What are some good ways to deal with anxiety?
There are five coping methods that really work for me when I'm experiencing anxiety: hanging out with my friends, riding my bike, listening/playing music, finding a quiet space, and talking to my guidance counsellor. Last year I saw Ms Kaiser each week - often more than once - during the last few months of school and it was an important source of support for me. Being open about what's happening in your life (both the good and the bad) with someone who you trust and whose company you enjoy can be invaluable when dealing with anxiety.
Ben Swadron (S6) says...
When I feel overwhelmed by anxiety, I usually try to step back from the situation and take a break from what I was doing which is usually work or messaging someone. I find I’m able to calm back down most easily when I isolate myself and do something relaxing like play piano or take a shower. Sometimes I need to take a walk to help me sort things out in my head. Once I calm down I sometimes reach out to a friend to talk about what’s worrying me. In the past I've had trouble with reaching out and finding people I could talk to, but once I started to look I began to find amazing friends I open up to. I know many people who also find it comforting to talk to family members and adults. In some situations friends and family members might not have the ability to provide the help you need, in which case its super important that you seek professional help and let the school know. UTS teachers and the guidance department especially are usually quite accommodating. If you are feeling overwhelmed and you need an extension on an assignment most teachers will be supportive so long as you let them know in advance.
When I feel overwhelmed by anxiety, I usually try to step back from the situation and take a break from what I was doing which is usually work or messaging someone. I find I’m able to calm back down most easily when I isolate myself and do something relaxing like play piano or take a shower. Sometimes I need to take a walk to help me sort things out in my head. Once I calm down I sometimes reach out to a friend to talk about what’s worrying me. In the past I've had trouble with reaching out and finding people I could talk to, but once I started to look I began to find amazing friends I open up to. I know many people who also find it comforting to talk to family members and adults. In some situations friends and family members might not have the ability to provide the help you need, in which case its super important that you seek professional help and let the school know. UTS teachers and the guidance department especially are usually quite accommodating. If you are feeling overwhelmed and you need an extension on an assignment most teachers will be supportive so long as you let them know in advance.
I've been thinking about morbid topics lately. Depression runs in my family and I have had relatives pass away because of this disorder (MDD). I don't want this to happen to me but I feel really sad and antisocial lately. Any advice?
What you're feeling may be short-term, or it may be long-term. Either way, the best thing to do is to reach out - talk to a close friend, family member, teacher, social worker, etc.* Talking about feelings may not be your favourite thing to do, and that's okay, but even a short conversation with a friend you trust can go a very long way. Joining an online community to talk to people who are going through similar experiences can also be a very powerful tool. Another thing that can help is to take some time for yourself - notice if you're feeling down, overly tired or stressed, or if you're isolating yourself.
If you're stressed, try easing off from extra responsibilities a little bit. Your mental health comes before anything else. Do some of the things you enjoy - just don't push yourself too hard. Yes, school is important, but it's also crazy and stressful and not the only thing in your life.
Finally, I know this isn't for everyone but these sites include a lot of valuable information that could potentially be of use: Depression & Bipolar Support Alliance, Healthline, Depression Understood.
Please talk to somebody if you feel this way for more than a few weeks. Everything will be alright.
*Talking to a trusted adult can be really helpful but if that's not your thing then feel free to reach out to any of these people via Facebook, email, in person, etc. They have experience dealing with mental health challenges and would be more than happy to chat with you :) Claire Kilburn (S5), Mia Sanders (S5), Benjamin Swadron (S6), Kuhan Jeyapragasan (S6), Carolyn Bayley (S5), Ashna Thaya (S5)
If you're stressed, try easing off from extra responsibilities a little bit. Your mental health comes before anything else. Do some of the things you enjoy - just don't push yourself too hard. Yes, school is important, but it's also crazy and stressful and not the only thing in your life.
Finally, I know this isn't for everyone but these sites include a lot of valuable information that could potentially be of use: Depression & Bipolar Support Alliance, Healthline, Depression Understood.
Please talk to somebody if you feel this way for more than a few weeks. Everything will be alright.
*Talking to a trusted adult can be really helpful but if that's not your thing then feel free to reach out to any of these people via Facebook, email, in person, etc. They have experience dealing with mental health challenges and would be more than happy to chat with you :) Claire Kilburn (S5), Mia Sanders (S5), Benjamin Swadron (S6), Kuhan Jeyapragasan (S6), Carolyn Bayley (S5), Ashna Thaya (S5)
How do you balance family stress and school stress?
It depends to an extent on the type of stress that characterizes your family life, so I'm going to speak from personal experience. When I was in M3 my parents separated but decided to live in the same house for my sister's and my benefit. Around the time of the separation my mom was diagnosed with PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and had to stay in a mental hospital for a couple months. While she was away, one of my immediate family members developed OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder). The daily stress levels at home rose exponentially as a result of all of these factors. Almost everyday there was yelling and fighting and my mom frequently had PTSD episodes in which she would dissociate or say hurtful things she didn't mean.
I've always been very dedicated to academics but during M3 and M4 it was often difficult to focus on school work because of everything else that was happening in my life. The anxiety that results from family stress combined with school stress was and is extremely difficult to deal with, though there are a few coping methods that sometimes work for me.
The first is to occupy positive spaces as much as possible and avoid negative ones. For me, school became a positive space because I was surrounded by supportive people whose company I enjoy. Conversely, I began to dread going home because I knew there would be lots of conflict. This year, I really like being in the Roborium because it's quiet and calming :)
Second, I tried to isolate myself emotionally. Be it through listening to music, physical isolation, or pure concentration I was able to block out the bad things, and, although it was hard at times, adopt a holistic mindset that allowed me to see things as short-term and temporary.
If you’re comfortable with it, I’d recommending talking to someone. This really helps to relieve stress and there are many powerful support sources in our community if you have trust in people and reach out. Moreover, when I was feeling very anxious and overwhelmed by schoolwork I talked to my teachers and for the most part they were very sympathetic and willing to cut me some slack.
Finally, it’s okay to have bad days. No one should have to deal with the combined stress of family troubles and a heavy workload. Resiliency is about getting back up when you fall, not preventing yourself from falling in the first place.
I've always been very dedicated to academics but during M3 and M4 it was often difficult to focus on school work because of everything else that was happening in my life. The anxiety that results from family stress combined with school stress was and is extremely difficult to deal with, though there are a few coping methods that sometimes work for me.
The first is to occupy positive spaces as much as possible and avoid negative ones. For me, school became a positive space because I was surrounded by supportive people whose company I enjoy. Conversely, I began to dread going home because I knew there would be lots of conflict. This year, I really like being in the Roborium because it's quiet and calming :)
Second, I tried to isolate myself emotionally. Be it through listening to music, physical isolation, or pure concentration I was able to block out the bad things, and, although it was hard at times, adopt a holistic mindset that allowed me to see things as short-term and temporary.
If you’re comfortable with it, I’d recommending talking to someone. This really helps to relieve stress and there are many powerful support sources in our community if you have trust in people and reach out. Moreover, when I was feeling very anxious and overwhelmed by schoolwork I talked to my teachers and for the most part they were very sympathetic and willing to cut me some slack.
Finally, it’s okay to have bad days. No one should have to deal with the combined stress of family troubles and a heavy workload. Resiliency is about getting back up when you fall, not preventing yourself from falling in the first place.