How to Deal with Anxiety (3 Tools for Teens)

It is healthy to experience some anxiety – it is your body’s way of preparing you for something you need to do. Historically, anxiety was how our bodies responded to potential threats – in the face of danger, the brain sent chemical signals to grab your attention, and tell you to prepare. In fact, simply preparing for what’s making you anxious is the best way to relieve the anxiety! Sometimes, situational anxiety can be helpful – it makes you find time to study for a big test, or pushes you to hit send on that text message (instead of writing and rewriting and rewriting and rewriting it).

There are many tools and techniques to manage feelings of stress and anxiety to stop it from becoming so overwhelming that you’re having difficulty concentrating. Doctors strongly recommend practicing these strategies to help reduce feelings of stress and anxiety. Learning which tools work best for you can be a life-long skill to navigate healthy relationships and new environments.

Each tool can be used in many different ways. For example…

You might prepare for a stressful test by using a notebook to map out your study schedule, or you could also break big tasks into smaller ones (for example, instead of “write five page paper,” you could think of your task as “write first two pages of big paper before 5pm” and “write next three pages before bed”). There are apps you can download to help you break big tasks into smaller ones.

Positive self-talk can also take many forms. In addition to saying good things about yourself, like “I’m a great athlete,” it’s helpful to flip the switch on any negative thoughts you have. If you think “The other team is too good – I’m not good enough to beat them,” try something like “this is a good opportunity for us to work on teamwork” instead. Or “I’m going to try my best.” It might sound silly, but it really works! Research proves that practicing positive self talk can significantly reduce feelings of stress and anxiety. In fact, brain researchers even found that people who practice positive self-talk like this every day created new pathways in the brain! We can literally change how we think about ourselves, and relieve anxiety in the process.

Finally, if anxiety is so overwhelming it feels like it’s the only thing you’re thinking about, it may be time to take your mind off of it with a little reset and refocus. Sometimes people find the best way to reset is taking a phone break. Going for a walk, changing your environment, or exercise are all really helpful ways to give your brain and body a break, which can help reset your feelings, too. You can also search online for a focused breathing technique that works for you. Since anxiety can cause short breaths, focused breathing techniques are designed to counteract anxiety and tell your body that you’re safe.

Everyone experiences feelings of anxiety differently. If a person’s fear keeps them from trying new things or participating in everyday social situations, then this could be something called social phobia, also known as social anxiety disorder. If a person is feeling stressed, worried, or anxious all of the time and it gets in the way of enjoying things, this could also be generalized anxiety disorder. Talking with a trained counselor—like a school counselor, social worker or psychologist—can help a person learn more about what brings on their feelings and how best to manage them so they can enjoy life to the fullest.