HUDSON – Anxiety still is a taboo topic of discussion for some, and in recognizing that, Olivia Lavoie focused on this area of mental health for her capstone project.

Lavoie, 18, is a senior at Alvirne High School who has been coping with anxiety for years. When senior year picked up in the fall of 2019, she began working on this project, which could have been used for English class or extra credit. She opted to use this project for the extra credit on her transcript that reads capstone. She said only three students participated in this sort of project, with work beginning early on at the start of the school year.

Recently, at the end of January, she presented her project to a number of classes of students, teachers, the principal, dean of academics and assistant principals. Lavoie said she believes there were 67 students in the room during her presentation.

The project itself focuses on anxiety and how it affects teenagers.

“I’ve struggled with it for about four years now,” Lavoie said. “Beginning of freshman year it really hit me.”

Lavoie said it was a lot to handle, and that her anxiety took over her life and changed who she was. For people experiencing anxiety, or even depression, Lavoie believes it is OK to speak up and ask for help.

Since she did exactly that, she has been able to get in a better place with her anxiety. However, doing so took some time and effort.

“The first couple years it was a lot of just trying to figure out how to handle it,” Lavoie said. “I definitely created almost a different personality.”

She said she went from being bubbly to quiet because of her anxiety, and was never really happy, rather very emotionally distant. Over the past year or so, she started counseling and medication.

Lavoie has been keeping updates with her project, shedding light on how her progress has been moving along. Her project is available online, and details her story, research, applications and interviews as well as medications and testing. Given the current circumstances resulting from COVID-19, Lavoie thought her project may be valuable for teens and adults to look at to understand what anxiety is and how to help cope with what comes with anxiety and depression. The project can be found at, https://sites.google.com/prod/view/beyounique2020.

“It’s OK to ask for help and to talk about your feelings, and it’s never too late to start looking for help,” Lavoie said while adding that there are plenty of available resources.

Lavoie said it is good to know that people are not alone in a situation, and that anxiety is a natural thing that happens.

Doing this project has given Lavoie relief from everything she has held in, she said, and as she is getting ready for college, the project also has given her the experience of having to present to a large group. Lavoie said it has made her more motivated and organized.

“I am attending Franklin Pierce University next year, doing a double major,” Lavoie said.

Lavoie said she will be going to school for criminal justice and EMS studies.

In terms of anxiety, she said it is a natural response, but that for some people, it is more prominent in their lives.

Adam Urquhart may be contacted at 594-1206, or at aurquhart@nashuatelegraph.com.

Newsletter