Anxiety Symptoms in Teenagers

Anxiety Symptoms in Teenagers

anxiety symptoms in teenagersThe world is a chaotic place and all around we are seeing the affects of anxiety and stress… anxiety is not age specific and lately we are seeing an outbreak of anxiety symptoms in teenagers.

All teenagers feel anxiety. This is important to know so they don’t feel like there is something wrong with them. The key is to get an idea of how much anxiety they feel and how often they are feeling this stress.

Anxiety Symptoms in Teenagers is a Normal Reaction in Situations Lke:

  • Test anxiety
  • Relationship struggles
  • A first date
  • Performance anxiety before public speaking or an important football game
  • First day of school
  • Meeting new people

What isn’t normal is when a teenager is experiencing anxiety symptoms very frequently or all the time especially when there is no evident trigger.

Anxiety when experienced in a healthy way can be our friend and actually help us perform better with greater awareness and clarity. Certain levels of anxiety symptoms in teenagers can motivate them to study harder for a big test or give it their all when performing in a school event.

What to watch for is when anxiety levels begin to cause a teenager to withdraw from situations or relationships because of the stress they are experiencing.

High levels of anxiety can often cause panic attacks and both of these can have an extremely debilitating on teenagers (or anyone for that matter).

Anxiety Symptoms in Teenagers and How to Cope

If caught early on many teens will find ways to cope with their anxiety that works for them.

Some Helpful Tips Are for Them To:

  • Recognize and name their emotions
  • Understand why they are feeling this anxiety
  • Associate what sort of activities or events cause them to feel this way
  • Simply just admitting a situation is stressful can be helpful
  • Talking to someone they trust about what they are feeling helps the teenager feel understood and not alone.
  • Be reminded everyone feels anxiety and it is normal
  • Find something they truly enjoy to spend time at when they are feeling anxious

Signs of Excessive Anxiety Symptoms in Teenagers:

  • They are stressed and anxious for no apparent reason they can identify.
  • They are anxious frequently (or all the time) about normal non-threatening events.
  • Constant worrying about their performance… for example excessive checking and rechecking their work on a test.
  • If the anxiety turns into panic attacks or if the anxiety becomes debilitating or altering to their normal personality.

Anxiety can become a very strong and life altering condition if left unchecked so keep an eye for these symptoms, try some of the simple techniques above and don’t be afraid to go and see a medical professional if you feel no progress is being made.

Anxiety symptoms in teenagers is common but doesn’t have to play a negative role if dealt with appropriately.

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Cultivate an Anxiety Cure System

Cultivate an Anxiety Cure System

cultivate an anxiety cure system“The few things that work fantastically well should be identified, cultivated, nurtured, and multiplied.”— Richard Koch: is a former management consultant,
entrepreneur, and writer

What does it mean to cultivate an anxiety cure system?

Well in many ways, a system is a system is a system…

If you’ve ever developed or embraced a system and used it long enough you will eventually see the desired results.

Many anxiety sufferers talk to me as if their entire life is one big mess without a single thing of value or merit.

After taking only a few moments of my working to bring some perspective they quickly realize there are areas of their life in which they are successful and competent.

Some are the head of their field in their career, while others are great homemakers, while others are talented athletes or musicians.

So I try to help them focus on their successes and draw their attention to what they had  to do to get to that place of accomplishment.

In all cases it involved work, dedication, focus, learning from mistakes, failing, and following a plan.

Most don’t realize the magnitude of their success until it is pointed out to them… this in and of itself is a real confidence booster and brings motivation to carry this same approach into other areas of their life including to cultivate an anxiety cure system.

I am often asked about existing anxiety cure systems like Panic Away and Linden Method both of which I believe are highly effective tools but although I would recommend these anxiety treatments I am at the same time quick to point out they are a “system” that needs to be embraced and incorporated into your life.

Countless individuals purchase these anxiety cures expecting a miracle and end up no further ahead when they leave it in the corner to collect dust.

Although the content within the system is important… ALL systems are completely useless if they are not followed.

