Every year we learn more about being kinder to each other and especially kinder to ourselves. One’s mental health is as essential as physical health, and the college and the university is a time of increased pressure and distress for a person. You have to complete all assignments in time, acquire high grades, and sometimes focus on different tasks.
Anxiety is a natural response to stress, but it often makes it impossible to maintain activity and work. Anxiety may also be the reason for such unpleasant symptoms like change in eating and sleeping habits, physical affliction, procrastination, avoidance, and loss of pleasure. On the other hand, many individuals develop harmful coping mechanisms like extensive use of alcohol and drugs to deal with anxious feelings. Therefore, follow these simple tips to recognize the anxiety and address it healthily to avoid any unpleasant consequences for your health or academic achievements.
Recognize and address your anxiety
We all may say we know ourselves and how our bodies and mind react to certain situations. However, an anxiety attack is something that may manifest itself in a manner uncommon for our usual behavior patterns. Of course, human emotions are complex, but it is essential to be mindful regarding the triggers that make us irritated or angry.
Take a look back and analyze everything that might have caused the reaction. The smallest inconvenience we miss or don’t notice may be a reason for feeling powerless. Then you can deal with it, if possible. Moreover, it is helpful to answer “why this issue affected me,” so you will be aware of your feelings and how you can cope in a way that doesn’t sabotage your mental and physical wellbeing.
Search for your perfect anxiety management routine
It is essential to develop healthy coping behavior without having to look for short-term solutions like drinking. Therapy and other methods are often expensive and unavailable for many students, but you still may look at what your college or campus offers. On the other hand, you may look for a “homemade” edition for yourself, using traditional techniques like deep breathing, meditation, exercise, and journaling. There are many helpful free apps for practicing meditation and keeping track of your eating and sleeping habits.
At first, it will be hard to include the routine to your ordinary day, but a practice that allows you to manage your anxiety attack and improve your overall wellbeing is something that doesn’t take too much time. Think also about something pleasant that can give you an inspiration or boost of creativity. Self-care routine, among other things, is something that helps you to recharge your internal battery.
Create a plan
Having your day organized and managed eases the overall sense of having too many things to do and not enough time to accomplish tasks. You may write down everything you need to do or use an app with convenient notifications to help you not miss important things. If a routine is hard for you to follow, you may outline goals you wish to complete within one week.
At the same time, a routine allows you to understand what is important and should be done and create an appropriate moment for your self-care ritual. For instance, every day at 8 p.m., you will meditate for thirty minutes and then watch an episode of your favorite show.
Surround yourself with additional resources
Additional support may come from your friends and family, don’t be afraid to keep in touch with them. Although you may be an advanced social media user, it can hardly substitute good old talk with a friend. The escapism and isolation may be symptoms of anxiety as well while being a factor that decreases your mental state.
On the other hand, as a student, you may feel that you are falling behind your peers at classes, but you might find various tools for making it easier to catch up. Try to find additional literature, YouTube videos that would help you to understand what you are missing. For instance, you may make a request like “write my essay on EssayPro” to get some helpful writing tips for your assignments. It is possible to spot the aspect you need to focus on right now, so you won’t feel discomfort when moving forward to another topic.
Take a pause
Allow yourself to take a break and step aside from the situation. It is normal to look at the situation and understand what is going on. This advice returns us to the first tip, but here we suggest not rushing, reflecting on your life, and finding every aspect that might affect you. It is important to take your time and think through what should be done next, how you can change your state, and how you can grow from the experience.
In essence, taking a break means giving yourself time for all the above-suggested steps. We wish you luck and strength for finishing your academic semester with nothing but high grades and a healthy mental and physical state.