When I asked you guys what kind of chapters you wanted to see next, I got some really great ideas (thanks guys :)) but one really stood out to me and I knew I had to make this chapter soon.
The person was asking for a chapter about feeling like your friends don't like you anymore, and being constantly paranoid that you're annoying people, and that just hit me right in the chest because that is something that I have always dealt with and I know how frustrating it feels.
My first piece of advice is to try and drill good habits into yourself if you notice yourself becoming more paranoid and overthinking all your friend's movements or words. Whenever I notice myself overthinking the way someone reacted to my comment or if they moved away from me, I take a moment to rationalise the situation. I go through in my head all the other reasons why someone behaved in that way, and that usually helps me get on with my day. Someone not replying to your message? They're probably in the shower or at dinner or doing something, they're not avoiding you. Or maybe they are, but it's not because you annoy them it's because they don't want to talk to anyone.
Secondly, focus on all the positive things you and your friends do. Maybe someone asked you to go hang in the park after school with them, or they tagged you in a meme, or they gave you food. If they were annoyed with you, would they do small little things like that which obviously show that they enjoy your company?
Thirdly, find something bigger to focus on so not all your attention is just on this paranoia. In the Christmas holiday I was getting really paranoid that I had annoyed people because no one was asking if I was free to hang out, but instead of letting it take over my life, I immersed myself in a new project (I think it was reading or something like that) and I found that really help to calm my brain down.
So rule sixty six of surviving Teenagehood: for all you know your friend has just accidentally eaten a raisen cookie thinking it was a chocolate chip one which is why they're in such a bad mood, it's probably not you that's making them so moody.
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How To: Survive Teenagehood
Non-FictionThere is a stage between childhood and adulthood that makes us all want to bang our heads into a concrete wall as if that will somehow make us forget the things we did in that cringe-worthy stage of adolescence. That golden era of bad haircuts, firs...