This is why I find many people can look at their own life and see what has worked for them in the past and build a system around it for most anything they want to learn to excel at.

So if you want to build your own anxiety cure system, take a look at the areas of your life you’re already competent and use the same approach with your anxiety cure.

Look at your current successes and determine things like:

  • what time of day are you most effective?
  • what motivates you
  • what support structures/people do you have in place?
  • how do you assess growth or progress?
  • how do you reward yourself for reaching goals?
  • how do you deal with setbacks or failure?
  • what is your process for learning and incorporating new ideas and concepts?

Cultivate an Anxiety Cure System

Now take what you learned from studying your current talents and build them around some new thought processes, lifestyle habits, exercise routines, learning sessions and healthy relationship interactions.

Look through other posts on this blog or do a Google search and you will find thousands of effective natural anxiety home remedies you can try.

Not all of these work for everyone so give some an honest try and then switch it up if you are not seeing results.

Again the most important part of the system is to diligently follow it… the pieces within the system can easily be swapped out if needed.

Learn from your past successes and begin today cultivating your own anxiety cure system.

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Overcoming Anxiety Success

Overcoming Anxiety Success

overcoming anxiety success“Success is not for the timid. It is for those who seek guidance, make decisions, and take decisive action.” — Jose Silva: was a American parapsychologist and author

This isn’t going to be one of those feel good… warm and fuzzy overcoming anxiety success story posts.

Sometimes we need a kick in the pants… tough love… renewed motivation and a perspective shift.

Hopefully for some of you who are stuck in the anxiety rut today may be your day.

So many people read the quote above and think of financial success or career success and although it most definitely can apply in those areas of your life it an also apply to anything you participate in… Including overcoming anxiety…

What is Required for Overcoming Anxiety Success?

  • Success is not for the timid – watch anyone who is an expert in their field and you will see intensity, focus, determination, dedication and a refusal to quit. Your commitment to overcoming anxiety will require no less if you ever hope to achieve a greater level of inner peace.
  • Success is for those who seek guidance – we all have areas we are strong in and areas we need assistance with. Regardless if we’re strong or weak there is always more to learn and understand… unless one stays open to education, direction, correction and mentoring they will never truly achieve success in any field or task. Seek out anxiety information and anxiety help for your worrying thoughts.
  • Success is for those who make decisions – you can amass all the education and understanding in the world but unless you make decisions to implement it in your life it will amount to nothing. Think of your mind as a funnel… it is wider at the top and narrower at the bottom… at the top our mind is filled with ideas, thoughts, concepts, worries, fears and possibilities… as they go down the funnel you need to filter this myriad of thoughts down to those you are intentionally deciding to do something about.
  • Success is for those who take decisive action - once you’ve made some decisions on what you feel is your best course of action you will achieve nothing unless you put some of those into action. As the funnel narrows even further it is important for you to filter down your decisions and prioritize them to the level of that which is the ultimate best use of your time, resources and energy. This is crucial to attain a greater degree of overcoming anxiety success.

This is not an easy task as it is something we need to be doing on the fly all day long, each and everyday of our life.

It is however a skill that as you practice you will become more adept at.

The alternative is how most people live…

Their funnel is filled with all the same thoughts, messages from the media, their upbringing and their own fears and anxieties but as their funnel narrows they allow chance (or whichever voice is screaming the loudest) to dictate what they listen to… what they believe… what they think… what they decide… what they do… and ultimately how they feel.

Success is an option available to all of us…

Overcoming anxiety success is an option available to you…

What are you going to do about it?

Will you remain timid in this area? Are you going to begin seeking guidance? Can you commit to a better filtering of the decisions you make and the actions you engage in?

Take a step towards overcoming anxiety success right now! You can do it!

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Love Away Your Anxiety…

Love Away Your Anxiety…

love away your anxiety“Love is the ability and willingness to allow those that you care for to be what they choose for themselves without any insistence that they satisfy you.”
— Wayne Dyer: is an American self-help advocate, author, and lecturer

To love away your anxiety is a concept based on acceptance and removing expectations.

