Think I might have anxiety, not sure how to proceed

[Evenstar]

I think I might have anxiety, for multiple reasons.
I experience excessive worry constantly, and will worry about something for days. Bothered by the worry in dreams, bothered by it in school, even when I'm temporarily distracted my mind jumps back to it. It could be something as trivial as the health of my new pet fish, and I get very paranoid. Like a lot of people, I have stage fright, but I worry about presenting months before I actually have to (if it's that big of a project). Then once the time comes, I start shaking, my voice breaks, I get all tingly, blush, almost cry if a friend looks at me in a way my panicked mind thinks is odd. This continues for up to a half an hour after I present. I can bsrely approach the guidance counselor about a mistake in my schedule without freaking out. I sleep horribly, taking hours to fall asleep, dreaming vividly and sometimes have lucid dreams, waking up after every dream. I wake up about two minutes before my alarm goes off for school, and it never fails to scare me.
I'm usually very tired and irritable throughout the day, and my family ridicules me for being antisocial and preferring to read in my room rather than hang out with them. I'm made fun of for stories I wrote in third grade, because I won't let my family see what I write now.
All of this adds up to sound like anxiety, but I'm still really not sure. Because I worry so much all the time, my parents will blow me off and say I'm overreacting. I'm not sure what I should do.. they think I'm an idiot because I second guess myself so often that it sounds like I'm never paying attention, because I keep asking if I'm doing something right.
Any help and advice would be highly appreciated

[darkwolf_2020]

Hey there and welcome to TeenHelp!

It's great that you have decided to reach out for help, and I hope you will receive the advice you need.

First off, I'm so sorry that you are going through this. From what you have described in your post, it sounds like anxiety to me. Of course we are not doctors and cannot diagnose you. Also, just because you are experiencing anxiety does mean that you have an anxiety disorder. Everyone experiences times of anxiety for many different reasons. Some people will get anxious because of an outside factor (i.e. a family member is sick), or only for certain situations(i.e. giving a speech). That kind of anxiety is normal, and as long as it is controlled it will usually go away once the anxiety trigger passes. Then again, from what you described, it sounds like your anxiety is present in many areas of your life and does not go away. What you have described sounds almost verbatim of what I have been going through. I have undiagnosed Social Anxiety Disorder, depression, and just general anxiety. The best advice I can give you is to talk to an adult that you trust (i.e. a teacher, family friend, or school consular). I completely understand that even trying to talk to teachers about trivial matters can cause anxiety ( I will even have panic attacks when I talk to my old teacher, even just saying hello). Even if it seems impossible, try and reach out. I didn't get the help I needed earlier, and now I have severe depression and anxiety. If you don't feel comfortable talking, I would recommend writing a note or sending an email, since it is not face to face I find it lessens my anxiety. I would also recommend trying to find things that calm you down and make you happy. I find that listening/playing to music, exercise, and taking long hot baths is what makes me feel safe and calm.

Back tracking a little bit to when you mentioned public speaking and your physical responses to it. I get the same way, even for trivial things. I learned that my responses were actually panic attacks, but that doesn't mean that you necessarily have them. I have learned that panic attacks come in all forms and most often cannot be seen by others because a lot of it is mental. What I have found to be the most helpful is take a deep breath and reassure myself that I am safe. Sometimes, as silly as it seems, I will think of things that make me happy like puppies or kittens. Even though it seems juvenile, picturing something that makes you happy and childish can lower your anxiety.

You deserve to get the help that you need, and there are people who are there for you both in your community and on TeenHelp, even if it does't feel like it at times.

You can make it through this, don't give up.

PM me anytime, even if you just want to talk about random things(like puppies)

Clover

[Evenstar]

Thank you for the support
I have tried calming down when it's presenting or anything, but nothing really seems to help. And I'm fairly sure it's not normal anxiety, just because I've been experiencing symptoms less severe (except for the stage fright) like these for about two years. Then I got a very mild concussion. For about a week I couldn't read or write, which is how I relieve stress. I also couldn't care for my fish, resulting in enormous worry. He did get sick since I couldn't change the water enough. Then once I was reading and writing again, it got better, but it's all worse now than it was post concussion.
Again, thanks for the support I gave my guidance counselor a note at lunch (more accurately, my friend gave her my note), and it resulted in shakiness and everything, as well as complete loss of appetite. So I'm trying to get help I really needed that suppirt you gave me, so for the third time, thanks again