Anxiety Hacks For Teens
We all feel worried and anxious at one point or another. You know those butterflies that flutter around in your stomach before giving a presentation in school? Or the lump in your throat on the first day of school when everyone’s introducing yourself and it’s almost your turn? That’s anxiety trying to RUIN YOUR DAY. The good news is, you don’t have to let it.
Below I’ve shared three different hacks to help you conquer your anxiety. These exercises will help calm your body and mind down enough so you’ll be able to think more clearly, talk back to your anxiety, and overall, feel better.
1) Lemon Squeezes
I learned this one from my boss, Lisa Lowry, at the first private practice I worked at. This is one of the first skills she would teach her clients and it is one of the quickest at getting out that anxious energy that’s messing with your body and mind!
To do this you squeeze both of your fists as tight as you can, as if you’re squeezing the juice out of lemons, and then relax your hands and slowly uncurl your fist. Repeat this AT LEAST 3 times, but as many as needed!
TIP: I like to use my breath with this. So, I breathe in and hold my breath for a second or two. Then, I squeeze my fists and breathe out slowly. Once my lungs are empty I relax my fists and breathe in!
2) Balloon Breaths
I came up with this anxiety hack after I was blowing up balloons for a friend’s birthday party. I realized that blowing up a balloon really makes you use your belly when your breathing in and out rather than just your lungs/chest like we tend to do normally! Breathing from your belly has so many benefits for your mind and your body, like lowering our heart rate and relieving stress.
To do this exercise, I pretend I have a balloon in my hand that’s ready to be blown up. I take a big breath in through my nose and I breathe out slowly with my mouth in the same tight circle shape as if it were on the end of a balloon. Of course, I want to make the balloon as big as I can, so I do 3 breaths like this blowing up the same “balloon.” I imagine I’m blowing out all of my worries and all the tightness in my body into the balloon as I breathe out, and then, just like a balloon would fly around the room if it got loose without tying up the end, I let all of my stress and worries go.
TIP: Try this laying down on your back on the floor. This way you can really see and feel your belly moving up and down. If you need extra help, you can try it with a stuffed animal on your belly.
3) ABC Mindfulness
This is one of my all time favorites. For me, my mind tends to worry a lot when I’m A) driving, or B) trying to go to sleep. Counting sheep never worked for me, but I end up falling asleep before I even finish this hack. Every. Time.
To do this one you start by coming up with a category. You can choose animals, food, games & toys, people names, or anything else you like! Then, go from A-Z by coming up with a word from that category that starts with each letter of the alphabet.
You can also play with a friend or parent by switching off for each letter. This help calm your mind down by keeping you focused on one thing at a time. Try out the category gratitude for some added benefits!
TIP: If you can’t think of a word for a certain letter, make up a sentence! For example, if they category is animals, and I can’t think of an animal for the letter ‘N’ I will think of ANY word that starts with the letter ‘N’ (like NOSEY) and use it in a sentence with an animal. “My DOG is always so NOSEY when I’m on the phone with a friend.”
I am hopeful you will find one or all of these tips to be helpful. The key to using these skills is to practice, just like you practice instruments, or sports outside of the game or performance. Comment below with any questions or comments! I’d love to hear how you used these.
Be well.
