How to Navigate Anxiety Around "Adulting"
The term “adulting” is usually used as a snarky commentary. Basically, when a young person (from late teens into their early 20s) begins to take on new responsibilities, they are viewed as “grown-ups.” If they struggle with the new responsibilities, they are viewed as failures within the realm of adulting. That is one of many reasons why there is often anxiety around adulting.
While the digital age has amplified some of the roadblocks, no one transitions from child to adult without getting anxious. It’s a major life transition, and like all shifts, things get stressful. Let’s explore more of the reasons before we share some suggestions.
Why is There Anxiety Around Adulting?
The short answer relates to the fact that anxiety is very common. Anxiety disorders are the most prevalent mental health condition on the planet. So, why wouldn’t this transition be included? The key is to expect lies from your inner monologue, like “You’re not ready to be an adult.” We’ll come back to that. For now, let’s examine three factors about adulting that can make young people anxious.
New Responsibilities
It’s simple. Most kids leave the adulting to the adults. This doesn’t mean teens aren’t busy, but it does mean that things can happen in the blink of an eye. It’s only normal to feel overwhelmed.
Pre-Existing Mental Health Concerns
More young people than ever are struggling with mental health-related issues. Thus, when the addition of complex new responsibilities arrives, they will need help with that adjustment.
The Times Are Changing
Previous generations shared similar standards. The introduction of online life, along with new economic realities, seems to rewrite the rules and expectations every day. It can lead to a loss of optimism that pervades everyday life.
How to Navigate Anxiety Around Adulting
Resist the Urge to Compare
This is foundational. Social media is jam-packed with profiles carefully designed to present ourselves in a positive but unrealistic light. The last thing you need is to judge your progress with anyone else — least of someone who’s not showing the whole story. Tech breaks are crucial for everyone. For those of you trying to get the hang of adulting, please step away from your devices.
Stick to a Daily Self-Care Regimen
Allocate a fair amount of time each day to care for your mental and physical well-being. Anxiety cannot get as deep a foothold when you work on building resilience through steps like:
Daily exercise and physical activity (especially outdoors)
Making healthy eating and drinking choices that are healthy
Keeping regular sleep patterns
Engaging in relaxation techniques and stress management, like mindfulness
Staying connected with trusted friends and family members
Keeping a journal to help identify triggers and monitor patterns
Practice Acceptance
Everyone struggles with acceptance. Don’t add to the struggle by assuming you are uniquely flawed. Put that effort into developing productive coping mechanisms and getting the help you deserve.
Find Resources
Isolation is not your friend. Instead, seek out all available resources to jumpstart your journey. It might be at school, your neighborhood, a workplace, or the people in your life. There’s more help out there than you might currently imagine.
Consider Therapy
It’s an excellent example of adulting to recognize the need to ask for support. The anxiety you feel as you transition into adulthood could have roots anywhere from early childhood to last week. Working with a qualified professional sets you up to better understand what you feel and why. Reaching out to set up a free and confidential consultation for anxiety counseling is a giant step toward healing and learning how to fend for yourself. Let’s connect soon and get this process started.