friends if you have an important test or homework, or if you’re just too tired.
• Write down what is stressing you out, either in an old-school paper journal, or your MySpace blog, or make up a name and post anonymously.

There’s Stress—And Then There’s Stress

Stress has lots of causes—but some are easier to deal with than others. A lot of the things that stress us out are temporary or relatively easy to address. Are you stressed about the big test? Remember that the test will be over soon enough, follow some of the tips in “Bust Your Stress,” and don’t forget to study! Stressed because you have too many commitments? Think about what you might be able to cut out, and make sure to take some time for yourself.
But sometimes we are stressed by conditions beyond our control. Is your neighborhood so dangerous that you can’t hang with friends at the park? Is abuse happening in your home, maybe even to you? Your resulting stress and anxiety may be hard to overcome with ordinary stress busters.

So what can you do? Try finding a safe space to hang out—maybe a youth center, the library, or a YWCA. Taking a break from a stressful environment can help you feel better, at least for a short time. Is there an adult you can talk to? Sharing your feelings can be a relief. Can you take action? Joining an activist organization that is working to make the streets safer or volunteering at a daycare center for the children of battered women can help you feel like you’re making a difference, which can alleviate the sense of powerlessness that often accompanies stress.

When Anxiety Turns to Panic

A panic attack can be sudden and unexpected. It might feel like terror or extreme nervousness, and it could last for 10 minutes or more. There are physical symptoms too, such as a rapid heart beat, perspiration, dizziness, and/or trembling. These feelings can produce embarrassment, uncontrollable fear, avoidance of other people, and even depression.

Anxiety, Panic, and Me
Danielle Martin
California

I'm a junior right now, but I had my first panic attack in 7th grade. I was laying there just trying to get to sleep when suddenly a wave of panic washed over me, and I had trouble breathing. So I went out in the living room where my parents were. My mom has had these so she was just really calm. Luckily my dad helped me get to sleep that night. Since then I've had about seven or so panic attacks; the longest one was two hours. Recently, I was going to go to the National Young Leaders' Conference and I cried for about two hours straight before trying to get on the plane. My cousins came to talk to me because they've flown before, but I couldn't do it. Two wonderful ladies even took me under their wing but sitting there on the plane as nervous as I was, I realized once we were in the air I'd have a full blown panic attack. So I couldn't go and that was a major disappointment for me. Anxiety has definitely altered my life, and not necessarily for the better. Now just going one town over is difficult for me because I worry about everything, all the time.
I'd advise anyone going through these anxiety attacks to get into therapy--that has helped me indescribably. I'm currently working on getting better through medication and altering my mindset...realizing that whatever happens, does, and the fact that we don't have control over it is okay. It's okay to be scared sometimes, but we cannot let fear dominate our lives, so here's to us setting ourselves free!

"Anxiety has definitely altered my life, and not necessarily for the better."

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