Anxiety is well known among college students, but it's not only college students who are affected. If you are not familiar with anxiety, it is an overwhelming feeling of panic or distress and it makes you feel like a different person almost. I've been struggling with my own anxiety for about two years, but I want to tell you that it's completely normal to have anxiety. On average, most people do have anxiety about at least something. Anxiety may not be recurring to some, but to others it stays with them. 15 million people in the United States alone are struggling with anxiety.
For me, anxiety makes me feel like I am incapable of doing something. It makes me feel numb and helpless when it is extreme. Anxiety is also linked to panic attacks which involve a rapid heart rate, sweating, numbness, and a feeling of dizziness. Normally, when I feel an extreme case of anxiety coming over me, I will usually take a deep breath, hold it for about five seconds and then release. After that, I try to tell myself that it is going to be okay and most often times it does work in calming me down. Holding your breath and then slowly releasing reduces the rapid heart rate and will make you feel less stressed. Talking to someone about your anxiety also helps to alleviate some of the stress.
People can get anxiety about all sorts of things. For some it can be something as simple as getting in their car and driving or going to a new place that they have never been before like a foreign country for example. Most of the time when it comes to college students, the biggest anxiety inducers are tests and work that may or may not have been procrastinated and then became too overwhelming. Social anxiety is also a big issue for some, and that's completely okay! Going to a new place by yourself, or even somewhere you have been before can be stressful. The most stressful time for people with social anxiety is Christmas time, due to the large crowds of people trying to buy their presents in time for the holidays.
Never feel embarrassed or feel outcast due to your anxiety. Everyone has anxiety. Whether it be a sports game that is crucial to making playoffs, an upcoming test, a health complication, or even something that they experience every day such as going to class, anxiety is apparent in our society.
