Alex's Answer

Hi there, and thank you for contacting Ask Alex.

 

Many things in our day-to-day lives can leave us feeling frustrated, but the important thing is that you have recognised the feeling, tried to understand it, and have asked for help and advice.

 

Sometimes simple things like not getting enough sleep or feeling hungry can make us feel frustrated. There are days when a problem or a misunderstanding can affect us more than it might another time. This isn’t your fault, of course; this is just how life works, and it explains why we find some days easier than others, even while facing the same challenges.

 

Sometimes, the people around us can frustrate us – friends, little brothers and sisters, our parents, teachers – and sometimes we can feel frustrated with ourselves, perhaps with how we performed in a match or exam, managed to get into trouble unintentionally at home or school, or maybe it can be something like boredom or even feeling a bit sad can frustrate us if we don’t really understand why we feel that way. We can feel misunderstood, misjudged, or unappreciated in many ways; these are all a normal part of growing up and can feel a bit overwhelming sometimes.

 

Without knowing the details about your situation or knowing if it is only specific scenarios that frustrate you, frustration is a very common feeling and recognising it before it grows into a bigger problem is a good sign on your part. No one wants to feel frustrated, but some can allow it to escalate into angry responses, upset at home or with friends, or even avoiding school or other situations because the feelings of frustration may increase. So, well done for reaching out to us, and that shows that it is important to you to learn how to avoid or manage these feelings.

 

Talking to a supportive adult such as a parent, older sibling, teacher, or coach can be helpful. Sometimes, this helps us realise that there is an easy solution to our problem or gives us some relief that others might feel the same way from time to time. Chatting to a good friend may have the same effect and lighten the load a little.

 

If there are specific things that repeatedly annoy you and they can’t be avoided, it can be helpful or comforting to find other ways to make yourself feel better – finding those little things that we enjoy doing or that help take our minds off our problems for a while. Listening to music, reading, going for a walk, or playing a game… whatever it is that you most enjoy doing. These things can sometimes help us feel a bit happier and put the frustrations out of our minds even for a short time. This deep breathing video may also be helpful for you www.childline.ie/video-breathing-and-relaxation-exercises-to-help-you-release-your-worries/.

 

Well done again for reaching out. If you ever need to talk about it and don’t know who to go to, know Childline is here for you. We will listen and support you whenever you need us. You can call us free at 1800 66 66 66 or use Live Chat on our website, www.childline.ie. We are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. We are a confidential space for young people to talk about whatever is going on for them without judgment.

 

Take care of yourself, we hope you find this somewhat helpful, and remember, we are always here for you day and night,

 

Alex