Placing expectations on others to be something different than they are at this moment can cause you to live in an indefinite state of anxiety. By deferring your happiness to the future when the “other” (may or may not) meets your expectations you are allowing yourself to live in a state of constant anticipation which usually brings with it anxiety or stress.

By choosing love and acceptance as an alternative you allow the other to be who they are regardless how it affects you or your relationship. This is not to say you can’t interact with people you care about and set boundaries or agree on acceptable/unacceptable behavior. What it means though is once you are clear on the arrangement you don’t heap expectations on them to perform. When you accept them as they are you allow them the freedom to succeed or fail freely as they need to on their own journey.

This acceptance (love) sets the other party free to live without restraint… it takes away any negative energy in the relationship between the 2 of you and also removes any anxiety regarding the other persons future and how it may affect you.

Another way to love away your anxiety is to love and accept yourself without expectation.

Anxiety sufferers tend to be hard on themselves and are constantly striving for something beyond where they currently are. This is not to say we don’t set goals or to stop working on personal growth and maturity but rather to stop being so hard on yourself and insisting on a certain outcome.

When we demand a certain performance we place incredible pressure on ourself heaping on anxiety and stress.

By loving yourself and accepting who you are in this moment you allow ourself to live freely without the fear of making a mistake or not measuring up to your ultimate ideal.

We all make mistakes and we all fail… being willing to accept it when it happens makes the fall that much less painful and the lead up time stress free.

Begin today to love away your anxiety in how you treat yourself and those you care about.

 

 

 

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Overcoming Anxiety Reminder

Overcoming Anxiety Reminder

overcoming anxiety reminder“You are not beaten until you admit it.”
– George Patton, general

It seems many people put so much stock in the newest anxiety treatment… the most ninja panic attack cure… best rated stress relievers and dialoguing on forums and in chat rooms and although these things can all be good unless one has the attitude of a survivor the other doesn’t much matter.

I’ve seen it over and over those we refuse to give up will always somehow find a way… it may not be pretty but they manage to drag themselves across the finish line…

We’ve all heard it a million times to “never give up” and yet for some reason we all have times when we need to hear it again…

so this is your…

Overcoming anxiety reminder…

Hang in there… you can do it… there is always a way… you just need to find it.

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Anxiety Treatment – Who’s Joining You for Dinner?

Anxiety Treatment – Who’s Joining You for Dinner?

anxiety treatment who's joining you for dinnerYour time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.
–Steve Jobs

The only tyrant I accept in this world is the still voice within.
–Mahatma Gandhi

I don’t know about you but I find myself listening to many different voices throughout  the day and most of them are inside of me…

There’s the…

Bright and cheery “it’s a beautiful day” voice…

The “glass is more than half full” voice…

The “I can conquer the world” voice…

but then there’s also…

The “I am discouraged” voice…

The “I’m scared and stressed” voice…

and the “I will never make it” voice…

Do any of you relate or am I just speaking to myself here???

The longer I have been on my journey of life the more I am sure of one thing…

There is one true voice that is “me”… the “me” I was created to be…

All other voices are noise and distraction from the “me” I want to live my life as.

The true “me” is always there and his voice speaks words of life, wisdom, strength and Truth… it is however a quiet voice and I cannot hear it unless I am able to silence all the other voices screaming for attention.

The other voices are those of my ego, of my past hurts, my insecurities, my fears and doubts…

These voices realize they are simply a facade… an impostor… an inaccurate reflection of something genuine and authentic and as a result are constantly jockeying for position and survival.

For years I tried to beat these other voices down… to eliminate and kill them… or if nothing else to resist and bury them.

Then I came to realize, even though I don’t like how they influence me, they are still a part of this person I am at this point in my life… like it or not I have baggage that still needs to be neatly stowed away.

I love analogies and my analogy today is one of a banqueting table.

Imagine you are having a large group of people over for supper… this is going to be a big spread and you want it to be the best meal ever.

Your guest list is diverse… you have friends and family… acquaintances… people from work… your boss… teachers from school and neighbors from down the street.

There will be many different voices at this table… some of them dear to your heart and some of them come with history which has brought you pain.

