4. Anxiety – Check Your Answers

Look at this infographic below, paying particular attention to the warning signs section. Are there any signs you missed from your thermometer? If so, why not add them in.

Next, take note of the top tips at the bottom of the graphic. These are some ways young people can manage anxiety.

Write down on your worksheet, or piece of paper, how a young person might use one of these tips to help manage their anxiety effectively. Make a list of all the strategies you can think of.

Feeling stuck? Pick your favourite 3 tips from here…

• Remember that the bodily symptoms you feel are related to fear and are perfectly normal so try and focus away from them and on something that holds your focus and attention
• ‘Breathe out’ the fear as you breathe gently in and out,  and work on relaxing your body one part at a time
• Have a number of ‘safe’ places you can think of and ‘escape’ to these in your thoughts – just to give your fears a break
• Write down your fears and put them away – they may seem less fearful the next time you look at them 
• Express your fears to someone you know will understand and see if they have a different way of looking at things
• Work on challenging fearful thoughts – try to see the funny side of the thing you are fearful of? Or find a positive thought to balance it?