Anxiety is one of the most common concerns that students experience during their college careers. It is a common experience and a word that everyone knows, but you may not be aware that you are experiencing it unless you recognize the symptoms that accompany this phenomenon. When someone experiences anxiety, they have a general sense of uneasiness and/or an unpleasant mood. It may be triggered by specific persons, places or things, or it may be generalized; free-floating without any identifiable or specific triggers.
Anxiety is often accompanied by unrealistic fears or worries. It often occurs in situations in which a person perceives themselves to be powerless or lacking ability to control an outcome. It is typically future oriented and not a helpful or healthy reaction, when it is based on irrational and distorted thinking, feelings and perceptions. This is in contrast to fear, which is a rational response to a real threat of some kind. There are many common symptoms of anxiety that you may experience and also many different resources that can help manage any symptoms of anxiety listed below.
Common Symptoms of Anxiety:
- Hypervigilance
- Irritability
- Restlessness
- Difficulty concentrating
- Racing thoughts
- Unwanted thoughts
- Fatigue
- Sweating
- Excessive worry
- Feeling of impending doom
- Insomnia
- Nausea
- Palpitations
- Trembling
Handouts/Websites
- Anxiety and Depression Association of America
- National Institute of Mental Health
- Free Healthy Anxiety Workbook
- Free Social Anxiety Workbook
- Free Worry and Rumination Workbook
- Free Panic Attack Workbook
- Anxiety Worksheets
- Understanding Anxiety Disorders in Young Adults (PDF)
- National Alliance of Mental Illness- Anxiety Disorders
- To be Female, Anxious and Black
- Socially Anxious as an LGBTQ+ Person
- Understanding Anxiety for LGBTQ People
- African Americans with Anxiety: How to Overcome Unique Obstacles
- Anxiety in Asian Americans
- Anxiety in Latinos
Podcasts/Videos
- Podcast: Anxious in Austin
- Podcast: The Calmer You for Anxiety and Confidence
- Podcast: Social Anxiety Solutions
- Podcast: Your Anxiety Toolkit
- Video: How to Cope with Anxiety TedTalk
- Video: Overcome Anxiety in 7 Minutes TedTalk
- Video: Be the Warrior not the Worrier TedTalk
Books
- The Anxiety Toolkit: Strategies for Fine-Tuning your mind and moving past your stuck points
- DARE: The New Way to End Anxiety and Stop Panic Attacks
- Don't Feed the Monkey Mind: How to Stop the Cycle of Anxiety, Fear and Worry
- How to be Yourself: Quiet your Inner Critic and Rise Above Social Anxiety
- The Anxiety Workbook: A 7-Week plan to Overcome Anxiety, Stop Worrying, and End Panic
Applications
