Experiencing Anxiety Around Adulting? You Aren't Alone. Here's Why
Being an adult can be tough, whether we want to admit it or not. The term “adulting” has gained popularity over the past few years–and for good reason. Tasks that we have to do once we become adults and enter the “real world” can sometimes feel challenging and daunting.
For some, this can lead to increased anxiety and those left wondering why this is happening. Throughout this article, we will discuss what anxiety is and why it occurs when adulting.
Anxiety is an emotion characterized by feelings of tension, thoughts, and physical changes. Anxiety is not the same as fear, but it can sometimes be used interchangeably.
If you’re feeling anxious about adulting–whether you’ve been an adult for a while, you’ve been through a recent life change, or this way of life is new to you, it’s okay. You’re not alone in how you feel. Throughout this article, we will discuss some common reasons adults feel anxiety around “adulting” and what you can do to help.
Why Adulting Anxiety Occurs
When you’re younger, especially a young child or teenager, it’s common to want to be an adult or more grown-up to be allowed to do whatever you want, whenever you want.
Being an adult can hit hard and fast as you hit your adult years. As you reach this new stage of independence, there are a lot of changes and responsibilities that come with it that were probably overlooked in younger years.
These new real-world experiences can be overwhelming for those unfamiliar with this type of responsibility. Next, we'll discuss some of the reasons why anxiety while adulting can occur.
Being separated from family and friends
Typically, parents or caregivers have helped guide your life and the choices you make. This includes your schedules, routines, clothing, and diet choices when younger.
As you start to become an adult and lead your own life and path, you’ll have to figure these things out on your own and decide if you want to keep or change what you know. Part of the transition from childhood and caregiver dependence to adulting means you have to create your own path forward.
Overall fears
Growing up, you probably had an allowance, meals prepared, or other adult tasks done for you. As you got older, you gained more and more responsibilities, but you never fully experienced “adulting.”
Typically, as a kid, your main focus was school. As you got older, you might have had some sort of job, but you probably got to enjoy extracurriculars without much struggle or worry.
As an adult, you now have to manage most of those responsibilities and tasks on your own. You also probably had to move out on your own, which means paying your own bills, doing your own laundry, and making your own meals. This means that finding time and resources for extracurricular activities can be more of a challenge.
This new lifestyle can also make you feel lonely. Other than moving out of your childhood home into a new space, such as your own home or college, you can also be moving away from childhood friends and other family members. For some, this new path can feel isolating.
How to deal with anxiety around adulting
The good news is that if you’re feeling anxiety about adulting, there are things you can do to cope including:
Set realistic goals. When you set realistic goals into more manageable steps, you’re able to enjoy the progress you’ve made.
Enhance problem-solving abilities. Adulting can be challenging. While you may want to lean on others, learning and improving your problem-solving skills is important.
Practice self-care. It’s important to make time for things you enjoy and help you feel relaxed. This can include spending time with friends and family, exercising, or reading a good book.
Just remember, no one is perfect at adulting; you can, and you will figure out what works best for you. There are no hard rules about adulting, but remember that you are doing your best. Reach out to learn more about therapy for young adults and how we can help you manage this new chapter.