Dealing with Anxiety as a Teenager: How to Help Your Teen

We all deal with anxiety in one form or another. Some people get anxious around animals or certain insects, while others respond with anxiety to wide-open or populated spaces. Public speaking is a source of anxiety for many, while for others it’s heights or talking with strangers. Anxiety, whether mild or in its more severe forms, seems to be a part of our lives.

One of the challenges that teens face is dealing with anxiety. There are things specific to that phase of life that can induce anxiety. It’s essential that teens get the support they need to handle anxiety in their lives, particularly if the anxiety is severe and persistent enough to disrupt their day-to-day activities.

Anxiety and Teenagers: Some Causes of Anxiety

Anxiety is an emotional and physiological response to something stressful and perceived as a threat. Each individual will have particular things that feel threatening to them. That’s one reason it isn’t always helpful to tell someone that they shouldn’t be anxious about a given situation. It’s not as though one is making a conscious choice to feel threatened, and it’s not an easy thing to turn that fear off.

Each teen is unique, and what makes them anxious won’t necessarily look the same as for other people. In the same way, their anxiety may stem from a combination of factors, and understanding the underlying reasons for their anxiety can better equip you to walk alongside a teen to guide them through anxiety.

Some of the common reasons why a teen may feel anxious include social and relationship concerns. Between having difficulties forming or maintaining peer relationships, navigating social hierarchies, the perils and vulnerabilities of dating, and handling their social media presence, many things can make a teen anxious. Additionally, tension or conflict in the family can also lead to anxiety.

At their stage of life, academic pressures are a significant part of a teen’s life. Juggling a heavy courseload, pressure to perform well and ace exams and standardized tests for college applications can be a lot for a young person. The fear of failure, not meeting others’ expectations, and affecting the course of their lives based on their academic and extracurricular performance can be a huge, anxiety-inducing load to bear.

Another source of concern for a teen is when they’re experiencing physical and emotional changes because of puberty. These changes can make one self-conscious. Other psychological factors that can contribute to anxiety include experiencing abuse, neglect, or trauma, which can lead to anxiety and hypervigilance as a way to protect oneself.

There are health conditions that can contribute to anxiety, and these include depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. A teen living with chronic pain or needing to manage a chronic illness may also be anxious as a result. A teen who is experimenting with substance abuse may also experience anxiety. Being fatigued or sleep deprived can contribute, as well.

Teens in the social media age are also concerned about global issues like climate change, instability, injustice, and issues of sustainability. Exposure to disturbing and frightening news, in addition to being constantly connected to what’s happening across the world, can be taxing, causing feelings of powerlessness and anxiety.

Anxiety in a teen can be influenced by a combination of hereditary, genetic, and environmental factors. Experiencing overprotective parenting or having an overly critical parent can lead to anxiety. A teen who leans toward an introverted or neurotic personality can also have an increased risk of developing anxiety.

There are various ways and reasons a teen can become anxious. Anxiety can be a normal response to stressful realities, and it can help a person to prepare themselves for possible and actual threats. Anxiety becomes a problem when it becomes so overwhelming and persistent that it hinders day-to-day functioning and one’s ability to enjoy life.

How Anxiety Affects a Teen

When a teen experiences anxiety, that anxiety can be mild, but it can also be excessive and persistent. Depending on the severity of their anxiety and their ability to cope with it, how it affects them will vary. Anxiety can have a significant effect on a teen’s life, impacting various areas of their life. Some of the ways anxiety can affect a teen include the following:

Social effects Anxiety can make a person feel awkward, leading to avoidance of social situations. This can result in isolation, challenges in forming and maintaining relationships with others, and it can make a teen even more vulnerable to being socially excluded or bullied, which can further amplify the anxiety.

Emotional impact Feeling anxious can lead a person to be irritable and Emotionally reactive. Everyday interactions can become sources of fear and worry, and anxiety can, slowly but surely, erode a person’s sense of self-worth and self-confidence. Over time, a person starts to feel as though they are incompetent or inadequate.

Physical effects Being anxious can make it harder to fall asleep, leading to daytime fatigue. This can affect cognitive development and the ability to solve problems, pay attention, and remember things clearly.

Not only does anxiety manifest as stomachaches, muscle tension, or headaches, but anxiety may draw a teen to experiment with substance abuse as a coping mechanism.

Academic and other effects Anxiety can impair a teen’s cognitive functioning, leading to lower grades. One instinct may be to avoid the things that trigger anxiety, which may lead to avoiding certain important tasks such as classes, tests, assignments, or social situations with peers. Test anxiety can be a significant challenge.

Anxiety can also lead to other issues like depression or eating disorders, as well as struggling with making necessary transitions, like moving between grades or from high school into college and beyond. This can hamper a teen’s chances of succeeding in academics or extracurricular activities.

How to Help Your Teen in Dealing with Anxiety

If you have anxiety, or if you have a teen in your life with anxiety, what is the best way to deal with it? Some ways to come alongside your teen include the following:

Educate yourself It’s important that you learn about anxiety, including what causes it, the symptoms of it, and the various treatment options available. Self-help methods are available, as well as help from mental health professionals. You can also work with your teen’s school for any accommodations they may need to help support them.

Open communication No one wants their life to be overrun by anxiety. You must use your words, attitudes, and actions to create an environment in which your teen feels comfortable discussing their anxiety.

Acknowledge what they’re feeling, the immensity of it, and the toll their concerns take on them. Encourage them to share their experience by asking open-ended questions.

Help with coping strategies Part of coping with anxiety includes knowing the triggers of anxiety. You can help your teen identify triggers as well by encouraging journaling or reflecting with them when they experience anxiety.

Some coping strategies include better problem-solving, self-care through a balanced diet, getting good sleep, exercise, and using relaxation and mindfulness techniques.

You can walk alongside your teen in this or support them in doing the things that reduce anxiety and stress. That could include exercising with them, making them healthy meals and snacks, taking them to their appointment with their counselor or therapist, and being a sounding board for them.

Seek professional help As you walk alongside your teen, you should seek support for yourself through support groups or therapy. Taking care of your emotional well-being positions you to take better care of your teen, and it also helps to set realistic expectations for yourself and them.

You can also consult with and encourage your teen to seek help from a professional. This is even more imperative if your teen’s anxiety is severe enough to interfere with their daily life. Part of the treatment plan will likely include therapy as well as medication to address the symptoms of anxiety. You can help your teen by supporting them in following the treatment plan and their therapist’s recommendations.

With support, your teen can overcome anxiety. Contact our office today to meet with a counselor or therapist to find out how to support your teen in dealing with their anxiety.