Mental health: Back to school, back to anxiety

Going back to school at the end of a relaxing holiday is exciting for a lot of kids and young adults, but for the rest of us the back-to-school vibe can bring a lot of unease, anxiety, stress and depression that can take over your physical and emotional state. Last year was an incredibly difficult year for a lot of students, and it is important to learn skills that will help you and others around you cope with the new school year.

We know it’s difficult, but stop avoiding it.

• It’s natural to feel the urge to avoid situations that stress you out. These are called stressors; an example would be skipping classes that make you anxious, pressurising teachers, or even staying in bed all day and avoiding school altogether.
• These often create a snowball effect and make your anxiety worse. Try to take small meaningful steps to approach these situations or people who provoke anxiety in you. Reach out to your teachers or lecturers and explain your situation and let them know that you are looking for ways to contribute and learn, but also that you need some advice or a helping hand. Reach out to your loved ones for support – they will love nothing more than to help you get through this.

 Love yourself.

1.Exercising, eating healthy food and getting a good night’s rest are very important, as they regulate your mood and help you cope with stress. This is why it is so important to create your own self-care routine that centres around food, sleep and exercise to help you start off your day in the right way, and end it the right way too.

2.Create rituals that make sure that your day starts off the right way, such as having a glass of warm water with honey and lemon when you wake up and squeezing in a 15-minute yoga session. Read every night and get yourself super calm and relaxed so that you can get the best sleep possible.

3.Find some top tips from your buddies down at Unlocked.Me here:

o   What to eat

o   Why sleep is so important

o   How to practise self-care

Good vibes only!

Pay attention and take time to notice the beauty around you. This will help keep your mind positive and off the worry train. Even if you are having the worst day ever, find one beautiful, exciting and positive thing to appreciate. Be the dreamer.

Source:

o   https://childmind.org/article/back-school-anxiety/

o   https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/anxiety-tips.html

o   https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/5-tips-to-ease-backtoschool-anxiety