NAMI Mercer County

Families Meeting the Challenge of Mental Illness

Addressing Anxiety

By

Angelina Villalva, NAMI Intern

It was difficult waving goodbye to all my hometown friends, knowing that it would be months before I saw any of their faces again. Months before I saw my family again. Months before I would be home. I was prepared for this, I knew this was the natural course of progression for every college student. Yet, at the same time, I felt a heavy pit settle in my stomach for the uncertainties I would have to face alone. 

While most college students are already accustomed to this familiar feeling, some are experiencing these changes for the first time. That is, of course, anxiety. Everyone feels anxious from time to time, whether that be for an upcoming exam, or forgetting to wake up on time for class. However, that is drastically different from having an anxiety disorder, which can present itself in numerous forms: social anxiety, generalized anxiety, separation anxiety, or panic disorder. 

According to the National Institute of Health (NIH), roughly a third of U.S. adolescents and adults will experience an anxiety disorder at some point in their lives. Compared to feelings of anxiousness, anxiety disorders are much more pervasive– causing intense, excessive, and persistent emotions of fear and worry that do not go away for long periods of time. 

It is important for those experiencing or undergoing anxiety disorders to reach out for support. Talking to friends, family, and especially healthcare professionals can begin to make headway into finding solutions. Aside from reach out for support, here are some other tips provided from Mayo Clinic towards coping with anxiety: 

  • Identify triggers – learn what causes or increases your anxiety 
  • Make sleep a priority – increased sleep has shown evidence of reduced stress
  • Use stress management and relaxation techniques 
  • Use the 3-3-3 rule – in event of a panic attack, identify three things you can see, three sounds you can hear, and three things you can move or touch

Remember that you are never alone, and it is okay to reach out for help. Anxiety can be overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to overpower your life. As author Dan Millman says, “You don’t have to control your thoughts; you just have to stop letting them control you.” 

If you’d like to read more details about anxiety specifically pertaining to college students, I highly suggest reading through the toolkit called, “Anxiety and the Roller Coaster of the College Experience,” created by NAMI Intern, Jacob Adam. (https://namimercer.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Anxiety-in-College-Students-Toolkit-Jacob-A.pdf)

Resources: 

  • Nami Mercer Helpline: 609-799-8994 x17
  • Anxiety & Depression Association of America: adaa.org

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