What is Anxiety?

Anxiety is a feeling of unease, such as worry or fear. There are lots of things that can make you feel anxious: you might have a test at school; you might have a music exam or a dance competition; you might be going on a school trip… during these times, feeling anxious is perfectly normal.

Sometimes, we can feel anxious and worried, but we don’t know why. This can be confusing and a bit trickier to understand but it is important to remember that this type of worry is also perfectly normal. The same things that help you when you’re worried about something specific can help you at this time too. Try different things and see what works for you. If you feel that you are worried or anxious a lot of the time, and you can’t think why, speak to a trusted adult (someone at home or a teacher in school) who can help you.

Who gets anxious and worried?

Everyone! It is a normal response to things that happen every day. As you get older, it can be easier to manage as you learn the best way to help yourself to feel better.  

What can I do to help myself?

You need to learn what makes you feel less anxious, and this will be different for everyone. Some people like to talk about it with a friend or trusted adult. Others like to write about it in a diary or a journal. Sometimes distracting yourself can help. Some people find that meditating (sitting quietly with your thoughts and controlling your breathing) is also helpful.

You can make yourself a little “calm box” that you can go to when you you’re worrying. This box could have things in it to cheer you up (a photo of your family or you pet, a cuddly toy) or things to distract you (a fidget toy, mindful colouring in). If you would like help with making yourself a calm box, speak to a trusted adult at home or your teacher.

Lots of people find that, doing things that they enjoy regularly, can mean that they worry a bit less about things. This can be playing games with friends; going to clubs in and out of school; reading; making things (crafts) etc. If you don’t have something like this to do, speak to your teacher who can help you find something that you enjoy.