School is hard, Anxiety makes it harder

By Hannah Haslett

We all have those moments where we space off and stop focusing on a teacher or professor that we should probably be listening to. 

        

My ability to concentrate in school was one of the very first indicators of a more distinct problem with anxiety. I absolutely could not focus and I was always worried and stressed about things that weren't regarding the classroom. 

It’s important to understand what triggers your anxiety so you can help prevent an anxiety attack or just know that you need to try some calming mechanisms before the worst happens.

Whether you’re worried about something unrelated to school, a test that's coming up, or if you smell bad, these are all distractions that can be caused by anxiety and can lead to struggling in school. 

Outside factors such as social media are also huge factors that cause anxiety to be heightened in school. We are constantly influenced by social media in our everyday lives. One of those factors is wanting to look like someone else on social media. This can negatively impact a teenager's self-esteem and confidence which ultimately increases anxiety. 

An important part of having anxiety wherever you go is to have one person with whom you feel comfortable talking and expressing your feelings. Whether that’s a parent, teacher, counselor, friend, or anyone in between. These people can be very helpful when you simply just need someone to talk to. Finding ways to cope during school is also an option.

School can give students anxiety and it’s common to worry about school-related things. It’s important to know the difference between stressing about a school assignment and suffering from a mental health disorder.

Students with anxiety that’s not caused by school could be losing interest in other activities, distancing themselves from friends, having mood swings, or a sudden drop in academic performance. 

The more that you understand what triggers anxiety for you and what helps to relieve that anxiety, the better off you will be in the long run. Don’t worry if you don’t know all of these things yet because it takes time. I still don’t know all of the ins and outs!