It is wrong to hurt or threaten a child or young person in any way. It’s important to understand that it is not your fault if you’re afraid of someone in your life hurting you. 

It is the responsibility of the adults in your life to ensure that you are living in a safe home, without the fear of violence or abuse.  

Nobody has the right to bully you – online, at school, at home or anywhere else. 

You have the right to be safe and be happy. You also have the right to be heard, which means you have the right to tell someone what is going on in your life.  

It’s important to find an adult you trust and feel safe talking to. It may be a parent, a relative or a teacher. At Childline, we’re here 24/7 if you’d like to talk.  

A phobia is an intense fear of an object, a living creature, a situation or a place. Phobias are common and can vary in terms of how they affect a person.  

Some people with phobias may avoid any situation that brings them into contact with what they fear. This can be very distressing as it can stop the person from enjoying their life. Some people might be able to deal with encountering their fears despite experiencing high levels of distress but these feelings of anxiety and fear can still be unpleasant.  

Some people might find it frightening to even think about what they fear, which can affect their everyday lives.  

If you have a phobia, don’t be afraid to ask for support.  

Talking about your feelings with a parent, carer or good friend can help you process your fears and feel supported. If you’d prefer, you can also contact Childline, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. 

Intrusive thoughts are strange or disturbing thoughts that can pop into your head without warning, at any time. They are completely normal but some people may experience them more frequently or severely than others, and this can be frightening.  

Intrusive thoughts can be violent, upsetting or sexually graphic and can be totally at odds with how you actually feel.  

They can include: 

• harming yourself 

• hurting people you love 

• sexually graphic fantasies 

• the death of loved ones 

• putting yourself in danger 

• imagining yourself in an accident 

You can calm your mind and manage intrusive thoughts with:  

• Meditation – guided meditations can help you slow down and refocus on other things that will make you feel calmer 
   

• Reframing – instead of berating yourself for having the thoughts, ask yourself why they might be coming to you. If you voice them, journal about them or even acknowledge them, they may become easier to understand and less frequent. 
   

Sleep – If you’re tired, everything that you’re worried about is magnified and seems far more upsetting than it actually is. We all face challenges better when we’re well rested and are better equipped to focus on the positive rather than the negative. 

It can be very difficult for anyone to open up and discuss their worries and fears, but it’s so important to offload these concerns and get the support you need. Remember you are not alone. 

It might be useful to try and identify the situations that trigger your feelings of fear. Awareness is essential and it is the first step toward helping you to make changes that are healthy and constructive.  

To help cope with feelings of panic in the moment, you could try grounding and / or breathing exercises.  

It can also be useful to share your feelings with someone you trust. Acknowledging our worries and taking the time to say them out loud can help us feel more in control. 

Some of the adults in your life may have had similar feelings when they were younger and could give you advice.