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Tag: managing anxiety

  • Ed Sheeran Talks Anxiety: "It Creeps Up On You"

    Ed Sheeran Talks Anxiety: "It Creeps Up On You"

    Sheeran detailed his experience wih social anxiety in a recent interview.

    In a new interview with Breakfast Club radio host Charlamagne Tha God, pop singer/songwriter Ed Sheeran revealed that he had recently married his childhood friend Cherry Seaborn.

    “I wake up every day with Cherry and I’m like why the f*ck are you with me? You could be with whoever you wanted and you’ve chosen me.
    “I’m saying all the things that I think are wrong with me and you still want to be with me and I find that amazing,” the 28-year-old said.

    In the wide-ranging, candid interview Sheeran also opened up about living with anxiety and how it has impacted his professional and personal life.

    Sheeran confessed that he struggles with social anxiety. “It creeps up on you. I’ve been working on it for eight years and I closed off from reality.”

    Circle Of Trust

    He told Charlamagne how he has trimmed his social circle down to just a handful of his closest friends to feel safe.

    “Whether it’s getting rid of our phone or only looking at emails twice a day,” Sheeran says. “Or cutting down my friendship group to the bare minimum just so I can trust everyone. I let people in from a, ‘Let’s hang out place.’ There is letting in and then there is letting in.

    “I have social anxiety. I don’t like large groups of people, which is ironic given I play shows to thousands of people…I have no problem with talking to people. But it’s when people film me and stare at me. It makes me feel like I’m not human,” he said.

    The Grammy winner said that after the chart-topping popularity of his hit single “Shape Of You” living a private life became nearly impossible and he made the decision to move to the country in an effort to retreat from the spotlight that followed him while he lived in central London. 

    “I lost the ability to go to a supermarket and buy a loaf of bread about three years ago. People around here treat me pretty normally, but in London it’s different,” Sheeran explained.

    While Sheeran lives with daily anxiety, he also knows he’s very lucky to have his career and a great significant other in his privileged life. “I don’t mean to be complain-y, because I have a very cool life and job, but if I can avoid it [the scrutiny] I will.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Summertime Can Bring Increase In Anxiety For Kids

    Summertime Can Bring Increase In Anxiety For Kids

    A recent parenting column explored the various aspects of summertime that can affect kids in a negative way.

    Despite the widely believed idea that kids live for summertime, those three months away from structured routine can actually be anxiety-inducing for some. 

    A column in the Washington Post’s On Parenting section, written by child and adolescent psychotherapist and parenting educator Katie Hurley, brings up the fact that some children struggle when faced with three months off. 

    For one of her patients, an 8-year-old girl, this anxiety was rooted in having two working parents and having to attend various day camps over the summer, each with its own set of rules and routine. 

    “We think of the summer months as carefree and relaxing, but many kids actually experience an uptick in anxiety during the break,” Hurley writes. “Anxious kids rely on carefully crafted routines, and too little structure or shifting routines can feel overwhelming.”

    According to Hurley, there are various aspects of summertime that can affect kids in a negative way. A common one is over-scheduling children. 

    “Many parents view the summer months as a time for children to ‘catch up,’ improve or gain an edge, and enroll them in numerous classes or activities, leaving little or no time for kids to relax and rejuvenate,” Susan Newman, a social psychologist and author, says. “Piling on and filling time only adds to their stress and anxiety that, ideally, summer break is theoretically designed to reduce.”

    Screen time can also be a minor player in childhood anxiety, according to recent research. 

    “Although it might be tempting to focus on the words “small increased risk” or state that more research is needed (it is), it’s also important to note that any risk is too much when it comes to our kids’ mental health,” Hurley writes. 

    Additional factors that can increase anxiety include changes in eating and sleep habits and worrying about travel plans.

    So what can be done to limit the likelihood of increased anxiety in children over the summer? Hurley suggests focusing on the basics, such as a balanced diet, consistent sleep schedule and water and exercise. 

    “Preserving the sleep routine that your child relies on during the school year can prevent him or her from losing sleep or getting caught in a pattern of constant adjustments,” Hurley writes. 

    Setting screen-time boundaries, planning for travel, not over-scheduling and spending quality time with children can also be helpful. 

    “Doing fun things together — be it a hike or a trip or backyard picnics or even cooking together on a regular basis — is more important for your children’s mental health than sports camps or summer academics to get ahead for the next school year,” Newman said. “You will build bonds and memories that will last a lifetime.”

    View the original article at thefix.com