Something that can turn your day into a living nightmare, straight out of a horror movie. It will not leave you alone. It never leaves. It strikes when least wanted. This, is anxiety.

For middle school students, anxiety is a prominent thing in day-to-day life and is characterized by feelings of worry, anxiety, or fear. Some students find themselves feeling unprepared for it and most students don’t get help for it either. Anxiety is one of the most common mental illnesses, next to depression and bipolar disorder; affecting 40 million adults in the United States age 18 and older, or 18.1% of the population every year, according to, adaa.org.

Although anxiety affects students, it is not only school related, it has many ties to home and public areas. In open settings where circumstances cannot be controlled it can trigger anxiety in students. Another trigger for anxiety is stress, a high demanding or tense environment can also lead to anxiety attacks. For students who suffer from anxiety controlling stress levels can decrease the chances of having an anxiety attack.

“When I am stressed I usually do something I like and football is something I like, it helps me get my mind off things when I am stressed.” 8th grader, Javier Caceres, said.

One popular method to help treat anxiety is the Buteyko Breathing Method. This is a natural and concealable way of staying calm. There are many other methods to help treat anxiety, too but the Buteyko Breathing Method is highly recommended. The Buteyko Breathing Method is a set of techniques to help someone during a panic attack including deep breathing                                                                                                              .

“One of the best coping mechanisms to help correct anxiety is the Buteyko Breathing Method” Anxiety and Stress Control-Marylou Gantner Center, said.

There is also a form of anxiety called social anxiety. Social anxiety is how everyday social interactions can cause irritation, self consciousness, or embarrassment. It can also lead into children feeling unwanted and worthless. Social anxiety can be triggered by the use of social media and add to various stressors already existent in teen and tween life.

“There are times when I don’t know if people are my friends or if I am just not wanted.” 6th grader, Jordan Emanuel, said.

Although anxiety disorder is a prominent mental illness for students, learning to treat and control stressors that can cause an attack is the first step in recuperating.