TEEN EDITION (Library Accessible)
If you have anxiety, you’re not alone. According to the National Institutes of Health, nearly 1 in 3 of all adolescents ages 13 to 18 will experience an anxiety disorder. For many teens, the pandemic has only increased their anxiety. It’s hard to turn off the 24/7 news cycle. If these anxious feelings are new, you might not be sure if it’s anxiety. Some of the most common symptoms are heart pounding, sweaty hands, tingly limbs, and a sense of worry or dread. The following selections can make you feel a little calmer. This is not a replacement for therapy. If you feel this way all of the time, speak to an adult. If you feel hesitant about confiding in someone, one of these selections could help get the conversation started. Remember, you don’t have to worry alone.
“Anxiety is deeply normal….it can be understood and brought under our control.”—THE SCHOOL OF LIFE
Shawn Mendes wrote In My Blood about his own anxiety. Lyrics like “Help me, it’s like the walls are caving in,” and “I’m crawling in my skin,” can help give you the words to express anxious feelings. Mendes sings about self-medicating with alcohol, drugs, or sex, and how they won’t alleviate anxiety. Stream at the library or share with an adult by checking it out here.
Listening to soothing tunes can have serious benefits. Neuroscientists at Mindlab International found the song Weightless reduced overall anxiety by up to 65%. It’s all in the binaural beats. A public playlist of the top 10 most relaxing songs is available on Spotify, and runs for about 50 minutes.
Learning to control the breath is a powerful technique that’s effective against anxiety. Breathing techniques stimulate your parasympathetic nervous system, as well as divert your attention from racing thoughts. Box breathing is an effective way to calm anxiety in the moment, anywhere and anytime.
Cinema therapy is real, and watching movies can have a positive affect through escapism and immersion. It’s Kind of a Funny Story is a dramedy, based on the same-named book by Ned Vizzini. It follows sixteen-year-old Craig Gilner whose crushing life pressures land him in a psychiatric hospital. The movie and book are available in the catalog.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a coming-of-age dramedy, based on the wildly popular same-named book by Stephen Chbosky. It follows a group of friends as they worry about their futures, and shows how fast things can fall apart, but that they will get back together. The movie and book are available in the catalog.
“The right book at the right time can change a teen’s life forever.”—Katie Salo, Youth Services Librarian
If bibliotherapy (book therapy) is more your thing, that’s great because reading lowers your heart rate and relaxes you physically. Dr. Bird’s Advice for Sad Poets by Evan Roskos, follows introspective sixteen-year-old James, as he wrestles with depression and anxiety. He copes by writing poems. Dr. Bird might inspire you to write out some of your anxiety. (Fiction)
Life Inside My Mind: 31 Authors Share Their Personal Struggles, edited by Jessica Burkhart, features YA authors (Ellen Hopkins, Maureen Johnson, and more). Sometimes you just want to read other people’s real-life experiences. Self-care topics covered are medication, therapy, exercise, sleeping well, mindfulness, and acceptance. These stories will let you know you are not alone. (Memoir/essay)
Rewire Your Anxious Brain for Teens by Debra Kissen, Ashley D. Kendall, Micah Ioffe and Michelle Lozano, provides tips and tools you can use every day to manage fears, stress and worry. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is the gold standard therapy for anxiety, aimed at “rewiring” your anxious brain so you can get back to the rest of your life. (Nonfiction)
Your Brain Needs a Hug by Rae Earl, is a book about brains, what can go wrong with them, and how to keep them healthy. Brains can be “trained, tamed and exercised to work well.” Based on the author’s real-life experiences with anxiety, phobias, eating disorders, OCD, psychosis, self-harm and depression. At the end you’ll find an extensive list of resources including playlists, organizations, books and apps. (Nonfiction)
“The gift of learning to meditate is the greatest gift you can give yourself in this lifetime.”—Sogyal Rinpoche
Meditation is a great way to ease anxiety, as it literally changes the structure of the human brain. Learning to meditate is a healthy coping strategy that you can use for the rest of your life. The Insight Timer app features the largest free library of guided meditations on earth and has specific content for teens. Start with a five minute meditation and slowly work your way up.
Lastly, Hi Anxiety is a social video series created for teens to better deal with anxiety. Featuring favorite celebrities in very candid interviews, sharing their tips and tricks for dealing with anxiety. Follow them on Instagram @_hi_anxiety_
Remember that all pain is temporary, and you don’t have to go it alone.
– Teen Services Team