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ANXIOUS YOUTH? HOW A PURPOSEFUL LIFE HELPS LESSEN ANXIETY

Guest blog

By Laura Garrison-Brook

Anxiety in our world is on the rise. According to Robert Leahy, Ph.D., a clinical professor of psychology at Weill-Cornell University Medical School, the average high school kid today has the same level of anxiety as the average psychiatric patient in the early 1950’s.

Decade by decade, anxiety is increasing. Youth are particularly vulnerable here. The rise in anxiety stems from a variety of sources, but a key two serve as a double whammy. These days youth have less real relationships and more online connections. Both of these fuel unhappiness. Positive, strong relationships have been proven to be one of the greatest predictors of happiness. It’s ironic, but connecting with people online has been shown to feed a sense of isolation. Pictures of parties and get-togethers that we weren’t invited to make us feel sad and unpopular.

How can purpose help with anxiety?

Purpose shifts our focus from me-centered to we-centered. People who struggle with anxiety are often caught in a rumination rut. The more that we think a negative thought, the more we wire our brains to continue thinking in this way. By doing something purposeful, we shift from focusing relentlessly on ourselves to focusing on how we can benefit the world. This has a big impact. Studies have shown that people get a greater boost in happiness giving help than they do in receiving help.

Purpose helps build our social relationships. There is nothing more powerful than being connected to a group of people who have shared values and goals. By figuring out who we are and what we are good at, we can connect with others who have similar interests. These rich and robust relationships help to diffuse isolation and anxiety.

Purpose boosts our sense of competence. Purpose is the intersection of what we love to do, what we are good at and what the world needs. Aristotle said, “Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.” This knowledge guides how we show up in life. Knowing that we can make a meaningful contribution to the world is tremendously grounding. For anxious youth, this can be a balm to the soul. 

Purpose shifts our self-esteem from dependent to independent. Dependent self-esteem is like a yo-yo. If we have a bad hair day, it goes down. If we get invited to the party, it goes up. Even when things are going our way, anxiety persists. Outside factors determine whether we feel good about ourselves or not. Dependent self-esteem is like being stuck in the passenger seat of our own lives. We feel powerless.

When we know what our purpose is, it is like discovering our personal compass. We figure out where we need to go and start taking steps to get there. This shifts our self-esteem from dependent to independent. With independent self-esteem, we measure our self-worth against our own progress. Even if we initially fail in our efforts (which would put us in a tailspin with dependent self-esteem where we compare ourselves to others), with a purposeful attitude, as long as we are learning, it’s ok. We know that we are making progress towards our goal and that is what counts. This puts us in the driver’s seat. We are in control – and with this sense of control, our anxiety goes down. 

Purpose is the closest thing to a silver bullet for what ails youth. The National Institute of Mental Health shares that about 30% of girls and 20% of boys--totaling 6.3 million teens--have had an anxiety disorder. These are just the ones who have been diagnosed. Experts believe the number to be much larger than this, since many others do not seek help. 

By discovering our purpose, we can shift from isolation to connection. From boredom to engagement. From self-doubt to competence. From disengagement to being an authentic contributor to the world. These are just a few of the ways that purpose creates well-being and lessens anxiety in us.

Want to learn more about how to find your purpose? Discovering My Purpose is a nonprofit organization that can help. Go to www.DiscoveringMyPurpose.org