Anxiety

Understanding Anxiety

Most people will experience feelings of anxiety at some point in their lives. For example, it's completely natural to feel anxious when you have an upcoming exam, a job interview, or are awaiting important results.

Someone who suffers from anxiety-related problems might experience those feelings more frequently and with greater intensity. An individual with an anxiety disorder may also become worried or anxious about situations or circumstances that other people might not worry about as much or in the same way.

Heightened anxiety levels can lead to panic attacks, which can feel very frightening for the person experiencing them. Some of the symptoms of panic attacks include overbearing panic or fear, heart palpitations, shakiness, and shortness of breath.

Anxiety and the Internet

The internet is a very powerful tool, for good and for bad. Because the internet is so diverse and largely unregulated, people are free to post and view what they want (within reason). This freedom is one of the things that makes the internet such a powerful educational and social tool, but it is also one of the things that can make it so problematic for young and vulnerable users.

Some internet users can be unprepared for such powerful or inappropriate content, especially if they are able to access it easily. Certain types of content online can 'trigger' anxiety in users who have existing anxiety-related issues or are in a fragile state of mind.

How Cyberbullying Affects Anxiety

If someone with existing anxiety problems is cyberbullied, harassed, or trolled online, they may not feel comfortable speaking out or seeking the help and support that they need to overcome the situation they are in.

Even bystander intervention on behalf of someone who is affected by the condition has been known to increase their anxiety levels with the concern that they are responsible for an escalating issue involving a growing number of people.

Help for Anxiety

There is no definitive fix for anxiety or panic attacks because we are all different! Panic attacks also have a way of manifesting differently each time they come, making it difficult to feel comfortable with a diagnosis and adding to the anxiety.

Use the following grounding technique to help with anxiety or panic attacks:

1. Go to a quiet part of your home.
2. Rate how anxious you feel on a scale of 1–10.
3. Find your most comfortable chair and sit up tall with your back straight and your shoulders relaxed.
4. Place your feet flat on the ground; this works best if you're barefooted.
5. Take slow, deep breaths until you form a rhythm.
6. Think about your surroundings; count how many windows and doors you can see.
7. What color is your top? What does it feel like?
8. What noises can you hear?
9. Name every shape you can think of.
10. Now, rate your anxiety between 1 and 10. If you are above a 5, repeat the exercise.

It is important to remember that anxiety disorders are a genuine medical condition that can sometimes require professional treatment. If you continue to suffer with uncomfortable anxiety levels or panic attacks long-term, we recommend you speak to your doctor or a medical professional.

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