Anxiety: Expectations for Succstress

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Aris Sanders

Hailey Gauslin analyzes high schools direct causation of anxiety among teenagers.

Hailey Gauslin, Reporter

Anxiety isn’t an uncommon attribute among high school students. Homework, tests, and extracurricular activities are a large source of angst, as well as cell phones, social media, and peer pressure.  Overall, the general environment of high school causes anxiety and tension within some students.

An anonymous student said, “My main source of anxiety is definitely all aspects of school. Lack of sleep, having to talk in front of everyone in a class, tests, too much homework, drama from friends, and trying to fit in.”

Teachers tend to assume that a certain amount of laziness is involved in students not wanting to talk in front of the class. For students with anxiety, they’re afraid of peer judgement, messing up, or being laughed at. Many students would prefer listening and writing notes as an alternative, instead of having their grades threatened because they’re afraid of public speaking.

Mr. Smith, a CCFE and Marketing teacher, said “[Speaking in front of the class] sort of amplifies some of their fear of failure.”

Homework is one of the main causes of anxiousness and stress. In a study done by the American Psychological Association on students showed them experiencing similar stress levels to those of psychiatric patients in the 1950’s. Another issue for students who have anxiety is lack of sleep.

Cassie McMurtrey said “[On average] I get 4-6 hours of sleep. On a really bad night, no sleep.”

This takes a large toll on students and their ability to perform well mentally and physically. Increased irritability and decreased decision-making skills are symptoms of sleep deprivation that affect their ability to do well in school.

According to the Mayo Clinic people with anxiety are more likely to experience heart disease, high blood pressure, respiratory problems, and trembling. Anxiety not only your affects your mental state, but your physical as well.

As many causes as there are for anxiety, there are just as many ways to push through it. According to Harvard Health Blog, exercise, breathing techniques, yoga, and meditation, and a few ways to alleviate anxiety. Some more obscure remedies are holding an ice cube, reading out loud, digital detox, and focusing on your surroundings –  also called grounding.

While high school causes a lot of stress for students with anxiety, it’s still important for people without anxiety to take care of themselves as well. Take a break from technology, read a good book, or just giving yourself rest from school work can make all the difference in feeling healthier.