How many times have you wanted to not worry about something, but found it impossible? Take that feeling, ball it up in your mind, and now imagine all of those angry anxiety balls being hurdled at you simultaneously. You feel overwhelmed, scared, confused, angry, and for lack of a better word, just purely anxious. The more the balls are being thrown, the more you sink into your feeling of helplessness. Whether it’s connected to school stress, issues at home, or a job, generalized anxiety disorder could affect anyone at Fossil Ridge. So, how much do you know about it?

Diane Campbell, a career and college counselor at Fossil Ridge, talks about how students experiencing all different levels of anxiety, from anxiety about friends to cases where a student doesn’t want to come to school because they are so overwhelmed, get help from counselors. And imagine not being able to come to school because you feel so anxious! It’s a good example of the disabling effect that anxiety has over people, especially students. While in the heat of the stress, it gets to the intensity where it makes people want to stop doing what they really have to  be doing, such as homework. If you are so anxious that you can’t focus, you don’t want to sit down and pound out those notes for history class.

Campbell identifies the following as some of the symptoms associated with Generalized Anxiety Disorder:

• Shortness of breath
• Sweats, clamminess
• Dizziness
• Blushing
• Vomiting (in extreme cases)
• Shakiness

These symptoms may occur over extended periods of time, something that many people discredit in an anxiety disorder. Symptoms of anxiety can persist for months or however long the “bug” wants to stick around. I find this to be one of the most difficult aspects of dealing with anxiety, sometimes I can’t even pinpoint what I’m anxious about, yet I still can’t focus and get shaky for hours at a time.

I spent the majority of my sophomore year walking around feeling like someone was choking me. The cause of which I attribute to stress over my grades and coping with all the extracurricular activities. Experiencing clamminess, dizziness, shortness of breath, can be upsetting because you realize that what you are experiencing isn’t normal. On a daily basis, these symptoms shouldn’t be happening. Acknowledging that you are suffering from something can be half the battle, there is an element of pride that people struggle to overcome. No one expects or desires to be suffering from a mental disorder. You would think to yourself, “Why me? Why is it me that has to put up with this?”

So how are you supposed to cope? Personally I can’t profess to being a master of anti-anxiety tips, but paired with Ms. Campbell’s four pieces of advice and what I know from experience, here is what you should do:

1. Start to recognize it.

Stop and ask yourself: “Do I honestly feel happy and content with the way I am going through my life right now? Am I overwhelmed? Is there something in my life that is bothering me?” Symptoms are the red flags in a mental disorder. For me, not being able to focus because I get so stressed, or hyperventilating because things feel overwhelming, were my red flags. These symptoms told me that something was wrong and action was needed.

2. Talk to someone

Personally, this step is the hardest. In your mind, there are so many “things” that could go wrong. What if they think I’m crazy? What if I am just being stupid? What if, what if, what if? First of all, know that most of the things that you are envisioning going wrong won’t happen. Really. The person you choose to talk to should be someone that you feel comfortable talking to. Before anyone else, talk to your parents about your anxiety. Your parents are your number one resource for dealing with your anxiety. If your relationship with your parents isn’t that strong, maybe you want to try a counselor at Fossil.

3. Find coping mechanisms that will be natural to you

A coping mechanism could be an activity that you can do and really enjoy. If you enjoy playing a certain sport, take a second to step back from what is making you anxious and go get out and play. In a situation where you can’t really drop everything and do something completely different, try to focus on the positive aspects of what is happening instead of the negatives. Maybe you are in a supermarket and crowds make you anxious, instead of focusing on the masses of people that are swathing around like locusts, think of a “reward” you can give yourself for getting through that situation. Don’t let yourself be completely encumbered by the situation, open up to the possibility of there being a solution for your problem.

Campbell recommends having a “happy place”, or a spot where you can go and just chill out. For me, my happy place is my room. I find it helpful to keep my room designated as just a place for me to chill out; separating it from the tears and fears that are associated with homework and school. Your happy place should be devoid of all stressors, keep it strictly for relax and play.

4. Take small steps

I can tell you right now that the journey toward handling and understanding your anxiety isn’t easy and it isn’t going to be an overnight fix. Anxiety is very personalized. Not everyone experiences anxiety for the same reasons. What makes me anxious could be different from what makes you anxious. This is why talking to someone is important, instead of just dealing with it by yourself. You may be able to find resources online, but at the end of the day, realize that your anxiety is likely stemming from something that is happening or happened in your life.

Taking small steps means that you set little goals for yourself. For example, if you really want to go shopping with your friends in Denver, but Denver makes you anxious because its a big city and big cities equal a lot of people, then instead of thinking about all of the things that could go wrong, start thinking about the things that could go right and bring something along with you on the trip that could be a reward for getting to a certain point. For example, maybe after you have been in Denver for 30 minutes, you have your favorite piece of candy. Think of all the opportunities that could come from the shopping, maybe you will get to know your friends better, maybe you’ll buy something really cool and something that you couldn’t have ever gotten if you hadn’t gone shopping.

When going out, tell the people that you are going with about your situation, you don’t have to tell them every little detail about how it makes you anxious, just tell them that For example, being in large crowds can make you really jumpy. By doing this you give others a heads up on what is going on without making it seem like a big deal. It wouldn’t be a stress for them to know what is going on in your life, if anything it would be enlightening and helpful for them in knowing how they can approach you.

There is a stigma that comes along with being someone with a “mental disorder”. It is much like the Black Plague. People avoid it because they don’t want to become “infected” or associated with someone who is afflicted. It is so important to understand that you are not defined by your anxiety. You are loved for your personality, for your smiles and your hugs. The people who give mental disorders like anxiety a bad name are not important, ignore them! Generalized Anxiety Disorder is hard to work with, but it is something that you can live with.

I’ve said several times over the course of this post that I can’t profess to being a master at these tips. I mean every word. I still experiment with my anxiety and push the limits sometimes to see what I can and can’t handle. Its a lot like working out, the hardest part is starting. After every experience that you push through reward yourself for your endeavors. As I said before, the journey is a long one, so keep your chin up, and be patient, you will make it through. Campbell spoke of how anxiety can shut people down, reducing communication with loved ones to minimal quantities or until it doesn’t exist. Instead of letting it shut you down, let it open you up. You are stronger than you think.