The feeling of your chest tightening.  You can’t seem to breathe, and you keep hyperventilating.  You feel like you’re going to be sick and suddenly you can’t stop shaking.  You’re afraid and you want to cry so badly.  Nothing is okay and everything's wrong.  What’s going on with you?

6.18.Slide

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The word is simple: anxiety.  

Many people in the world experience anxiety in one form or another.  Some can live their lives easily, while others use medication and counseling for support.  Both are completely valid ways to deal with anxiety.

Back in high school you may have thought anxiety was the worst (and it very well could've been) and you didn’t know how to deal with it.  This is the case for many high schoolers.  Most don’t know how to handle it or what to do, and then the next thing they know, they’re graduating.  Then comes college where you’re on your own, the coursework is harder, and you have a lot more on your plate.  Talk about anxiety-inducing, huh?

College can be scary when you start out, and sometimes it’s still scary three years later as a senior who has to act like an adult soon.  There are many days and nights where tears and short breaths are your only companions.  Enduring many sleepless nights, not eating because your stomach just can’t handle food, and avoiding social outings because you can’t handle them are all what anxiety can do to you.  It’s hard, and sometimes people just don’t understand what it’s like to live with this constant worrying.  It’s nothing against them; anxiety is just difficult to understand if you haven’t experienced it firsthand.  

But how do you get through college when anxiety seems to run your life?

It’s not always easy, and some days will be harder than others, but you can manage the anxiety you feel, and you'll be able to live through it.

Meditation/Breathing Exercises

This one can seem a little cliché, but it works wonders.  Meditation at night or in the morning helps you focus on something besides the anxiety.  All the thoughts that run through your head do just that – they come in and out.  You never stop one thought to focus on it at all.  But if you're someone who doesn’t have time (or the discipline) for meditation, breathing exercises are the next best bet.  There are so many of them to find – just try them out and see which works best for you.  If you feel the anxiety (or a panic attack) coming on, then you need to stop and do the exercise.  It may feel silly, but focusing on your breathing keeps the panic and worry at bay until you can get somewhere where you can handle it.  These exercises work best if you have a busy day and can’t always take a break from society to deal with the anxiety.

Journaling

The fun part of journaling is that nowhere does it say you actually have to write anything.  You can keep a journal on your computer, tablet, or phone.  Some people just don’t like writing, or they’re a stickler about how things have to look (I’m one of those people).  It seems trivial, but writing down how you feel or what goes on inside your head helps because then it’s no longer inside you.  That’s the beauty of it; once you write down those anxious thoughts and feelings, they are no longer sitting in your head badgering you.  The journal can be as detailed, organized, chaotic, or messy as you choose because not another living soul has to see it.   And the journal itself can be whatever you want it to look like: leather, hardback, notebook, screen, and so many more.  If you feel like the journal represents you and who you are, the more likely you are to write in it.  Plus, a journal can go anywhere with you on campus, and no one would be the wiser because writing in something will never look strange or out of place.  Also, most college kids really don’t care, so write in the student union or library when you feel like you’re going to fall apart.  No one will judge or stop you.

Walking

When anxiety strikes, sometimes the best thing to do is to remove yourself from society.  Your campus, no matter how small or large, has to have some cool places to sit.  Whether it’s a bench in the quad, a spot underneath a your favorite tree, or even a tabel at the library, you can find a place to call your own.  Anxiety can happen because you feel so overwhelmed and don’t know what to do anymore, so alone time could be the best thing for you.  Walking helps you remove yourself from the space you were in and lets you see the world around you.  You get to get out and breathe a little fresh air, feel the sun on your skin, or hear the sounds of life around you.  Sometimes, it’s super helpful to watch the people around you because you look at them and wonder what they’re up to.  I do it all the time when I’m waiting for class.  But, find that spot where you feel the most at home, and when anxiety hits you, walk there.  Walk there and let the worries fall behind you with each step.

Grey.Line.7

It seems trivial, but writing down how you feel or what goes on inside your head helps because then it’s no longer inside you.

Grey.Line.7

Emotional Support Animal

Animals have always understood people’s emotions better than other people do.  Heck, just petting an animal of some sort has a very calming effect on the mind.  Most colleges have an office that offers help with disabilities, and there you can register for an emotional support animal.  The big thing with this is that they are not pets.  An ESA is an animal that has been proven to help reduce your anxiety and helps you function normally while at school.  ESAs are allowed to live with you on campus (while following certain rules), and they could be your saving grace.  During a night of studying, when you suddenly start worrying about every assignment and exam under the sun, your ESA can be there.  ESAs also don’t have to just be a cat or a dog (though I have a dog as mine).  They can be any animal that has proven to help you relax.  A student has had a turkey as an ESA, so never worry about what type of dog or cat you’ll have to find if, in fact, you don’t like either.  An ESA can help with anxiety because you can pet, snuggle, and love on them while taking your focus away from what's bothering you.  This strategy just requires a talk with your doctor/therapist and the office that provides the access to the ESA paperwork.  Animals are always better than humans, anyway.

Counseling/Medication

This is the one that everyone seems to shy away from the most.  Largely because there is a giant stigma that comes with going to see a counselor or having to take medication for anxiety.  First, there is absolutely nothing wrong with either of these options, and people actually do best when both are involved.  Sometimes, no matter what we do, the anxiety never seems to get better or go away.  That’s when you have to admit you need help, and it’s hard.  But, all campuses are equipped with a counseling center, and they are there to help the students.  So, make an appointment and go see a counselor because they can help in more ways than you could ever do on your own, and they studied to do just that.  

When you see a counselor, sometimes you'll be prescribed medication.  Again, there’s nothing wrong with this at all.  You may need medication to help you function and to produce what you can’t produce naturally.   If it helps you, then there shouldn't be a reason to not consider it.  Talking to the doctor and counselor will help them figure out what kind you need and how much you need, and that can always change as time goes on.  Eventually, you might not need to see a counselor or take the medication anymore, but if that never comes, that’s okay too.  College is hard; if the counseling or medication helps, then it should be something to consider.

No two people are the same, so they'll never handle or react to things the same way.  What works for one may not work for another.  But, you should never let anxiety control you and make life hard to live.  There are many ways to help with anxiety; you just have to try them out to find the one that helps you.  A college campus is full of resources, and many are available to students to use when they need them.  So, go look for them, and see what works.  Anxiety is never a fun time – in high school or college – but that doesn’t mean you should miss out on life because of it.  You’re strong, and you'll always be okay.

 

Deanne Swaringen was born and raised in the quaint state of Missouri in the small cornfield-filled town of Winfield.  She is a senior at the University of Central Missouri where she is studying Digital Media Production (Digital Cinema) and Theatre.  She has a love for horror movies and hopes to direct one someday!

 

Comments (2)

  1. Meagan Hooper

Question for you Deanne - Where do you think all of the stress and anxiety is coming from for young people these days? We have a ton of posts about how to deal with stress and when I was a student, it wasn't nearly as prevalent. Curious as to...

Question for you Deanne - Where do you think all of the stress and anxiety is coming from for young people these days? We have a ton of posts about how to deal with stress and when I was a student, it wasn't nearly as prevalent. Curious as to what you think!

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  1. Deanne Swaringen    Meagan Hooper

I think a lot of it comes from the world we live in at age and such. We worry about finances, getting good grades, and finding a job. Some worry so much about the environment, the political state of the world, and much more. I believe the world...

I think a lot of it comes from the world we live in at age and such. We worry about finances, getting good grades, and finding a job. Some worry so much about the environment, the political state of the world, and much more. I believe the world we live in has so much to do with the level of anxiety that the younger generations feel.

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