“My post-study life plan is unworkable now and I’m scared”

I will graduate this year and am worried about what I am going to do afterwards. My ambition had been to move to London with friends and look for work or an internship in an arts-related field, paying my way with bar or shop work if necessary, but I think that is going to be impossible now. One by one, my friends are dropping out, saying they will simply go home for a while, but that is not an option for me. Please don’t tell me to stay in education – I have had enough. What should I do? Name supplied

AYou have every right to feel fearful and fed up. There is evidence that the past year has affected young people more than any other group. In theory, it’s early adulthood: a time for moving from the risk-blindness of adolescence into conscious experimentation. The trouble is that if everyone is putting on their own oxygen masks, there are no free hands to hold the safety net.

I suggest that you acknowledge reality, but prioritise creating happiness where you are. This is called rational optimism or, as author Shawn Achor says: ‘We start with realism, but continue to believe that our actions make a difference.’ Among those differences is that happy people not only see more possibilities, but also have energy to explore them.

Look at the resources on Anxiety UK, which range from self-help and online peer support groups to discounted therapy sessions. Once you feel calmer and more connected, you will find it easier to see practical options. Start as small as necessary, perhaps with a routine that includes exercise, getting outside and having at least one genuine conversation a day. It may also be worth talking to your GP. Thinking alone will feed your anxiety; action will starve it.

anxietyuk.org.uk