Talking to Your Parents About Anxiety

If you are feeling anxious, nervous, or stressed, it can be a big help to talk to a parent or another adult you trust. These people care about you and want you to succeed. They can help you figure out how to feel better.

Here are some tips for talking with your parents about anxiety and stress:

• Sharing your feelings about anxiety and stress doesn’t mean that something is wrong with you. Everybody feels stressed or anxious at times. It takes courage to speak up, and it doesn’t have to be a big deal.
• You can tell someone that you are worried or anxious without including all of the details about what is going on. Share as much or as little as makes you comfortable.
• You might think that what you are sharing sounds “weird,” but chances are the adult you are talking to won’t think so and may even have felt the same way before.
• If you feel awkward about it, sometimes talking to someone when you’re doing another activity, like watching TV, cooking, or driving, can make it easier.

Parents, you can help your kids, too! Check out our page on identifying and building resilience for some great ways to help your child thrive.