Feeling Anxious Lifebabble

Hey, Lifebabblers.

Today we're going to be talking about feeling anxious.

When worries build up in our heads.

We'll be babbling about the way that we think.

What happens when you get stressed out, and taking time to chill.

So, what exactly is anxiety?

It's normal to worry every now and again,

but some people worry most, if not all of the time.

This is anxiety.

Anxiety can feel like thoughts going round and round in your head.

You might find it hard to sleep or eat if your worries take over.

You get tired of being worried all the time.

You can feel panicked.

Your heart might race and you might get sweaty hands.

When you feel anxious,

even little things can seem like really big problems.

Life is full of things that can stress us out.

It might be that big test at school,

or what other people think about you.

Sometimes we worry about bigger things

like what's going on in the news.

And some people, they get worried about little things like

if they've left something plugged in.

Sometimes you might just worry about your friends and family.

But why do we get stressed and anxious

about all these different things?

Anxiety is a completely normal and natural response

to danger in our lives.

It actually helps us deal with that danger.

So back in the old days

when we had to face that sabre-tooth tiger,

we had to know whether to fight it or run away.

And stress prepared us for that.

Getting stressed out and anxious would help us run faster

or fight the animal better.

The problem is, today we get those same stress reactions

when we're going to take an exam or talk in front of a class.

So it's not the stress and anxiety that's the problem,

it's how we deal with it that counts.

TELEPHONE RINGS

I used to get upset at little things,

like putting school sheets in the wrong place,

or if things weren't perfect.

Mum recognised this as anxiety.

With help from my family and friends

I've learned that it's OK

to be worried.

I've overcome it now.

Well, mostly.

It sometimes still happens.

But I now know to keep calm and carry on.

We might not be in control of everything that happens to us,

but how we react is up to us.

Imagine this.

You're in the playground and you wave at a mate,

and they totally blank you. Shocker.

Do you - A) panic?

You must have done something to upset them,

although you have no idea what.

B) worry?

What if everyone decides to ignore you today?

Have you turned invisible?

Or - C) just chill?

They probably just didn't see you.

It's easy to jump to conclusions,

but a lot of the time we worry a lot more than we actually need to.

There are a few simple things that can help

when you're feeling anxious.

Tidying your room may not be your favourite thing,

but uncluttering the space around you

can help you feel more in control.

Remember the basics.

Get some exercise,

eat good stuff, and sleep properly.

It sounds obvious but it works.

Sometimes anxiety isn't something you can handle on your own.

So make sure you talk to somebody if your problems are taking over.

Whenever I've to give a big presentation,

I feel really, really anxious.

When there's a lot of things going on around me,

and I feel like I can't cope.

One thing that I do is I focus on my breathing.

I found taking deep breaths

and slowly counting to 10 really helps me feel less anxious.

That's all for this lifebabble.

And there's loads more babbling about feeling anxious,

and chilling out, over on the CBBC website.

Remember, if you're feeling anxious or something's on your mind,

it's always a good idea to talk to someone.

We'll see you next time.