Anxiety in Teenagers

According to the National Institute of Health, nearly 1 in 3 adolescents ages 13-18 are struggling with anxiety today. As a parent of a teenager I have seen more anxiety enter our home and impact my child more than I would like to admit and many times have felt at a loss to know how to support my own child.  

What does anxiety look like?

The impact of anxiety on a teen can look different from person to person and just because your teenager may not experience anxiety like you do, doesn’t mean they aren’t experiencing it. Below are some warning signs that your teen may be struggling with anxiety.

1. Shutting down- Oftentimes a change in “normal” behavior can be a sign of anxiety. This may look like spending hours alone in their room or disengaging from family connection or conversation. It may also look like disconnecting from friends and things they love in their life.
2. Procrastination- If you have a kid who struggles with major procrastination in regards to school or social situations or commitments, anxiety is often at the root of the problem. Maybe school feels too hard or they worry they will not be successful, so they procrastinate. Teens often worry about what others will think of them, so rather than following through with their commitments they just freeze and fall further behind.
3. Big Emotions- Anxiety can also trigger big emotions in kids, whether is yelling, fighting back, lots of tears, or extreme sadness. So many times, the behavior of our children is trying to tell us something, and many times it’s that they don’t have the tools to handle the situation they are facing. They don’t know how to deal with their anxiety and emotions, they need help figuring it out!

What Can you do?

One of the best things you can do for a teenager struggling with anxiety is to simply validate what they are feeling. Help them to understand what anxiety looks like in themselves and then give them a few tools to help them begin to manage their anxiety. Encourage them to use grounding techniques when they feel the anxiety start to come on (engage their 5 senses). Encourage them to move their bodies, have a good cry, or a deep belly laugh to release some of the tension in their bodies. Have conversations around what triggers their anxiety and brainstorm ways that they can calm themselves down the next time they feel anxiety starting to take over.

Most of all just be there. Acknowledge the anxiety and let them know they are not alone! We work with kids and adults who struggle with anxiety. Schedule a free consolation today to learn how Brain Breakthrough Therapy can help ease anxiety in a matter of days!