Dear Teen Who Struggles with Anxiety

Dear teen who struggles with anxiety,

I know it’s so hard.

I know it can feel like every day is a battle – – a war zone within.

I know it’s exhausting, stressful, and a cruel test of your strength.

I know.

First, I want you to know that you are not alone.

There are countless others who also feel what you feel, do what you do, fear what you fear.

Do not think for one minute that you are so very different from the rest. You are not the only one who feels broken.

I know you experience things like you’re in a world by yourself, but the world outside of you is filled with people who feel broken too.

Please don’t believe that you don’t fit into a world that blurs reality and harnesses the power of superficial masks. Those masks are a disguise, a distorted truth no one is brave enough to share.

But if you take a closer look, you’ll see the cracks in the masterpiece people create in their lives.

Every single person has their own issues, their own struggles, their own mess behind the masterpieces.

Promise.

And you can breathe a sigh of relief knowing you belong.

You matter. You were created with a unique and beautiful design.

Feel the significance of that truth, okay?

Be assured that who you are is good enough to live your life, you just need to adjust and adapt accordingly.

You need to take care of you and honor all your parts and pieces that make you who you are. And this must be done with tenderness, patience, and sometimes a little help from others. Maybe even medication.

Please don’t face it alone. Talk to someone, anyone, about it. Reach out to your parents and let them help you.

There are many ways you can cope with anxiety and stress, so please don’t feel hopeless and helpless.

There is both hope and help for you.

Promise.

Deep breaths. You can do hard things.

You can take important steps to feel safe and secure.

Start identifying the things that cause you to be anxious.

Do big crowds make you breathless?

Does social media stress you out?

Does test-taking bring on panic attacks?

Once you are aware of specific situations, places and people triggering your anxiety, you can work to protect your well-being.

Stick to smaller groups, turn off the technology, learn about many of the natural remedies that can help reduce anxiety.

There are breathing exercises, mindfulness and tons of strategies for dealing with Teen test anxiety .

None of this is uncommon and there are so many people in your life who want to help you.

Find someone to talk to – a friend, a teacher, a family member.

It will be scary initiating these ways to cope with your anxiety, but remember you are worth it. You deserve it.

Developing these anxiety coping skill will benefit you for a lifetime.

There are many options available to you that will allow you to navigate this rocky road, you just need to find them and be your own advocate.

But sometimes, doing all.the.things. to manage your anxiety isn’t enough, and that’s when you need to seek professional help.

This doesn’t make you crazy!

You will be one of the millions of people who do this.

Talking to a professional will be so helpful.  This person can give you the guidance you need when what you’ve been doing isn’t working. You might also learn what causes your anxiety and learn new ways to manage it.

Anxiety can be an organic issue too, which means it’s a physical condition that can be treated with medication. Just like a person takes medicine for other health issues, people take medication for mental health issues too.

There is no shame in this.

Medication for anxiety will help your brain signals work correctly to make you feel less anxious.

Although it might be terrifying to try medicine, it may be the most important step you take in helping you feel better.

In order to do these things, you need to believe in yourself. Believe that you are worth the hard work to make things better. Believe that you have great potential and big dreams to fulfill.

Your anxiety does not define you.

It is merely a condition to treat so that you can be your best self and grow to pursue a wonderful life.

There are so many people who do just that while battling anxiety. You can do the same.

Promise.

This post was contributed by Christine Carter who writes at TheMomCafe.com, where she hopes to encourage mothers everywhere through her humor, inspiration, and faith. Her work is published on several various online publications as well. She is the author of “Help and Hope While You’re Healing: A woman’s guide toward wellness while recovering from injury, surgery, or illness.”

Helping teens with the problems they face can be challenging. Here are additional resources to help:

Teen Anxiety; 5 Ways To Help Your Teen Cope

How To Help Tweens and Teens Avoid The Comparison Trap

Teen Test Anxiety; Strategies for Helping Your Teen Cope