College is hard enough, but it’s especially difficult when you are dealing with anxiety. I was diagnosed officially last semester after struggling with panic attacks on and off for months. I know everyone deals with anxiety in their own unique ways, however I wanted to list off the things that help me when I’m having a tough time in hope that someone could take away something positive from my blog.
Take a break and breathe. When I was having an attack, I felt like I was dying. I’ve found that exiting the situation I was in and taking a moment to myself to reassure that I was okay and taking a few deep breaths helped pull me back to reality.
Find a distraction. For the most part, my attacks came on at night, making it impossible to fall asleep. I found that distracting myself and getting my mind off my triggers/bad thoughts helped me pass the time and eventually get some rest. Counting, reciting song lyrics in my head, and listening to podcasts all helped. During the day, I took advantage of my campus gym to burn off some energy.
Talk to someone. I wouldn’t have realized how much I needed help without having talking to my support group. Talking to your parents, friends, siblings, and mental health professionals is beneficial to not only identifying what the problem is, but how you can manage it moving forward. Every campus has a mental health center that is equipped to help you with whatever is bothering you.
Know when to hit pause. Sometimes the pressure we put on ourselves can overwhelm us. Knowing when you're pushing yourself too hard, taking on too many responsibilities, and being too hard on yourself, especially when it comes to schoolwork is so important for keeping yourself mentally healthy. Don’t beat yourself up over a poor grade, it happens!
Knowing there is no shame in getting help from professionals/ being on medication prescribed by a professional. This one is pretty self explanatory. Please know that you are strong, whatever you choose to do.
Let me know if any of this helps, and please feel free to add anything that helps you deal with your anxiety/stress! Like I said, this is what helps me in my specific case, so I would love feedback.