I think I have anxiety. My mum thinks I'm telling her this for attention but I'm not. No one understands how I feel and if I tell them it's hard to explain and it just, well doesn't work. I think I have it because my older brother suffers with it and when he has to fill forms out and talk to doctors and things like that I always relate to what he says. But I don't know what to do ! Please help
Sam
Hi there,
If you're feeling worried or stressed out a lot, this is often called anxiety. Anxiety is a common issue, and can affect people in different ways. We all worry about things, but when your worries mean that you are unable to do things you enjoy and your life is affected, it's a good idea to ask for support.
Your doctor is usually the best way to try and get help for any physical or mental health worries. As your brother is going through problems with anxiety also, perhaps he may be more understanding of what is happening for you. You could even ask him about going to the doctor, and whether he can give you advice on how to go about doing this - it can really help to have people who understand this supporting you.
A website called Doc Ready is a good way of preparing to talk to a doctor about your health.
The thought of speaking to a doctor might seem quite scary, so it may help to make some notes about what you want them to know to take with you. That way you can use these to remind you what you want to say if you're nervous. Or even just pass them to the doctor to read as a starting point. Sometimes people struggle to understand how we might really feel on the inside, and that may mean they don't immediately react the way you hope - I can see this has happened for you with your mum.
You deserve to be able to get support from those around you. It might help to try explaining to them how this has been affecting you, so they can get to know you better and begin to understand what things are like for you at the moment.
You can talk about your worries with a Childline counsellor. They could support you with finding ways to manage your feelings or with preparing to talk to someone. Whatever is on your mind, they are always there to listen and support you. This is not something you have to go through alone.
Take care,
Sam
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