Anxiety and fear are important—and normal—parts of our lives.
Anxiety can give us the kick we need to study late into the
night, stay alert in what could be a dangerous situation, and
keep us on our toes during a presentation. In short, it helps us
cope. But this normally helpful emotion can do the exact
opposite for people with an anxiety disorder. It can keep them
from facing everyday problems or situations and even paralyze
them with fear. If you have an anxiety disorder, or any other
type of problem that is making your life unmanageable, know that
you are not alone. According to a report by the United States
Surgeon General, anxiety disorders are the most common
psychiatric illnesses–more than 19 million American adults and
more than one in ten American children and adolescents have an
anxiety disorder. Unfortunately, many young people are not
getting the help they need. If you are having a hard time with
anxiety, or anything else, you don’t need to be ashamed—you need
to get help. Talk to a parent, teach