How can I manage anxiety?

Your chest tightens, your thoughts speed up, and your body acts like there's danger when you're just sitting in class.

• Anxiety is a protection system that's over-firing — it's trying to help.
• Avoiding the thing that scares you gives short-term relief and long-term growth of the fear.
• Caffeine, poor sleep, and doomscrolling all raise your baseline.

Before you decide anything, take four slow breaths — in for 4, out for 6. You think more clearly on the other side of a calm breath than in the middle of a fast feeling.

1. 1Ground with 5-4-3-2-1: five things you see, four you can touch, three you hear, two you smell, one you taste.
2. 2Slow your exhale. 4 in, 6 out, for two minutes.
3. 3Take one small step toward the avoided thing rather than the whole thing at once.

Use one grounding or breathing tool the next time your body speeds up.

Play it forward. If you take this step, what happens tomorrow? Next week? What does it protect — your peace, your grades, your relationships, your future? Leaders think one move ahead.

• One-Minute BreathingSlow your body down in 60 seconds with a longer exhale.
• Guided MeditationA three-minute reset for a loud mind.
• 5-4-3-2-1 GroundingBring your body back to the present moment.
• Talk to a Trusted AdultA script for starting the conversation you've been avoiding.
• Get HelpCrisis resources and a personal safety plan.