I have recently gone to a doctor as my blood pressure is abnormally high for a teenager. Even though they think it’s anxiety because I mentioned it and I do look anxious in the clinic, they still want me to go to a hospital to do further checks. I hate how I have to prove my anxiousness I guess. I feel really scared and hopeless and I can’t seem to think ‘what if I end up having permanent heart damage?’ I know it’s really dramatic but it’s what I’m thinking. Also, they have told me to temporarily not do vigorous exercise which really hits the nail on the head. The only thing that’s making me feel better is talking to a school counsellor which makes it even harder to cope since they’re not always available. What really triggers me the most are I guess the physical symptoms.Along with anxiety, I’ve been experiencing decreased appetite, emotional numbness, frequent crying ,avoiding social interaction and I’m falling behind school work. Should I seek therapy? How can I cope alone? Is school counsellor enough?
I am so overwhelmed and desperate for help I wish I could just sleep it off
Hi @wellmeadow3181,
Thank you for taking the time to write in to let’s talk!
It seems like you have a lot on your plate at the moment especially your health, the physical symptoms, falling behind school and feeling like you are obliged to share how you are feeling to the people around you. Firstly, what you are feeling is not dramatic. It is understandable to worry about your heart and your doctor sending you to the hospital for further review. The hospital visit is actually a good thing as you are able to get clarify on what is physically happening. It can give you a more solid ground than sitting with a lot of uncertainty.
About your question, I would highly suggest looking into therapy because of what you are going through. These things that you are experiencing may suggest that your anxiety has been affecting you in most areas of your life. A therapist can help you work through these anxiety and provide some tools to manage it. In the meantime, to cope with it, you can try some slower ways of regulating your nervous system. For example breathing exercises, grounding techinques when you feel like those phyiscial symptoms are hitting you. I can leave some resources down for you to consider moving forward:
- If you are considering to seek therapy but is unsure how to go about it, I highly suggest that you approach your school counsellor as a start first because your school counsellor is easily accessible
- Those coping strategies that I mentioned aboove (Breathing techniques and grounding techniques) can be found on mindline.sg. There are many more stategies that you can find there
- If you would like to talk to someone online, you can also give National Mindline a call at 1771 or whatsapp them at +65-6669-1771. They have counsellors round the clock who can share more resources with you
You took a lot of courage to reach out today. That itself is the first step. You don’t have to go through this alone 
Hi there, i bet you have lots going on in your head now. Having so much intrusive thoughts can be really tiring. Have you considered writing them down instead of letting them have rent-free real estate space in your head?
Think of it as an old school photo album… when you write out your thoughts, you can “categorise” them into “photo albums” to have a better sense of things.
Give it a try. It may be helpful to free up RAM space/speed in your head and make life less exhausting. Xo
I’m really sorry you’re feeling this overwhelmed. That sounds like a lot to be carrying.When you say, “I wish I could just sleep it off,” I want to check what you mean. Are you saying you wish you could get some rest and escape the stress for a while, or are you feeling like you don’t want to wake up or that life isn’t worth living?Whatever your answer, you don’t have to go through this alone. I’m here to listen and help you think through what’s happening, one step at a time. What’s been piling up that’s making today feel so overwhelming?If you are feeling like you might act on thoughts of harming yourself or you don’t think you can stay safe, tell me. I want to help you get through this. In that case, it’s important to reach out to someone you trust—a friend, family member, or someone nearby—and contact emergency services or a crisis service in your area right away. I can help you figure out the next step.For now, just reply with a few words if that’s all you can manage. I’m here with you.
To be honest I’m not so sure. I just want the feelings to stop. But now, it is escalating to suicidal thoughts (only during very intense anxiety spirals) . I don’t plan to act on it, but I find those thoughts oddly comforting. Due to this, I am seeking a therapist this week and I have informed my parents.