CREIDT: STRONG4LIFE
According to Anxiety Disorders Association of Ontario, anxiety disorders are the most common mental health issues for children and youths. Roughly between 15 and 25% of Canadians experience at least one mental health issue before they turn the age of 19. Those that struggle with anxiety have their own ways to cope.
When my anxiety gets really bad, I like to watch a movie. It distracts me from the real world. I really enjoy music, so I’ll blast music and lay on my bed, staring at my ceiling. Although I enjoy my alone time, talking to my family really helps me calm down. There are many coping mechanisms for anxiety, everyone has their own ways of dealing with things.
Jackson Mayer is a student at University of Toronto and he was recently diagnosed with anxiety. Jackson explains his favorite coping mechanisms and how he deals with his mental health issues.
“I often just try and find my presence. It’s actually kind of curious, I found this method through an adult cartoon, but it surprisingly works well. For me, basically, you just start with the tips of your fingers. And you just try and feel them from the inside, and you become more present with the way that you’re feeling. And you move from the fingertip down to the whole finger to all of your fingers, your hands, arms, legs, your whole body. And once you’re present in where you are, you start looking and you start listening.”
Jackson says that if he focuses around himself, when he’s aware of his surroundings, then it helps him calm down.
“And once you’re present in where you are, you start looking and you start listening. And at that point, you can become very aware of the surroundings. And when you’re aware of your surroundings, or you’re more present with yourself, it just helps to calm you down and really helps to level yourself out and realize that the anxiety is just something within you. And it’s something that can be handled, just with positive thinking, positive affirmation, things that you need to do to help that anxiety go away.”
Jackson mentions that he’s a musician and that music is a big part of his coping mechanisms.
“Some of my favorite coping mechanisms include making music, and I can expand on that a little bit. So, I’ve been a musician for a very long time I was a percussionist. For a very long time I’ve done small tours, and plenty and plenty of concerts. Just performing is very calming and relaxing to me.”
Jackson tends to find himself making new music and or finding new music and that to him is very relaxing and comforting.
“I find myself just kind of making new music or if I find new music that I want to play, I’ll sit down and learn how to play it. It’s very relaxing and very comforting knowing that you have something to fall back on to after a long day you can just sit down with the guitar for half an hour and it kind of calms you down.”
Jackson goes on to tell his advice for those that are struggling to find good coping mechanisms that work just right for you.
“My biggest piece of advice is just to stay positive, be present, and understand that every emotion and every feeling that you’re going to encounter is valid. And those who invalidate those feelings, or trying to tell you that that something other than it really is, should tell you all you need to know about who those people really are for yourself, surround yourself with good people, be positive, be present and be happy.”
Having anxiety is very scary. I can tell you that first hand. I’ve been dealing with anxiety for as long as I can remember. You just need to find the right coping mechanisms that work just right for you.
