The Low-down on Stress, Anxiety, and Panic

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.

Panic Prone
Amy Rooks, 14
Florida

My entire body went ice cold and the room started spinning. I felt as if my heart was going to beat right out of my chest. My palms were sweaty; my breath came short and shallow through what felt like a closed throat.

Clearly, I was having a panic attack.

I couldn’t move. I couldn’t think about anything but the students in the classroom staring at me, whispering among themselves about what was happening. Their curious eyes were worse than the attack itself, and ultimately made my heart race that much faster.

I’m 14 and I’m in the ninth grade. Otherwise a healthy teenager, I’ve suffered from an anxiety disorder since second grade. It’s not something I’m proud of and definitely not something I brag about. I have at least one attack per day, sometimes more.

Along with general anxiety, I have a defined social anxiety disorder (anxiety created by social situations). My eighth grade year, the anxiety was so bad that I was taken out of school and put in a hospital/homebound program. That was the biggest mistake we’ve ever made in trying to control my disorder. In ninth grade, I started full days of school again. To this day, I along with the dozens of doctors I’ve seen are still trying to pin down something specific that triggers the attacks. So far they have come up with nothing.

Many people with anxiety feel as if they’re alone when they’re having an attack. They feel as if no one around them understands, and no one can help them.

The biggest mistake you can make if you suffer from anxiety is to run from your problem; you will get nowhere if you don’t face it.

The best thing to do is to take baby steps. Begin working on methods to control yourself when you have an attack. When you feel an attack coming on, just remember to breathe. Tell yourself over and over again that there are people just like you going through the same thing.

Find a good therapist with whom you feel comfortable and who listens to you carefully, This person, if not a doctor, ideally should work with a psychiatrist or other professional who can prescribe medications, should you want to try them. A good therapist can often teach you ways to control your anxiety without medication.

Remember, you are not alone. There are people all over the world suffering from anxiety disorders. Anxiety doesn’t care who you are, what race you are, what kind of life you live, or the goals you want to achieve. It will take over your entire body and mind if you don’t take control of it before it has the chance to take control of you.

"Anxiety doesn’t care who you are, what race you are, what kind of life you live, or the goals you want to achieve."

How Much Do You Know About Panic And Anxiety?

Circle TRUE or FALSE depending on whether you think the statement is true or false.

1. Panic attacks and anxiety are most common in women. TRUE | FALSE
2. You cannot treat panic disorder. TRUE | FALSE
3. Extreme anxiety + panic attacks = panic disorder*. TRUE | FALSE
4. When you have panic disorder it means you are crazy. TRUE | FALSE
5. Panic attacks and anxiety are contagious. TRUE | FALSE

ANSWERS:

1. TRUE
2. FALSE
3. TRUE
4. FALSE
5. FALSE

* Panic disorder: a condition characterized by reoccurring panic attacks that create significant behavioral change and worry.

When Should You Seek Help?

It’s always a good thing to seek out support when you’re having a hard time. If you are feeling stressed, support from family and friends can go a long way toward helping you feel better. But if your stress continues, or it seems to be turning into anxiety, or you are having panic attacks, it’s a good idea to seek professional help. A therapist can help you develop strategies to control your stress and anxiety. Medication can also be useful for treating anxiety and panic attacks, though it is not always necessary (contrary to what some advertisements may suggest). A doctor or therapist can also help you make lifestyle changes--such as changing your diet, cutting out caffeine, and making an exercise plan--that may help you feel better.

For More Info

Girl Source: A book By and For Young Women About Relationships, Right, Futures, Bodies, Minds, and Souls, Girl Source editorial team, 2003.

Too Stressed to Think? A Teen Guide to Staying Sane When Life Makes You Crazy, by Annie Fox, M.Ed., and Ruth Kirschner, 2005.

Sources

WebMD.com, kidshealth.org, Washington Post, Girls’ Life magazine, utexas.edu, American Psychological Association, lifepositive.com, http://womens-clinic.org/mental_health.php,
http://www.troubleteen101.com/articles45.html

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