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The Trevor Project | For Young LGBTQ Lives

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The Trevor Project provides 24/7 crisis support services to LGBTQ young people. Text, chat, or call anytime to reach a trained counselor. Free and confidential.

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We can all help prevent suicide. The 988 Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals in the United States.

988

¡Los servicios de texto y chat de 988 Lifeline ya están disponibles en español!
Haga clic aquí para obtener información sobre cómo acceder a todos los servicios en español.

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Stock photo by iStock.

The 988 Lifeline is a national network of local crisis centers that provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in the United States. We're committed to improving crisis services and advancing suicide prevention by empowering individuals, advancing professional best practices, and building awareness.

About The Lifeline

Anyone could be struggling with suicide. Find more specific resources below.

I'm Struggling With Individuals with Neurodivergence

We understand that every struggle is different. Experience the stories of people like you, and how they overcame crisis to find hope and recovery.
read stories of hope & recovery

First, you'll hear an automated message featuring additional options while your call is routed to your local 988 Lifeline network crisis center.

We'll play you a little music while we connect you to a skilled, trained crisis worker.

A trained crisis worker at your local center will answer the phone.

This person will listen to you, understand how your problem is affecting you, provide support, and get you the help you need.

988 Lifeline Center calls are free and confidential, and we're available 24/7.

Show What Happens When You Call The Lifeline

Everyone Plays A Role In Suicide Prevention

Get in touch

Call the Lifeline

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Skip to main content We can all help prevent suicide. The 988 Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals in the United States. 988 ¡Los servicios de texto y chat de 988 Lifeline ya están disponibles en español!

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Just need someone to talk to, there is a crisis text line.

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Crisis Text Line | Text HOME To 741741 free, 24/7 Crisis Counseling

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Crisis Text Line provides free, 24/7 support via text message. We're here for everything: anxiety, depression, suicide, school. Text HOME to 741741.

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Here is a break down of the counselors and also a way to request to speak to them.

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Covid-19 - Self Care Card English.E-version

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With returning to school you potentially are feeling anxiety and stressed. You are not alone.

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Psycom.net - Mental Health Treatment Resource Since 1996

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A young girl stares back at me through my screen, sharing her fears about returning to school. She feels overwhelmed by the sudden turnaround. For an entire year, it wasn't safe. Then, one day, it's time to go back. She worries that some students won't follow the rules. She wonders how many times a day she should use hand sanitizer. It wasn't that long ago that she finally got her sleep schedule back to normal, but now she's up late at night with a new list of worries. She can't stop thinking about what she needs to do to stay safe out in the world.

In the months following lockdown, my therapy practice doubled. To keep up with the demand for treatment-and meet their needs without having to endure long wait times-I continue referring two or three families a week to other therapists. Even with schools resuming in some capacity, kids are clearly still dealing with loss, constant change, broken social connections, lost social skills, and issues centered around fear and safety.

If the thought of returning to school, sports, and other activities after this long period of time at home makes you anxious, you are not alone. In fact, current research shows that kids and teens report feelings of anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues as a result of COVID-19.

What is School Anxiety?

Anxiety can have a constellation of symptoms, and no two people experience anxiety in exactly the same way. Some symptoms you might experience can include:

Sleep problems: difficulty falling or staying asleep

Feeling restless

Difficulty concentrating

Frequent worries or intrusive thoughts (these are thoughts that feel scary and keep repeating in your mind)

Irritability (this is super cranky most of the time even if you don't know why)

Muscle tension

Frequent headaches and/or stomachaches

Fatigue (this means feeling really tired even when you do sleep)

You might also notice some new changes to your own behavior that weren't there before. Given the constant focus on handwashing, keeping a safe distance from others, and wearing masks, it's completely understandable if you find yourself washing your hands or using hand sanitizer a lot (perhaps even when you're just at home), worry about getting too close to others when you're outside, or have a new fear of germs that you keep thinking about.

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It's really important to remember that you endured a very difficult year that included a lot of uncertainty and near-constant change. These feelings are to be expected, and you can work through them and learn to cope with your anxiety.

