As people we face many hard things in the world like school, jobs, thinking about the future and friends. These are all examples of things that can make us feel anxious or overwhelmed. Living with anxiety is very hard. 

There are so many things a person can do, but people with anxiety may have a harder time focusing. For example, doing school work can be challenging for everyone, but anxiety makes it a lot harder, and you start getting thoughts about a bunch of things and then suddenly you can’t focus anymore. Sleeping is harder too, sometimes your mind doesn’t want to shut down and then you are awake because you’re swimming through a pile of  thoughts that you can’t get to go away. According to Newport Academy, “A study of close to 5,000 teens found that depression and anxiety symptoms were closely linked with sleep deprivation in teens: Teenagers with depression symptoms got 3.5 less hours of sleep than the controlled group.”

What is anxiety? Common anxiety signs and symptoms include: feeling nervous, restless or tense: having a sense of impending danger, panic or doom: having an increased heart rate: breathing rapidly “ hyperventilating’’: sweating : trembling: feeling weak or tired: trouble concentrating or thinking about anything other than the present worry.  

Although anxiety is a normal part of life for everyone, it is the brain’s way of dealing with stress; some people suffer from anxiety disorder. 

Anxiety disorder is a mental illness that causes constant and overwhelming fear and anxiety. Severe anxiety can cause people to miss school, work and avoid social gatherings. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S, affecting 40 million adults and 25.1% of children between ages 14 and 18. The ADAA  states that untreated children with anxiety disorders are at a higher risk to perform poorly in school, miss out on important social expressions and engage in substance abuse. 

Many people who suffer from anxiety disorder may, but not necessarily suffer from panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, stress, OCD and PTSD. 

I have suffered from anxiety for most of my childhood. I had severe separation anxiety from my mom.  I missed out on sleepovers with my friends and so much more. In 2021, I was diagnosed with anxiety and panic disorder. As a 14 year old freshman, starting a new school was very overwhelming for me. Anxiety affects my everyday life in and out of school, and it affects the people I am around all the time. For me, my family has been my biggest support system.  It is important that you have people you can talk to, but many people like to keep some things bottled up and that can do a lot more harm.

Anxiety may not ever be fully cured, but there are things out there that can help with anxiety. Most people can simply take some medication that will allow them to live a normal life. I was prescribed two different medications.  The first medication is one that I take every single day.    This has been a big help for me and has made me a different person in such a good way. The other medication is one that I can take when I am having a panic attack or feel one coming on. Therapy is also a very good outlet to help deal with anxiety.  It is important to remember that this is not something to be ashamed or embarrassed about.  It is something real and can affect your everyday life.  The important thing is to get the help you need and live your life to the fullest.