Managing anxiety at university

This is a topic I have not shared with many people; but those who have used these tips have found them useful, so I think they're worth sharing if they can help someone out.

Being a student is an absolute hoot, but can also quickly become very stressful. This stress can increase dramatically when you’re somebody who, like me, struggles with severe generalised anxiety disorder (GAD).

Whilst medication is necessary for some of us, making some lifestyle changes and taking extra time and care to look after yourself can also improve your situation dramatically.

So following the advice I've been given by the GP and my therapist, these are the things that have helped and worked for me:

1. Always have a safe, clean and calming space you can go to when things become a bit much.

Whether this is your bed, a quiet room in your student house or a designated quiet room at your university, you need a place where you can be by yourself and focus on yourself. Try to make your bed every morning and keep your room tidy to a point where you feel comfortable in there. Also, don’t do your work laying in bed- do it at a desk. You’ll concentrate better sat up, and sleep better at night because you won’t associate your bed with feeling stressed. Make your bedroom at university personal and happy- hang up fairy lights, put up photos, make it homely. This is your personal calm space to make your own.

2. Make sure you have a few close friends, or someone from home you can call, who are aware of your anxiety, especially if you suffer from panic attacks.

For me, there’s nothing worse than feeling alone after a panic attack. Also, if you find yourself panicking whilst on a night out or in university, it’s invaluable to have friends on hand who understand and know what to do if the situation occurs (this is all if you are comfortable sharing your problem. Failing this, make sure you have a family member, close friend, or partner you can call if you need to.)

3. Learn breathing techniques.

You probably have already trained yourself in effective breathing techniques if you suffer from anxiety. Headspace is a very effective and helpful app for guided breathing and meditation. Try the 5 seconds in, 5 seconds hold, and 5 seconds out technique too when you feel anxious. Controlled breathing is more effective than you think.

4. Have a mantra.

This is another technique that you may already be aware of, especially if you have had therapy. A mantra is a calming phrase of personal or spiritual significance you repeat to yourself in moments of anxiety. One of my favourites is 'I am beginning to feel anxious. I completely accept myself, but this is my space and I choose to feel calm.' I also like to use song lyrics, like 'And the fallen stars, they flew too'  by Bill Callahan.

5. Eat regular meals.

In times of high anxiety, I often lose my appetite completely, but it is so important to keep eating 3 regular, healthy meals every day, even if you are forcing yourself a bit. Eat a good balance so you are getting all the vitamins and nutrients you need- these will improve your mood, as tempting as it is to get takeaways with your flatmates! Cooking as a process can also be therapeutic and give you something else to focus on.

6. Exercise.

I know, yawn, another obvious one, and not really what you’re in the mood for in periods of anxiety. Try to get fresh air every day, even if it’s a short brisk walk, this can still be really effective! Especially in a season like autumn where everything looks so pretty, it’s extremely calming. Join a society like Yoga, or even pole dancing if you’re feeling up to it! Try something new and try to get a bit of strenuous exercise in each week, it will improve your sleep and release endorphins to increase happiness. My mum always stressed the importance of exercise, and I didn’t believe her at first but it really made a difference for me.

7. Create yourself a calming playlist.

This can be a really fun one to do on a quiet day! Create a collection of songs (even if it’s a really small one) of any songs you’re really familiar with and love- they don’t even have to be quiet, slow songs, they can be anything! Sometimes the loudest songs are great at reducing anxiety- they feel a bit like a release! Use this playlist whenever you feel overwhelmed, even when you are out and about, and remember to breathe.

8. Switch to decaf.

This made a momentous difference for me. All the coffee and sugar each day was making me ten times more anxious and jittery and the switch, although tricky at first as I had to wean myself off my morning coffee for energy, was absolutely worth it.

9. Find an activity which always calms you down.

Whether this is baking (I like that it’s a process I know, with a beginning an end, and being in control of measuring out everything), watching your favourite TV show or facetiming your mum, it pays off to have a list of things to do to distract yourself.

10. Aromatherapy.

I have always struggled with sleep, and aromatherapy really saved me. I put lavender oil in this water vapour diffuser from MUJI (you can find cheaper ones on Amazon and elsewhere). I stick it on every night and the soothing scent really helps me drift off to sleep. You can use other essential oils (lemon, ylang ylang and bergamot are also great).

11. Take up journaling.

This is the big one for me. Whether you decide to just keep a little diary to track your mood or do a full bullet journal like me, writing is therapeutic and it feels liberating to release your thoughts on paper. A particularly helpful activity is writing down anything that is worrying you on a specific page. Try to imagine those worries staying on that page, and you can return to them when needed. I like to be really decorative with mine as I find doodling relaxing; I write in any song lyrics, quotes, or poetry that I find inspiring. You don’t have to write something every day- even if you pick up a little pre-dated planner just for your deadlines and birthdays, this can reduce your stress a little as it gives you less to remember. It’s less time consuming than you think- taking 5-10 minutes out of your day to jot down any thoughts, things to remember and work you’ve been set can be absolutely invaluable.

12. Get enough sleep.

This obviously comes after everything else- it’s harder to get good sleep until you’ve reduced your anxiety in general- this comes with practise, effort and patience. Try to keep a relatively stable sleep pattern and always try to rest even if you’re not tired, even by lying in bed awake you are resting more than you would be sat on your phone. Again, try aromatherapy.

and finally:

Never be afraid to take a day off for yourself.

This is insanely important. NEVER kick yourself for needing a day off, and ensure you have a ‘me day’ every now and then when you need it, even if it is two in a row. It will be worth it so that you can put your full self into the following days and put your all into your course. Take these days to rest, do the activities which calm you down and look after yourself – eat and drink your favourite things, stay hydrated and let yourself feel at peace. If friends make you feel bad for cancelling plans for your own mental health, they are not your real friends.

Mental health is so important; it’s finally getting more recognition, but still not enough. If these tips can help even one person, that would make me so happy!

Please look after yourselves- I'm always a listening ear, so feel free to message me.

-Ella