How To Deal With Anxiety As A Student

Anxiety can be a burden that would hinder you from functioning and doing your daily task. So it is better to manage your anxiety before it gets worse.

What Is Anxiety?

Before you can manage anxiety, you need to know what it is first. You cannot control what you don’t understand. So what is anxiety? It is your body’s natural response to stress.Having too much anxiety can interfere with your ability to do daily activities. Severe anxiety is often difficult to control. Some of its symptoms are:

• Rapid breathing
• Increased heart rate
• Trouble concentrating
• Restlessness
• Difficulty falling asleep
• Sense of Isolation
• Difficulty coping with life’s issues
• Feelings of sadness

College students are prone to suffering anxiety. According to a study, 80% of the student respondents feel stressed, and 13% are diagnosed with anxiety. A student suffering from this might underperform during class and affect their ability to interact with other students socially. Fortunately, all is not lost when you are suffering from anxiety, as there are ways to keep it from progressing.

What Causes Anxiety?

Below are a few reasons why you might suffer from the condition. 

Homesickness

Many students feel the stress of living far away from home. This adjustment is hard, especially during the first few months in college and for those who are not used to being far from their family.

Change In Support Environment

Another cause for anxiety is the change in the support system. Life is different in college compared to when you are in high school. Back then, it was easier to get help from your family and friends as they are within your reach. Now that you are far from them, seeking their help is not that easy. This can be tough to adjust especially if you are used to having someone help you.

Academic Demands

College subjects teach you things that would prepare you for your chosen career. Often, these subjects require special attention as it is not as easy as your subjects in high school. When you don’t get the results you want, it causes stress, which could lead to anxiety.

So now you understand what anxiety is and what causes them, it’s time to learn how you can manage it.

Think Positive

According to research, positive thinking helps improve your physical, mental, and emotional well-being. It decreases depression and lowers your stress level. That is why you must look at things on the positive side. Even if you face a challenge, treat it as a learning experience that can help you grow as a person.

Have an “Outlet”

One way to help keep your anxiety at bay is to find an outlet. Engage yourself in various outdoor activities – a hobby or sports. It can be anything that can take your mind off the things that trigger your anxiety. The more you engage yourself in these activities, the less chance that you will suffer from it.

Engage In Relaxation Techniques

One of the easiest and best activities to manage anxiety is to relax. You can do deep breathing exercises, meditation, slow counting, or playing with a stress ball. As soon as you start feeling that an anxiety attack is hitting you, start doing your preferred relaxation exercise. It will prevent it from further escalating.

Talk To Someone

Venting out what you feel can help reduce your anxiety. Keeping it all to yourself would do you more harm than good. That is why when you are feeling anxious; it is nice to have someone to talk to.

Get Enough Sleep

Sleep deprivation results in low academic performance and low energy levels. Ensure that no matter how busy you are, you get complete sleep to keep your body energized and ready to tackle your daily task.

Proper Time Management

A lot of things are happening in college. You have your schoolwork, examinations, projects, social responsibilities, and more – you have to juggle all of these in a short period. To minimize stress, it is better if you properly balance everything by managing your time. The more organized it is, the quicker you can accomplish your task.

Having anxiety is no joke. If it occurs for long periods, it could cause profound implications to your health. That is why if you are suffering from this, do not ignore it and find a way to manage it. And if you  know someone who is suffering from this, help them out by talking. Maybe you don’t realize that a simple chat can help save a life.