Good or bad these people are all a part of your life and have all had a say in the person you are today.

How will you deal with the conversation at the table?

Will you allow the bully to dominate because they have the loudest voice?

Or will it be the drama queen because she can manipulate and control the room?

What about the victim who needs someone to feel sorry for them?

How about the anxious and fearful voice with their list of anxieties?

Or will you just let everyone talk at once?

Wait a minute…

We almost forgot…

This is YOUR dinner…

So why is everyone else taking over?

Anxiety Treatment – Who’s Joining You for Dinner?

Just thought I’d remind you of the title of this post… are you starting to see why I called it “Anxiety Treatment – Who’s Joining You for Dinner?” now?

We only get one life and its up to us to make it the best it can be.

There are countless other voices and influences and some of them are incredibly strong, controlling and manipulative but in the end it is still our life and we ultimately decide which voices we give room in our head and our hearts.

One thing I have found very helpful is to not attack these other voices like a dragon to be slain but rather be at peace with them.

For the moment they are a voice at your banquet table but that does not mean you have to let them control the conversation or interrupt who you want to be speaking.

I encourage you to stop resisting the other voices… accept them exactly as they are…

BUT….

With your true inner voice tell them who is boss now.

The real “you” as of today is going to be leading now…

It’s ok to let the other voices talk as long as you (the real you) controls the conversation.

Going back to our dinner analogy, if the bully were to start intimidating the other guests with his loud, brash personality the real you could calmly thank him for joining the group for dinner and knowing he is simply looking for attention probably from being rejected at a younger age you could dialogue with him in a healthy manner while assuring him he matters…

Remember all these other voices are there for a reason and are looking for “something” but only know one way to get it… its only the real you who knows what they REALLY need.

When a baby is crying it only knows one thing… it is hungry and wants to be fed… if he knew how to walk to the fridge and get a bottle he would but he isn’t capable…

It’s the same way with the other voices inside of us… they are crying to be fed… they don’t know what to do about it they just want you to know they aren’t happy.

When you acknowledge their presence in your life, and let them know their needs matter they will begin to quiet down allowing you to be more attune to the real you.

I encourage you to make a list of the regular voices you have at your banquet table… and even give them names…

There could be Bully Bob…

Drama Donna…

Manipulative Mary…

Anxious Al…

Please forgive me if any of you are named Bob, Donna, Mary or Al… just an analogy remember :)

Then in the future when you hear that all too familiar voice taking over the table… begin to speak to it with your true inner voice… acknowledge their presence and their hurt and needs…. listen to them but don’t allow them to take control.

When “enough is enough” thank them for sharing but let them know that is all for now.

The real you knows when it’s time to focus on something else and can remain in control the entire time.

I find this to be an extremely effective anxiety treatment method.

Who’s joining you for dinner? Make a list and then begin giving the reins back  to your true voice.

 

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Anxiety Treatment Meditation

Anxiety Treatment Meditation

anxiety treatment meditationWhatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.
– The Bible

Many think anxiety treatment meditation involves emptying the mind and although this is one technique another effective method is to fill your mind with something other than worry and fear based thoughts.

Anyone who has struggled with relentless thoughts of anxiety know it isn’t as easy as it sounds to think about something else…

I didn’t say this would be easy but I am telling you it DEFINITELY is not only possible but very much worth the effort and time required to develop a new mindfulness based thought process.

Years ago when I first began working on mindfulness meditation I literally couldn’t last more than a second or two on my desired thought when I would stray back to those of worry and fear.

As with anything the more I practiced and trained my mind, the longer I was able to carry on with thoughts that brought my entire being peace and calmness.

One little trick I use that I find quite helpful is to allow myself to feel a feeling that connects to the thought I am thinking.

We all know the feeling anxiety brings just we as know the sensation in our body when we experience love. So if you were meditating on joy, purity, grace, forgiveness or peace don’t just think the thought in your head but allow your body, heart and soul to experience a feeling associated with it.

Most anxiety sufferers would be happy enough just to not feel anxiety any longer (to feel nothing) but I say if you can experience joy, peace and love in its place then WHY NOT???

