Our Caretoons series makes it easy to open a dialogue with kids and teens about their anxiety. In our short, educational, and entertaining series, Galaxy Brain and Time Travelling Pizza, fun characters examine anxiety around future uncertainty—something we can all relate to in our modern, ever-changing world.
In this episode of Galaxy Brain, it is the last day of Drexal the Alien’s long mission away from his planet. Now, he must return home and deal with change. His computer sidekick helps him express his anxious, worried, and sad feelings around future uncertainty. Together, they talk it out and try to enjoy the present moment.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help from someone you trust or find a friend to talk to about your feelings, just like Drexal does.
Watch the episode of Galaxy Brain on future uncertainty.
In Time Travelling Pizza, Chris Crust is worried about the future (and the present) as he scrolls through his phone. He wonders if things will ever get better. Luckily, Chris from the future shows up to help. But his answer to the question “will thing ever get better?” is not that simple: things will get better, but sometimes they’ll get worse, too. However, dwelling on what may go wrong won’t change the future, and it won’t feel good either.
Watch Chris Crust in face future uncertainty in Time Travelling Pizza.
Dealing with Future Anxiety
It’s easy to fall into the trap of assuming the worst and worrying about what might happen in the future. If this starts occupying all of your thoughts or influencing your daily activities, then learning to cope with anxiety will help you get back on track and enjoy life again. When you find yourself having negative and unrealistic thoughts, take a deep breath and see if you can come up with a more balanced way of thinking about things.
Some questions you can ask yourself to deal with these thoughts are:
- What are you basing this belief on?
- Can you really predict the future?
- Are these things 100% really going to happen?
Spend a few minutes coming up with positive or helpful thoughts to replace the concern you are feeling. Try to think of alternative ways things could turn out in the future that wouldn’t be so bad, or may actually even be good! When you feel overwhelmed, prioritize self-care and compassion. Make time to do the things you really enjoy and get adequate rest.
Worrying is normal; we all do it, but sometimes our worries can become overwhelming and you may need help facing them. Find out how to tell when anxiety has become a problem on our blog.
More Resources
Our Caretoons series can help stimulate helpful discussions with youth about anxiety, including separation anxiety, OCD, social anxiety, and more. Watch all the episodes on our Caretoons page (or on YouTube).
See more of Anxiety Canada’s useful resources on children and anxiety.
Print out our downloadable PDFs and other printable resources for parents, teachers, and healthcare providers supporting a child with anxiety.