Dealing with an Anxiety Disorder While Away at College

Every year, many college students have an initial burst of worry and anxiety over the coming school year. However, for those students that are going back to school with a diagnosed anxiety disorder (or even those that have not yet been diagnosed out of fear) face a worry far worse than any one person can imagine. For them, a simple worry can spiral out of control until a general worry seems entirely worse than it should it be. If you are one of those students, wondering how exactly you'll be able to make it through the year, know you aren't alone.

Create a support base. This base can be anyone that you want, as long as they have some understanding of what you're going through and can offer up some sort of comforting words or moments. Great choices are parents, old friends, new understanding friends and the like. As long as they understand that whenever you call on them, they'll have to take a moment of their time to help you.

Know your triggers. What triggers anxiety in one person may or may not trigger the same response from you. You probably know at least one or two things that trigger your anxiety, but if there are more, make it a point to discover them before you head off to school. This way, you can try to find a way to avoid this trigger at rather inappropriate times, or find ways to help channel your energy into something product whenever you encounter the trigger. Knowing what triggers your anxiety may also help you find ways to relax whenever you are hit with a wave of anxiety.

Talk to your doctor before leaving for school. Talking over your fears with your doctor can also be useful. They can help quiet your fears and remind you of the coping mechanisms that have been discussed and help you decide what works and what does not. This may also be a great time to refill and current prescriptions and make arrangements to continue receiving your medications if you will not be home for long periods of time.

Find ways to relax regularly. Find out what you enjoy and engage in it regularly. If you enjoy bubble baths and find it relaxes your nerves, take a bath when you can. If reading makes you happy, do it. Whatever it is, make sure you engage in it so you are relaxed enough to continue about your school work and social life. If you don't mind drinking tea, try drinking some chamomile tea, especially if it's late but your nerves just won't allow you to sleep. Using lavender linen spray may also help you relax late at night. You just have to find what you like and what works for you.

Use your schools' mental health facility. It is there for a reason, so if you need someone to talk to, make an appointment, or if you're really feeling like you need to talk to someone right away, visit the office and see if they allow walk-ins. They will listen to your problems, and may have ideas for coping mechanisms and referrals to other places for help that you had not thought of before. Don't allow this service (often free for tuition-paying students) to pass you by.

Visit a campus support group. After visiting the mental health facility on campus, find out if anxiety support groups exist. If they do, find out their meeting times and make a point to visit at least one group session. You may discover new friends, new ways to relax, and you'll realize that you are not alone in your struggle to conquer your anxiety issues.