It is this desire to once again connect with such positive feelings that so motivates me to do more anxiety treatment meditation even more so than my desire to rid myself of anxiety. Positive motivation in my opinion is much more effective in the long term than negative motivation.

Anxiety Treatment Meditation

Many think meditation is this ultra spiritual practice where one sits in the lotus position, their palms turned upward while they eerily mumble a magical mantra… and although some do practice meditation in this manner this specific style isn’t required to gain similar benefits.

Most days if things get a bit hectic and I am feeling overwhelmed or stressed I will simply stop what I am doing and intentionally focus my mind on something peaceful or calming… I will allow myself to connect with feelings of peace, joy, love and grace throughout my being. If I am around other people I will do this without even closing my eyes or giving any indication of what I am up to. Often just a minute or two of this refocusing will be like a wave washing away the anxious energy leaving me feeling more aware and energized.

I also will try to spend at least 10-15 minutes in the morning as soon as I wake up or just before I go to sleep at night.

There is no hard and fast rule as to the technique for anxiety treatment meditation… the goal is to empty your mind of busyness and inner dialogue, so whatever you need to do to accomplish that is what is best for you.

When you first begin anxiety treatment meditation it is easier to get distracted so you may need to get yourself into a place where you can keep on track but the more practice you get the more you will be able to enter this state virtually anywhere at anytime.

Just like going to the gym for the first time don’t expect miracles overnight. Be patient with yourself as at times this can be frustrating and since the point is to move away from negative energy beating yourself up is quite counter-productive.

Take it slow… mix it up a bit until you find what works best for you and then just stick with it until you start to see and feel the results.

Begin today with a trial run of some anxiety treatment meditation.

 

 

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Anxiety and Problems… Problems… Problems…

Anxiety and Problems… Problems… Problems…

anxiety and problemsLife is an extremely complicated intertwining  of near infinite and untraceable events, circumstances, influence, feelings, actions, social interaction, seemingly random occurrences and countless other “stuff”…

I say “stuff” because there is no “one word” to describe all that impacts any one life.

If one wanted to trace back the cause for any single event they would need to virtually go back to the beginning of creation… everything is much more interconnected than we often think…

And it’s in our excessive “thinking” where the problem often lies… we tend to look at a circumstance of our life as if it were an isolated event when it is always far from that.

We look at our so called problems as “bad” and the things that go the way we like without any issues as “good”…  our minds tend to automatically categorize and judge our every event as we go through our day.

When our minds fixate on the seemingly “bad” things is when we tend to enter into a state of stress, anxiety, unproductive thoughts, and worry.

Since many believe anxiety and problems go hand in hand its no wonder millions around the world are continually living in an anxious state as things NEVER go perfectly for anyone… EVER.

Anxiety and Problems… Problems… Problems…

Anxiety for the most part causes one to focus solely on the problem and the seemingly negative impact it has on ones life. When a person allows themselves to get stuck in the anxiety loop it seldom offers solutions or motivation to move beyond the issue.

When Henry Ford first built a car I’m sure there were all sorts of “problems”… if he had focused on what didn’t work and allowed himself to be consumed with feelings of fear and failure he wouldn’t have become the founder of one of the largest automobile manufacturers in the world.

Many of the todays most successful people were wealthy, lost it all, learned some valuable lessons and then rebuilt usually far beyond where they were initially successful.

If you look at any person who has excelled at anything, be it career, politics, art, sports, relationships, schooling or overcoming adversity they did so by allowing their “problems” to motivate them onto something greater.

By changing our perspective on anxiety and problems we stop only seeing the negative effects and we begin to see solutions… we stop allowing anxiety to immobilize us and we let the challenge towards greatness to empower us to change, mature and grow.

I’m sure you can reflect in your own life on a difficult time you went through and realize the so-called problems were the main cause for you to reflect on life, change priorities, break through debilitating fears, step out of your comfort zone and spur you onto a better “you”.

If in looking back we can see how the struggles of life are what bring to our attention the changes we need to make to be better than isn’t that a good thing?

