As a teen with anxiety, it is really important for me to surround myself with friends that care for me. Now, I’m not talking about spoon feeding you baby food or helping you cross the street. I’m talking about friends that will check up on you. 

Having friends that will check up on you is very important for your mental health. For me, when my anxiety starts to surface and my thoughts start to race, having someone ask me if I’m okay makes me feel wanted and calms me down. 

Now, I’m not saying go and find someone with the exact same experiences as you. I’m telling you to find some good people to hang around with. If your friends don’t want to talk to you about certain topics, maybe it’s time to have a conversation with them. Talk to them, express what you are feeling. Sometimes they don’t realize that they aren’t being supportive enough, and that’s okay. That’s why communication is so vital in relationships with your peers.

Here are some tips to finding good friends for you:

1. Be open.

If you walk around closed-minded, you aren’t going to get too far with people. Open your mind to meeting new people, and I’m sure you’ll find someone new.

2. Don’t judge.

As a soon-to-be sophomore, I had to read To Kill a Mockingbird for English class. One quote that really stuck out to me was from Atticus Finch. He said, “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view…until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” (Lee, 63). Like Atticus said, you can’t judge someone until you put yourself in their shoes. Especially in today’s time, people have become very good at hiding things. Whether it be mental illness or just family issues, you never know their full story. Don’t judge someone you’ve never met, you might just lose someone that could’ve been your best friend.

3. Be yourself.

When you go to make friends, don’t approach people as someone that you aren’t. If you want people to get to know you, you have to let them see the real you. People don’t want to discover that you are the exact opposite of who they thought you were when they met you. Be honest, be yourself.

I’m not making promises that these three things are going to give you everything you want, but it’s a sure start. Just remember that sometimes what you need most is sitting right under your nose.

-Emily F., Teen CHARGE Brand Rep