Patient Stories

NewYork-Presbyterian

The Center for Youth Mental Health

formerly the Youth Anxiety Center

Worried

I'm a worrier. When I was a kid I used to have a hard time being away from a woman holding her hands togethermy parents and I'd think about all the horrible things that might happen to them. In middle school I started worrying about my classes, my future, and I started pulling my hair to help me deal with my emotions. Now I avoid social situations because I'm afraid people might notice my bald spots. I never went to camp because I was afraid swimming might expose me as a hair-puller. That's also why I skipped prom - all my friends had their hair up and all I kept worrying about how everyone would think I'm stupid because I can't pull that off. I'm starting college now and already I can't stop thinking about all the things that might go wrong and how I just want to avoid meeting new people because they might think I'm stupid.