School Anxiety is a Thing!

... and sometimes, the coping skills that work best to control anxiety attacks aren't easy to do at school (listening to music, playing basketball, going for a walk).

So what can you do to control anxiety attacks at school!?

I'm sharing 3 ways you can control anxiety at school in this video:

Before I dive in, I want to clarify that anxiety attacks and panic attacks are a little different. You can learn the difference in the video here: https://youtu.be/Bvz_QHqvEPg

The teens I work with tend to focus on active, or interactive, coping strategies when they’re feeling anxious, things like listening to music, playing basketball, or taking a walk. But let’s be real, that’s not always an option when you’re in class.

Deep Breathing

One thing you CAN do anywhere, even when you’re in class is to focus on taking a few deep breaths. I have a video that walks you throw my favorite ways to deep breathe here: https://youtu.be/fTaTPsDsG5U.

One simple way to do this, is to place your feet flat on the floor, sit up comfortably straight, and take a slow breath in through your nose, and even slower out through your mouth. Do this at least 3 times, or more if you like. This can help reset your physical responses to the anxiety you’re feeling in the moment so you can make some wise choices.

Drinking Water

Another strategy is to take a drink of water. If your school allows you to carry a water bottle to and from class, even better! Drinking water is great because it not only helps hydrate you, it can physically cool down your body. I talk more about why this is one of my favorite coping skills in this video here: https://youtu.be/XRB8gdK8o4w

Stretching

If you’re like me, your body tends to tighten up when you’re feeling stressed or anxious. We all experience different physical responses, but I know when my shoulders and upper back are feeling achy, I need a good stretch to physically and emotionally loosen up. If I’m feeling self-conscious, or I’m not in an area where I can freely stretch out, I’ll do some progressive muscle relaxation by slowly squeezing and quickly releasing different muscle groups, like my hands or even my toes.

Now that you know the difference- how do you control your anxiety attacks? Let me know in the comments below.

If you are concerned that you, or someone you know, may be considering killing themselves, please connect them with help.

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