Article by Andy Rance. First published in Love Saltash – December 2018.

Anxiety is that quiet voice that tells you ‘you can’t’ when you can – it tells you you’re ugly, that no one really likes you, that you’re worthless, that you’re unlikeable!

Like most liars, once they’ve been found out they usually disappear, so if your anxiety is lying to you, check it out with someone you trust, or come and chat to one of us lot at Livewire!

Anxiety holds more people prisoner than anything else, real freedom comes from realising just what a dirty, ugly liar it is.

Problematic anxiety has become almost an epidemic amongst young people (and many adults too), however it is is a normal emotion that we all experience, such as in the run up to exams or a job interview, but when it becomes much more severe, this feeling can take over and begin to interfere with everyday life and in some cases lead to severe mental health issues.

At Livewire we are starting some targeted and focused work with young people experiencing problematic anxiety issues, this might include counselling, it might include youth worker one to one or group support, or even the use of music lessons and music-based opportunities.

It’s really important to recognise that problematic anxiety is not always something a person can control, sometimes family members, friends, teachers etc can struggle when dealing with someone with complex needs – telling a person to ‘pull them self together’ or ‘just get on with it isn’t helpful. Often there are underlying issues which lead to problematic anxiety – significant negative life events for example, however there is no clear trigger.

At Livewire we believe it is crucial to try and identify with the young person what may be triggering their anxiety and then look for solutions.

Over the next few months we will be undertaking a mapping exercise to establish just how many young people we are in contact with who are experiencing anxiety issues and establish if it’s mild, moderate or severe. We will then work out a programme for that individual young person and hopefully support them into living an anxiety free life.