Growing up is hard to do: wellbeing for millennials
It’s never easy coping with the galvanic changes from childhood into teens and twenties but arguably this generation has a raft of extra pressures piled on it, principally as a result of social media.
Anxiety has become a way of life for many millennials, sometimes with tragic consequences, and it’s a state of mind that Anna Williamson knows all too well. In 2006, Anna, then a children’s TV presenter, found herself in the grip of a crippling anxiety disorder. As she writes in her book Breaking Mad: The Insider’s Guild to Conquering Anxiety, she ‘imploded big time – a cocktail of stress that had built up due to a tricky relationship, a pressured job and a general inability to talk about my feelings to anyone.’
With help, Anna recovered and went on to train in a toolkit of anxiety-busting therapies - counselling, life coaching and neuro-linguistic programming. She has written two really helpful books, Breaking Mad (as above) and also Breaking Mum and Dad: The Insider’s Guide to Parenting Anxiety.
We’re great admirers of Anna so we’re delighted to offer readers her top tips on how young people can manage anxiety - which we think actually apply to pretty well all ages.
• Don’t measure yourself – social media is full of ‘perfect’ images and it’s important to remember that a lot of what you see on social media is enhanced and doesn’t represent the norm.
Ask yourself: what are YOU good at? Have a think about your unique qualities and celebrate them. Maybe you’re good at sport, baking, writing, singing… whatever your talent (and you will have one), embrace it and nurture it.
Digitally detox. It might sound horrific but give yourself some decent space from your devices each day. They can become addictive, fuel paranoia, and we lose sight and track of everything else, the real stuff that is going on around us.
Keep active. It can be so tempting to go out just that one more time, or enjoy another Netflix-and-chill evening on the couch, but the best way to keep our mental health in fine fettle is to embark on some daily exercise, too. Have a think about what you could do?
Surround yourself with good people. Toxic friends? People who bring you down or make you feel bad? Time to ditch anyone who makes you feel rubbish and doesn’t bring anything positive into your life. Choose friends who have similar interests to you, respect and appreciate who you are, and who make you feel happy.
