Have you ever had a panic attack out of nowhere and don’t know where it came from? Do you ever fear a simple activity or situation? Do you think you have an anxiety problem and don’t know who to talk to? So many kids suffer from mental health disorders such as extreme anxiety, so please know you are not alone.  And you will be fine with the right support.

I have been someone who overthinks situations. I would always have to know the plan and had to know what was going to happen and all the details. I would have to control a situation so it would be just perfect. I also would and still do have thoughts like, “If I fail this test then I’m never going to get into a college, or if I don’t do this just right then my family is going to die.” I would also think of what if’s and tend to expect the worst thing to happen. I would try to make conclusions over a single event for example, “Today my friend didn’t talk to me all that much so she must hate me.” For a while I thought everyone thought just like me.

It took me a long time to realize that these types of thoughts are not normal and that there are people out there who can help me. I have been to multiple different therapists/psychologists, school counselors, and even psychiatrists in my life. They  have taught me strategies like mindful breathing and how to help change my negative thoughts to positive thoughts.

If you think that you would want/need someone to talk to, you can see a school counselor or go to https://www.psychologytoday.com/us to find a therapist. Of course it is always best to talk with an adult about how you feel as well. If you don’t think you need help from a person or you are not comfortable talking at this time, then consider that there are many books available that can help you walk through how to calm these thoughts.

In my opinion, my favorite book for teens and people that don’t know much about their anxiety is My Anxious Mind: A Teen’s Guide to Managing