One of my biggest fears entering college was: am I going to fit in? This was my biggest fear for numerous reasons. I came from a really small school where everyone knows each other and even there I didn’t fit in with everybody. I was wondering if it was going to be the same way in college. I was afraid that I wasn’t going to make any friends. I had a small group of friends in … [Read more...]
10 Reasons to Recover From Your Eating Disorder This Holiday Season
For me, mid-October to early-January is terrifying. Absolutely petrifying. There’s Halloween and Thanksgiving and the winter holidays, and that’s not even counting the pumpkin-spiced-everything and the sudden increase in carb-heavy foods as the weather gets colder. But I’ve spent too many autumns hiding in big sweaters and pretending I’m “just not hungry”. I can’t be the … [Read more...]
Start Loving Your Reflection
Some days, I look in the mirror and I see unbounded potential and greatness staring back. Other days, I look into that same mirror feeling hideous and insecure. Most teens struggle with insecurities, but seven years ago I stared into the mirror and absolutely loathed the girl looking back at me. I remember sitting in the corner of my bathroom bawling, wishing with my entire … [Read more...]
Good is Better Than Perfect: Managing Perfectionism Anxiety
Teenagers are faced with an immense amount of pressure to outperform their peers in academics and extracurricular activities. As students, they are encouraged from a young age to perform well in school, so they can attend a prestigious university and go on to lead a successful life. This mentality has been exacerbated by academic institutions putting students on the honors … [Read more...]
7 Ways to Reduce Your Anxiety by Getting in Touch with Nature and Your Community
Throughout my teenage and adult life, I’ve found nature and working within my community to be a great way to alleviate stress. Exercise can lead to a healthy heart and lessen anxiety due to gaining a higher-level of endorphins, and in the long run, help you feel better about you. Take your friends with or go solo. Some examples of how venturing into the great outdoors may help … [Read more...]
How I Found Help and Improved My Mental Health in College
When I was growing up, illnesses only existed if they could be seen. I was raised in a family that emphasized the importance of being tough and plastering a smile on your face, no matter the situation. At nine years old, I had my first panic attack. I recall tearing the house to pieces in search of a book that hadn’t even crossed my mind in months. I remember the tight … [Read more...]
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, How Will You Celebrate?
Mental health awareness month is a big month for us at Anxiety In Teens. So many stories, advocacy, laughing and crying, but most of all - GIFs! Here are just a few ways we like to celebrate this month of reducing stigma and spreading awareness about mental health issues. Tell Our Stories So Others Can Be Heard Baking Some Courage Cupcakes for a Friend Read … [Read more...]
Your Scars Don’t Define You: One Parent’s Story of Supporting Their Teen with Self-Injury
As we battled these last weeks through a particularly rough patch, I found myself thinking that it was time for me to revisit therapy again. Sometimes the skills fade or get sloppy, sometimes I forget to take care of myself, sometimes I just crave an outsider’s voice on our challenges. My family often struggles during the transition time from school to summer and summer to … [Read more...]
The Two Things Parents Can Do For Teens Right Now
This post is for the parents reading this who have a child dealing with a mental health issue and don’t know what to do. For parents, as your child grows up, you want your child to be happy and live a carefree, fulfilling life. But what do you do when your child is facing an eating disorder, anxiety, depression, or any other mental health issue? My parents were faced with this … [Read more...]
Managing Medications: What’s a Parent To Do?
It’s been a few weeks, or months, or years, since your teenager began treatment with an SSRI, and she can’t--or won’t—describe what difference she senses, if any. She still feels debilitating anxiety at times, or has tough days when obsessive thoughts dog her. Yet you believe she’s better. Isn’t she? How does a parent evaluate from the outside looking in? This post … [Read more...]
Top 6 Black Mental Health Podcasts
For Black History Month, we're excited to highlight six kickass, awesome, top six mental health podcasts by women and men of color. Some of these podcasts are hosted by black therapists and completely dedicated to the topic of minority mental health, others are more general in nature with some really good mental health episodes. Read on, listen, explore and … [Read more...]
How to Communicate with Your Teen with Depression and Anxiety
Talking to parents about mental issues is extremely difficult. When you don’t even know what is going on for yourself it creates more discomfort. Once I realized that I was struggling I needed help from my therapist articulating my thoughts and feelings. She helped me put words to the things that were going on in my life. Once I told my parents they didn’t understand right away … [Read more...]
4 Steps Toward Positive Body Image
Body image is something I have struggled with for many years. I have gone through phases of obsessing to letting go and back to being obsessed. During high school it was the worst, the thought of body image never left my mind and that is not an exaggeration. Body image is such a hard thing to deal with because the thoughts are so incredibly powerful. Every time I would eat … [Read more...]
10 Ways I Hope to Change My Life in This New Decade
As 2020 sets in, I'm reflecting back on the last 10 years: graduation, first jobs, first boyfriends, the onset of my anxiety... so many things. Who would have thought someone could pack in so much life in just 10 years? I hope my next 10 will be filled with happiness, joy, health and adventure. Here are just some things I'm looking forward to in the new decade: Career … [Read more...]
Leaning on a Friend: 4 Ways to Make a Difference for a Friend Struggling with a Mental Health Issue
When it comes to mental health conversations with friends, many of us can relate to this Ad Council video. Broaching the topic of mental illness with even close friends can be awkward and uncomfortable. Having a group of supportive friends is great resource to have when battling a mental health disorder. They can take your mind off whatever it is you are going through, yet … [Read more...]