Blog post #4:
Topic question: How does anxiety affect our mental health?
I noticed my peers and I are very anxious, especially in the final year of high school. I wanted to know why we feel anxious and if it is beneficial to our mental health. For example, I noticed anxiety sometimes motivates me to study harder for a difficult test. I try my best to take walks and breaks to not get too anxious, but it does not always help. I wanted to research the most effective ways to get an adequate amount of anxiety. This also affects everyone because we are all stressed and anxious throughout our lives. For example, some common events that can trigger anxiety are marriage planning, grades, family, or retirement. I hope to help the global population to be mentally stronger and to accomplish their goals easily.
Sub-question: How can we avoid too much anxiety?
I wanted to research the most effective ways to get an adequate amount of anxiety. This also affects everyone because we are all stressed and anxious throughout our lives. For example, some common events that can trigger anxiety are marriage planning, grades, family, or retirement. I hope to help the global population mentally strengthen to accomplish their goals easily. I also wanted to research how we can determine the “satisfactory” level of anxiety that will benefit us. For example, my mom seems to handle anxiety better than I do even though she has more adversities to think about like her job, kids, and house management.
Self-care is very important to avoid getting too anxious (1). Self-care is a designated time to focus on our happiness (1). If we practice self-care daily, we will be able to manage anxiety, lower our chance of sickness, and increase our overall energy level (2). One example of self-care is to get regular exercise (2). For example, we can take a walk in Mundy Park to distract ourselves from school anxiety (3). Furthermore, we can regularly eat a healthy meal (3). For example, we can limit our caffeine and eat a variety of vegetables (3). Moreover, journaling is a great way to practice gratitude (4). It can be an outlet for all our anxious thoughts throughout the day (4). Journaling is a great way to realize unhealthy thought patterns. We will become more motivated to consciously try to change our thoughts (4).
Another way to elevate is to get enough sleep every day (5). For example, we can reduce using our screens before bed, so we are tempted to sleep faster (5). Furthermore, we can talk frequently with our family and friends (5). They can provide us with advice and emotional support whenever we need it (6). Moreover, we can be less anxious by staying in the present(6). For example, instead of stressing over projects that are due in a month, we can focus on an upcoming exam (6).
Moreover, building healthy habits is an excellent way to prevent ourselves from worrying (7). For example, instead of going on social media all day and worrying about an upcoming test, we can set aside study time to be more prepared for the test (7). Finally, being fully immersed in our hobbies is a great way to stop worrying about events that are out of our control (7). For example, I love watching romantic comedies after writing a test(7). It prevents me from stressing if I answered everything correctly (7)
I am planning on researching the question: how does anxiety positively or negatively affect our mental health next. I wanted to research how anxiety positively or negatively affects our mental health. For example, is being too relaxed not beneficial because we are not as determined? Next, I wanted to understand the precise statistics or surveys about how anxious people think anxiety affects their health. This will help me to find a non-biased answer by researching both point of views to my inquiry question. Before doing the research, I think it is mostly negative because anxiety affects our digestion and sleep patterns. However, I would like to do more research to make a final decision.
1)Mann, Denise. “9 Steps to End Chronic Worrying.” WebMD, https://www.webmd.com/balance/features/9-steps-to-end-chronic-worrying. Accessed 12 Dec. 2024.
2)Siri Kabrick, APRN. “Coping with an Anxiety Disorder Tips.” Mayo Clinic Health System, Mayo Clinic Health System, 4 Oct. 2024, www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/11-tips-for-coping-with-an-anxiety-disorder.
3)Katharina Star, PhD. “How to Deal with Constant Anxiety.” Verywell Mind, Verywell Mind, 4 Dec. 2023, www.verywellmind.com/ways-to-stop-worrying-2584069#toc-how-to-deal-with-constant-anxiety.
4)How to Journal for Anxiety: Uses and Benefits. 25 Feb. 2022, https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/how-to-journal-for-anxiety.
5)Generalized Anxiety Disorder: When Worry Gets Out of Control – National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/generalized-anxiety-disorder-gad. Accessed 12 Dec. 2024.
6)“How to Calm Anxiety: 12 Ways to Calm Anxiety Naturally.” Healthline, 6 Apr. 2018, https://www.healthline.com/health/how-to-calm-anxiety.
7)Anxiety: Stop Negative Thoughts | HealthLink BC. https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/health-topics/anxiety-stop-negative-thoughts. Accessed 12 Dec. 2024.
Thank you,
Sarah Kim
