Navigating Anxiety as a College Student
Have you ever heard:
“You don’t have anxiety, you’re just a little shy.”
“Have you tried praying it away?”
“Everyone has anxiety, not just you.”
These are statements I have heard when I tell people that I have anxiety. They usually resort to telling me that I, in fact, do not have anxiety and simply need to stop being so shy. I have also heard that the Bible commands believers not to worry. Most often, people have explained to me that my anxiety is not a “big deal,” because “everyone experiences anxiety”, they say.
It is important to learn what anxiety is, and what it is not. Additionally, it is also important to learn and then recognize the ways it presents and how everyone’s experience with anxiety is different.
An important thing to note when discussing anxiety is that there is a difference between experiencing feelings of anxiety and having an anxiety disorder. Anxiety is characterized as “a physiological and psychological response that occurs when the mind and body encounter stressful, dangerous, or unfamiliar situations” (Anxiety.org).
Anxiety is not inherently “bad”. It is actually meant to protect us and keep us safe. For instance, if you were on a hike and saw a bear, your anxiety would spike. Your brain and body would naturally react in response to the present danger. “Experiencing occasional anxiety is a normal part of life. However, people with anxiety disorders frequently have intense, excessive and persistent worry and fear about everyday situations” (Mayoclinic.org). For someone with an anxiety disorder, they may be preparing to take a hard test, driving through traffic, or walking through a busy area, and their brain and body will react as if they had seen the bear. These intense feelings of anxiety, commonly known as panic attacks, can last several minutes or simply never completely go away for some people. This can be very distressing for someone to experience. It is also difficult to articulate how anxiety affects you.
When I began college my anxiety became noticeably worse. There were many stressors that contributed to this. As many college students can relate, living on campus is often one’s first taste of independence. We move away from the familiarity of our parents and siblings and embrace the unknown territory. For some students, this transition is exciting, while for others it is very distressing, as being away from home is a foreign concept. While separation anxiety is commonly associated with young children, adults can also experience anxiety in being away from their families. This can manifest as experiencing nausea when away from loved ones or worrying about their safety.
In addition to worrying about family back home, many students may also feel anxious about their new academic responsibilities. College can be very rigorous and requires dedication to succeed. Students may fear that they will not do well in their classes. They may also feel uneasy about the direction of their life after college. I have talked to many people, who have changed their majors, about the anxiety they experienced as a college student. One student stated, “I experienced a lot of anxiety my freshman year, because of how unsure I was about [majoring in] nursing, which is what led me to switch to psychology.” As a student, constantly changing life plans and making decisions about the future can produce a lot of uneasiness. My personal biggest stressor when it came to college was meeting new people and making friends. I completed high school online and seldom had social interactions with the other students. In coming to TFC I was anxious when thinking about meeting new people and maintaining relationships. I was fearful of attending events or approaching people. While feelings of nervousness are normal, social-related anxiety could hinder one from forming important connections with others.
Anxiety can be very difficult to navigate, so it is important to learn healthy coping mechanisms to manage it. Anxiety is a biological process that begins in the brain and affects the body in a plethora of ways. Anxious thoughts begin to spiral and as they are meditated on, the anxiety worsens. Scripture commands us to “study [God’s word] continually. Meditate on it day and night…” (Joshua 1:8). What would it look like for you to meditate on Scripture rather than meditate on anxious thoughts? This is something that could easily be implemented into your everyday life, by simply speaking scripture over yourself throughout the day. On your way to class, chapel, or the cafe, you could recite Bible verses to yourself. Journaling is another beneficial coping mechanism for anxiety. Writing down your thoughts and visually “seeing " them can be beneficial. This may help you to understand what you are feeling and keep track of how often you feel anxious. During an anxiety or panic attack, the brain goes into fight, flight, or freeze mode. Meaning it experiences a perceived threat. Your heart rate may increase and your breaths may become shallow. To combat this you could practice deep breathing exercises. This allows your brain to see that you are not in danger and distracts you from your anxious thoughts. It is beneficial to practice managing your anxiety, but counseling is an excellent resource for combatting and reducing anxiety in your life.
TFC offers free counseling to all students in the Wellness Center. The Wellness Center is located underneath Fant Hall. Its hours of operation are Monday-Thursday from 9 AM-5 PM and is open for walk-in appointments on Friday from 9 AM-1 PM.
Anxiety can be difficult to experience and navigate, especially as a college student. In these moments it is important to remember that when anxious thoughts fill your mind, the Lord’s comfort will give you hope and cheer (Psalm 94:19).
The following are links to learn more about anxiety:
https://www.anxiety.org/what-is-anxiety
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/anxiety/symptoms-causes/syc-20350961
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/social-anxiety-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20353561