When you are a teen, it is common to experience anxiety in different areas of your life, whether it be school, sports, or social interactions. Anxiety is characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts-that nagging voice in your head that makes you second-guess every decision. You may even experience physical symptoms like sweating, trembling, and a rapid heart rate. It's important to understand and manage the anxiety you may be experiencing.

Counselor Eliza Huie wants to help you identify anxiety by recognizing common signs and encourages you to share your experience with a trusted adult. She also introduces the acronym N-E-A-R to help you manage anxiety: Notice bodily responses, Explore the causes and your emotions, Attend to what is going on and engage in the calming process, and Remember God's promises and how his Word helps you in your struggle with anxiety. Anxiety can disrupt life, but you can use these simple tools to help you turn to your God, who is near when things feel overwhelming.

Eliza Huie, MA, LCPC, is the Director of Counseling at McLean Bible Church in Vienna, VA, and serves as a seminary instructor and certificate-level trainer in biblical counseling. She is the author of several books, including I'm Stressed, Raising Emotionally Healthy Kids, the minibook Teens and Anxiety, and is coauthor of The Whole Life and The World Rejoices. Eliza and her husband, Ken, have three grown children and two daughters-in-law.