Coronavirus Back to School Signs of Anxiety: Know Your Triggers

Believe it or not, returning to school and being around your peers again will help you to feel safe in the world, even if it takes some time to adjust. Anticipatory anxiety (those worries that run through your mind as you think about the future) can feel overwhelming, but planning ahead to actually problem-solve some of those worries will calm your mind. Try these steps to prepare yourself in advance (or as you go):

How Our Bodies Tell Us We're Anxious

It helps to pay attention to how your body feels when you are stressed and anxious. Our bodies send us signals-red flags-to remind us to slow down and get help when we need it. You might feel some of the following:

Fast heartbeat

Sweaty palms

Dizzy

Breathing fast

Tensing your muscles

Clenching your jaw

Stomach pain

4 Coping Skills for Anxiety

If you notice red flags ( see the list, above), it's time to use one coping skills to calm your anxiety. Not every coping skill works for every person, so it's really important to try a few and practice them often.

Master deep breathing. Deep breathing is the most effective tool to deal with anxious thoughts, but it takes practice. One tip is to trace a square in the palm of your hand while you count your breaths. It goes like this: Trace up while you inhale for four, trace across while you hold for four, trace down while you exhale for four, and trace across while you hold for four. Repeat this twice to calm your worries.

A stress ball or thinking putty is a great tool to keep in your pocket. Give it a squeeze when you start to feel anxious and this will remind you to slow your breathing.

Practice positive self-talk. When anxious thoughts make you feel like something is unsafe, take a big deep breath, listen to what the thought is telling you, and replace it with a positive alternative. An example might be, "I know my classroom is clean and safe for me to be at school today."

Picture the stoplight. When intrusive thoughts take over your mind, picture a stoplight to work through it. On the red light, stop what you're doing and ask yourself, "What am I worried about? Why am I having this worry?" Now picture the yellow light and think of some options to solve the problem. Do you need help? Can you use your deep breathing to calm down? Finally, picture the green light while you choose an option and go for it.

Plan ahead. Use a journal in the evening to write down your worries and potential solutions. That way you have a plan in place to tackle your worries each day.

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Anxiety Support Strategy #1: Find Your Anchors

Everyone needs at least one person they can connect to during the day. Do you have a friend, teacher, or coach you feel comfortable talking to if you feel overwhelmed at school? If so, keep that person in mind and be sure to work on strengthening that connection by saying hello each day. If not, ask your teacher if you can see the school counselor for help with this.

Talking about your feelings of anxiety with someone you trust helps you work through your emotions. It's really important to let your feelings out. If you keep them in, your anxiety will continue to grow like a giant snowball rolling down a mountain.

When anxiety builds but isn't addressed with adaptive coping skills, it can lead to headaches, stomachaches, and sleep disturbance (difficulty falling or staying asleep). Some kids even experience panic attacks. Some anxiety that isn't addressed can make it difficult to concentrate and lead to forgetfulness, too.

Anxiety Support Strategy #2: Create A Routine

You probably get tired of hearing this from your grownups, but routines really do make a difference. That's because predictability helps you know what comes next and what to do. Knowing what to expect helps us concentrate and feel less overwhelmed. COVID turned most routines upside down and while the new "normal" may look a bit different from life before COVID-19, school should become routine again soon.

In the meantime, you can create your own healthy routines by prioritizing sleep (including giving yourself enough time in the morning), finding time for daily exercise, and planning both your homework time and your downtime (you need both).

If your anxiety is making it difficult to get to school or your symptoms are interfering with your ability to complete your schoolwork and do your other favorite things, it's time to see a licensed mental health professional. Getting help is the best way to get yourself back on track.

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6 Ways to Cope with School Anxiety And Coronavirus

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A young girl stares back at me through my screen, sharing her fears about returning to school. She feels overwhelmed by the sudden turnaround. For an entire year, it wasn't safe. Then, one day, it's time to go back. She worries that some students won't follow the rules.