Dealing with Anxiety as a College Student
By Mel LaFountain
Photo by Ben Parker
Having Anxiety in College
Anxiety has had a chokehold on my life since I was seven years old. In the past 13 years, I’ve grown accustomed to the sensation of a tight chest and shaky hands, and the feeling of the world collapsing around me when I have a panic attack. That said, just because you’re used to a feeling doesn’t make it easier to deal with. Since I’ve been at college, I’ve noticed just how much my anxiety affects me, whether it be in relationships, academics, or just my overall health. This disorder can be overwhelming enough on its own, but with the added stressors that come with being a college student, sometimes it can feel like too much to handle.
How I Get Through It
Don’t be fooled by the title of this article. I don’t have concrete answers on how to deal with anxiety in college, or a one-size-fits-all cure for the disorder. If I’m being honest, I’ve never struggled more with anxiety than I am right now. Selfishly, writing this article is more for me than anything else. While I hope to resonate with others and share some tips and tricks I’ve learned throughout the years, I’m also using this as an opportunity to remind myself of these things.
***Disclaimer: I’m not a psychological professional (obviously). These are just the methods that have worked for me during panic attacks or other moments of anxiety.***
The first thing most people will tell you to do if you say you’re feeling anxious is to breathe. As obvious as it sounds, sometimes all you really need is to just take a moment to breathe. And I don’t mean a couple shallow breaths. I’m talking about big ones–four seconds in, four seconds out–until you feel relaxed again. As irritating as it may be when someone tells you to try breathing, sometimes just focusing on your breath is enough to ground you when you feel overwhelmed.
Another important trick that I’ve learned is self-talk. As scary as it may be to admit, the only person who can really take control of your anxiety is you. So who better to talk you out of it? Simply repeating a phrase like, “You can do this,” or “You’ve gotten through this before,” can be enough to calm you down so you can think clearly again.
The most difficult part of anxiety is learning to not let it define you. I’ve always tended to judge myself based on how anxious I am, as if it is something I’ve allowed to happen on purpose. The truth is, anxiety will happen whether you want it to or not. It may be useful to try considering your anxiety as something completely separate from yourself. In my case, I’ve given my anxiety a name (Justyne, because why not). This way when I’m struggling, I’m not getting mad at myself, but I’m getting mad at Justyne instead. I remove some of the pressure from myself to be okay all the time.
As cheesy as it sounds, anxiety isn’t something you should blame yourself for, but rather, something you should be proud of. It isn’t easy. At times, it’s scary and painful and tiring. But despite how taxing it is, you’re living through it. That alone is a huge triumph.