Anxious and worried

How you might be feeling

Signs of anxiety include feeling fearful, finding it hard to concentrate or make decisions, being restless or edgy, or even going to the loo a lot.

You might even find it hard to sleep, eat or concentrate for a little while, but the worries should stop.

For some people, anxiety doesn’t go away so easily. You might experience panic attacks or feel that you’re worrying all the time about everything.

There are lots of different feelings that come with anxiety and worry, but these are some of the most common.

• Feeling constantly “on edge”
• Finding it hard to concentrate or make decisions
• Feeling sick, or having a stomach ache
• Dreading certain situations, and cancelling plans because of your worries
• Struggling to sleep because of your worries

Top tips

• All of the above… Many of the tips on this page for dealing with anger and stress will also help you to manage your anxiety.
• Time to talk… Talking to a trusted adult or a friend who is a good listener can really help. They might have had the same worries, or know of someone else who did.
• Read a self-help book… Self-help books help a lot of people with their anxiety. Overcoming Anxiety by Helen Kennerley is a good one.

Talk to a trusted adult who can help you to get the right support if your anxiety feels overwhelming. This could be anyone, such as:

• A parent, carer, or someone else in your family
• A teacher or a member of staff at your school like a school nurse or school counsellor
• A sports coach or youth worker
• A doctor

Sometimes it’s easier to text someone to say how you’re feeling, even if they’re in the next room!

We have lots of information on this website to help you cope with these feelings, and better understand anxiety and worry. Read about anxiety.

When to get help

If you’re struggling to cope and the things you’re trying yourself are not helping, you may be suffering from depression.

There’s lots of options – including both online and in person support.

PositiveMinds and Kooth are good options for support with anxiety, but any service will welcome and support you to get the right help you need.

If you’re aged 16+ and not sure where to get support, contact the Portsmouth Mental Health Hub on 0300 123 6621 (Monday-Friday, 8am-6pm) to talk to the team, or chat online.