Sweaty palms and a growing sense of dread, this is how anxiety feels for me. According to Oxford Languages, anxiety is “a feeling of worry, nervousness or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome.” To me, anxiety when you never really know what’s going to happen, no matter how well prepared you are. Sometimes it's unexpected, and other times it slowly builds up. As a junior at Berkeley High School, who chose to remain anonymous for privacy reasons, said, “(Anxiety is) every muscle in my body clenching up, (and) the inability to speak or communicate properly.” Anxiety affects many neurodiverse teenagers, and there are several types.
For students, anxiety can be split into two broad categories: academic and social. Academic anxiety can be caused by upcoming tests or projects. Lawrence Baunach, a neurodivergent sophomore at BHS, experiences it as “a feeling like you can’t get any work done, that you’re procrastinating, that you’ll never be able to get that grade you want,
no matter how hard you try”. I have struggled with academic anxiety and have found some helpful tips for dealing with it.
Use a planner: a planner can help to plan out and budget time for studying and long-term projects. If you use a checklist and cross off assignments, it can help reduce your stress.
Take a break: rather than trying to complete all of your homework at once, break it down into smaller chunks. By taking a break like reading a book or listening to music, you will be refocused and complete work faster.
Social anxiety is different from academic anxiety. It is triggered by social situations and can lead to constant worrying about being judged by other people and social avoidance. From personal experience, I know that social anxiety can be isolating. In the words of Ajai Tinsley, a neurodiverse junior in BHS, “You think that whatever you do, somebody’s going to get mad at you for it.” Over the years I have learned an important strategy for combating it: Start slowly.
Try working your way up slowly: trying to resolve your social anxiety by plunging into a stressful social situation all at once can lead to a panic attack, and it won’t fix your anxiety. You could start by saying hello to people, then move to making small talk with one person at a time. If you keep at it, you will gradually overcome your social anxiety and be able to participate in group conversations.
As a student who has struggled with both academic and social anxiety, I know what it is like. Anxiety can be really difficult to deal with. But it isn’t hopeless. There are many ways to reduce anxiety, such as the ones I have shared with you. It is possible to defeat your fears, even though it may seem like an uphill battle. Sending positive vibes your way!