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When School Worries Get Overwhelming

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When School Worries Get Overwhelming

It happens to all of us. Stress and worry build up and suddenly we’re completely overcome in mind and emotion. Feeling overwhelmed manifests in many different ways. You might feel an intense emotion such as anger, or you might notice your mind is obsessed with negative thoughts or fearful predictions. Maybe you experience panic attacks and feel short of breath, or claustrophobic and tearful?

Anxiety during a training program is very common as students try to add class attendance and homework to an already busy schedule. When school worries get overwhelming, try these strategies recommended by psychologists:

  1. Don’t fight your feelings: Trying to fight your feelings or disregard them never works. Instead, take a few deep breaths and ask yourself, “What is true right now?” “What is this feeling about right now?” “What needs attention right now?” Give yourself room to breathe into whatever comes up and actively say yes to the hard feelings. For example, you might discover that, “I have to work a long shift tonight and a long shift tomorrow at the restaurant. I don’t know how I will ever finish my pathology report and I can’t afford a bad grade. I don’t know what I’m going to do. I’m going to fail the class if I don’t get it done. I’m feeling sick to my stomach. I’m feeling completely up against a wall. I’m feeling like my life is falling apart. Yes. I accept these feelings. Yes. I accept this situation. Yes. I accept that this is stressful and upsetting.” Now, just stay with these feelings and let them be as big as they want to be. It may take a little time, maybe 10 or 15 minutes, but stick with it. The feelings will actually start to dissipate if you continue to give them your attention, you’ll be in a better state of mind to problem solve or make decisions.
  2. Replace negative thinking with action: Let’s say you have a mile-long to-do list and you keep thinking, “I’ll never get this done.” The more you think, “I’ll never get this done,” the more overwhelmed you feel. Instead, sit down with the list and prioritize your tasks. What’s most important? Reorder your list and dive into the first task. Check it off and move on.
  3. Chunk it: A big project or a lengthy homework assignment can feel overwhelming if you try to take it on in its entirety. Instead, break it down. Mark 10 pages of reading with paper clips and read without stopping until you hit the 10-page point. Now, take a break and then dig into the next 10 pages. Another great chunking strategy is to set a timer for 30 minutes and work at a task until the timer goes off. Then, give yourself a 10-minute break and set the timer again. This simple technique can really help concentration.
  4. One thing at a time: Our society has a multitasking mind-set, but our brains were not meant for multitasking and get overwhelmed when we have too much going on. Turn off the phone, log out of email, stop jumping between classroom assignments, and commit to getting one thing done at a time.
  5. Breathe: Deep breathing triggers the parasympathetic nervous system response. Sit and breath deeply and actively focus your mind on a soothing image (e.g., a forest, a stream, the mountains). When you feel calmer, you’ll be in a better space to decide what you have to do next.