Whether the challenge is financial, relational, physical, or internal (anxiety, fear, depression etc.) consider changing the way you look at it… try not judging it as a negative thing…. be open to stop resisting this as a wonderful opportunity to move into a healthier and more fulfilled stage of life.

Allow yourself to begin to see how everything works together to bring you to where you need to be… if you just “let it”…. including anxiety and problems.

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Super Bowl Sunday – Football Anxiety?

Super Bowl Sunday – Football Anxiety?

super bowl sunday football anxietyFor many millions of sports fans around the world today is the big day….

Super Bowl Sunday!

The New York Giants and New England Patriots have been working all year to be in this very spot on this very day.

There have been countless hours spent in the gym, on the field, runing drills, learning plays, training, practicing and mentally preparing for what is the biggest game of many of these players lives.

Do you think theres a slight chance some of these professional athletes are experiencing just a tiny bit of pre game football anxiety?

I’m sure most if not all are churning inside… their nerves on the extreme edge.

Call it football anxiety… pre game jitters… stage fright or anything you like but this inner tension if harnessed and directed positively into the game can bring a huge advantage to the player with this valuable skill..

On the flip side the player who allows this inner turmoil to distract or intimidate him mentally or physically will be his own worst opponent on the field…

When normally it would take a charging 300ish pound linebacker to bring him down he has almost willing conceded victory to a nagging thought or unbridled emotion.

The power of a thought or an anxious feeling to cripple a world class athlete at the top of his game and at the peak of his physical performance is almost unbelievable…

Except for that it is true and we see its effects everyday in the lives of millions around the world.

Anxiety is not necessarily an evil dragon to be slain, it can and will have many positive effects on our life if we train ourselves to harness its energy in a healthy and productive manner.

If you watch the game today look for the players with the fire in their eyes and passion on the field and I can almost assure you these are the ones who have effectively dealt with their Super Bowl Sunday football anxiety.

Enjoy the game!

 

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Break the Chains of Anxiety

Break the Chains of Anxiety

break the chains of anxiety“The chains of habit are too weak to be felt until they are too strong to be broken.”– Samuel Johnson, Lexicographer

The chains of anxiety can come on as a result of multiple factors, one of which is nothing more than from developing a bad habit.

There have been habits others have pointed out to me I wasn’t even aware I had… these sneaky little devils can be so subtle in their infancy but if left unchecked can quickly move into a “death grip” hold.

By far the easiest way to deal with a  bad habit is to catch it early on… but if this is no longer an option most any habit formed is capable of being broken or replaced with a healthy one… Overcoming anxiety attacks naturally is no exception.

Break the Chains of Anxiety

As mentioned above sometimes the chains of anxiety are nothing more than the result of poor mental health conditioning and a lack of emotional awareness.

There are literally thousands of habits we indulge in on a regular basis, some of which are beneficial and others not.

How many of you…

- Sense nervousness in your stomach when you pick up the mail fearing unpaid bills or a notice you’re being audited?

- Experience anxiety whenever you drive a certain stretch of road known to have a high rate of accidents?

- Are afraid to run into an old friend who hurt you every time you’re in their neighborhood?

These are just a few examples where the anxiety being experienced is because of a poor habit.

It began with a scare, a hurt or a bad experience and was followed with unchecked thoughts in certain situations that led to a consistent sensation of anxiety.

The first step of anxiety self help is to heighten your awareness of these times where without fail you experience anxiety and make note of the trigger.

The next time you experience this allow yourself to be fully aware of what you are feeling and consciously connect it with the situation and any history it has in your life.

Now that you are acting consciously in this moment (when reacting out of habit we are seldom acting consciously) choose to think a different thought about the situation and feel something more positive.

Depending how old or deep rooted the bad habit is will dictate how long it takes to break the bad habit and replace it with a new one.

Regardless the length of time required, if you stick with it you will begin to notice a shift in your mind and emotions in these situations where in the past you only experienced anxiety, fear and stress.

The 2 main keys are awareness and consciously choosing different thoughts and feelings.

Begin today to break the chains of anxiety in your life. 

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