The current coronavirus pandemic has caused many of us to feel worried or low. Even as things start to get back to normal, there is a lot of uncertainty – something which feeds anxiety.

Some anxiety is to be expected due to this situation, but if you feel it is getting out of control, leaving you feeling isolated or stopping you from doing things, you may benefit from some extra support.

The links below have some helpful information and practical tips and strategies you can try to support your emotional wellbeing at this time.

Young Minds
The Mix
No Panic 

We all experience some form of anxiety at different points in our lives. It is a natural response to stressful situations – our body’s alarm system to tell us something is not right. When this alarm goes off, we may experience unpleasant sensations in our body such as our hearts beating faster, stomach aches/feeling sick or shaking.

However, some of us experience more ‘false alarms’ than others: we feel worried, panicked or afraid in situations where there is no real danger. When this happens regularly, it can have a negative impact on our friendships, hobbies, school work and home life. There are many different types of anxiety.

Below are some of the most common:

• School: worries about returning to school
• Social anxiety: worries about interacting with others
• Separation anxiety: worries about being away from home or       family
• Phobias: fears of specific things or situations that are not actually dangerous
• Generalised anxiety: constant worries about many things

The links below have some more information about anxiety and some tips and strategies you can try to help manage your worries
 
Top Tips about returning to school
The Mix – Anxiety
Young Minds - Anxiety

Most of us will be familiar with the most common feelings of panic:
• Racing heart
• Short of breath
• Shaking
• Nausea
• Feeling dizzy/lightheaded
We experience these during moments of anxiety or stress (and sometimes even excitement!) Panic becomes a problem when these symptoms occur regularly and for no apparent reason.
Panic attacks usually last between 5 and 20 minutes and can be really scary – we might feel like we are going to be sick, collapse or even die. Once we have experienced this, we might start to avoid situations due to worries about having a panic attack.

However, it’s important to remember that no matter how frightening they are, panic attacks are not dangerous. Your body actually thinks it is being helpful and is just trying to prepare you for a danger that does not actually exist (it’s a false alarm).

The links below have some helpful information about panic attacks
Childline - panic
Anxiety Canada – What is a panic attack? 

Life has its ups and downs, but if we are feeling low or hopeless for a long period of time, it might be a sign that we need support. Low mood or depression is more than feeling sad. It can make us lose interest in things and think negative thoughts about ourselves as well as affecting our sleep, appetite, energy levels and ability to concentrate. With such a range of symptoms, you might think it would be easier to spot, but low mood can be very sneaky – for many people, there is no apparent reason why they feel this way.

Persistent low mood is exhausting and can negatively impact our relationships, school work and general sense of wellbeing. Sharing how you feel with someone might seem scary, but it’s one of the most helpful things you can do.

The links below have some helpful information and advice about low mood

Childline – Low Mood
The Mix – Low Mood 

Many people experience some form of low self-esteem but for some of us, it might be having a significant impact on our lives. If you have low self-esteem, you are likely to hold negative views about yourself and your abilities, lack confidence and spend a lot of time comparing yourself to others.

Here’s the thing though: you are a good, capable and likeable person.

The links below have some useful information about self-esteem to help you understand why you might feel this way and give you some ideas about how to tackle this.

The Mix – Confidence & Self Esteem l 

Sometimes it can be easy to forget that anger is a healthy, normal emotion. We all experience it and it and sometimes we just need to get it out. However, some young people struggle to control their anger which can cause difficulties at home, school and with friends. Feeling like this can be frightening and frustrating for both the person experiencing it and those around them. It is important to keep in mind that anger is often the result of something else that might be going on.

The links below have some helpful information and advice about anger.

Young Minds – Anger
Childline - Anger