Most people worry about something – money, exams and relationships. When we worry it can feel unpleasant and it can be difficult to concentrate on do day to day activities. This can make us feel stressed or anxious. But once the difficult situation is over, most people feel better and calm down. 

Feeling anxious, stressed or worried starts when we perceive that something is a threat and scares us. When this happens, chemicals are released in our brain that make physical changes in our body and create the feeling of being stressed, anxious or worried. 

This feeling is very important for us. Your heart is beating so hard, sometimes you can feel it through your hands, chest and feet. There is so much blood pumping through your brain, it is like rocket fuel. At this moment you are able to run faster, fight harder and jump higher than you could ever do before. You are alert and focused and feel like everything else is going in slow motion. This is perfect for us to fight the threat (fight) or run away from the threat (flight) 

Often when this happens we don’t even notice it and it tends to go away once the threat has passed. However when you feel it, it can be overwhelming, scary and make you feel a little sick and you might notice that you sweat. This is normal and although it can feel unpleasant it is designed not to hurt you but to help make you do much more incredible things. At this point you have a super power that no one else in the room has. But remember, like all superpowers it needs to be managed and controlled to be of any use to you. We all need to learn how to manage, so that these powers do not control you but you can control them so that they only help you when you need their help. 

It is not a nice feeling but, everyone will experience it at some point during their lives no matter how big, brave or intimidating they may seem. It is important to remember that feeling stressed, worried or anxious is normal. Some young people may experience this feeling more than others. This feeling only becomes a problem when it continues after the threatening situation or event has gone but the feeling remains or gets stronger. 

Everyone is different and some things that make one person feel stressed, anxious or worried may not make another person experience the same feelings. The most common are listed below; 

Sometimes it is difficult to tell when your child is feeling anxious, worried or stressed in the moment. One good way of noticing is paying attention to their body. The body is very good at letting us know when something is not quite right. Sometimes we just have to watch it. Below are some of the things that young people notice when they are feeling stressed, worried or anxious;

Feeling one, some or even most of the above doesn’t necessarily mean you have a problem with anxiety. It is important to speak to your child’s GP if they do experience these symptoms on a regular basis. 

Sometimes the intensity of this feeling will reduce without any intervention. For instance, some young people may not leave the house. One of the first things we try and work out is what triggers the anxiety. Young people can learn what makes the anxiety worse and what things can reduce it. Identifying unhelpful thinking patterns and developing more helpful responses can be of benefit.