How Does Anxiety Affect Teens?

Teen Anxiety has been skyrocketing, and with hormones and social challenges involved, it’s even more acute, for teen and their parents.

The National Institute of Mental Health notes that by age 18, millions of American teens will have been diagnosed with anxiety disorder. Today over 30% of adolescents have anxiety disorder, of which 8% are severe cases, and always higher for females.

What Is Causing Teen Anxiety?

Experts often site social media among the most blatant causes. They blame the constant comparison with others that is rampant on social media; also, the amount of time teens spend on their devices, as they respond to the blips and clicks that keep them swiping and scrolling overstimulates the nervous system, .

Teens tend to use this as a way to calm and dull their feelings, to re-route their feelings, in hopes of suppressing upsetting thoughts and emotions. The paradox is that this only serves to increase the anxiety.

How Are Teens Trapped by Anxiety?

The Teens are trapped in a cycle of anxious thoughts. They use their digital devices to try to calm themselves, numbing their emotions, by constantly scrolling through their digital devices or playing at video games. Then they have trouble sleeping. Then the sleep deprivation exacerbates the Teen’s anxiety… and on and on it goes.

Another aspect that doesn’t help Teens is helicoptor parenting or – on the other hand – parent neglect. For example, the parents don’t pay attention to the Teen – or – allow the Teen too many accomodations for his/her anxiety, such as letting the Teen stay home from school, be inattentive in school, and isolate from social contacts. None of these help the Teen’s anxiety.

Symptoms of Anxiety in Teens

In my blog on Treating Anxiety in Children, I touched on the main categories of anxiety: Generalized and Social Anxiety. These also apply to Teens, but their symptoms are much more acute.

• Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is common and is typically a more intense, irrational, and out-of-control anxiety. The Teen is often concerned with self-image (self-critical), safety (including family members), and a bleak future. It is difficult for them to concentrate.
• Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is the most common of anxiety disorders. When Teens experience extreme fear and unease in social situations, they cannot act or function. They often isolate themselves, or stick with one or two friends; they avoid joining any clubs or activities; and their school grades decline. Severe cases demonstrate a spectrum from deep blushing to shaking (hand tremors), heart pounding, sweating, and sometimes, even nausea. Such Teens often see drug and alcohol use as a way of dulling their pain. The alarm is that, next, depression and suicidal feelings can manifest more easily.

Other categories of Anxiety 

Other categories of Anxiety add to the Teen statistics, including:

• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD),
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD),
• Panic Disorder
• Separation Anxiety

This paints a very dark picture. Depressing in itself.

Let’s shine a Light here.

Finding Relief for Teen Anxiety

Treatment Alternatives for Teen Anxiety

There is medical treatment for anxiety disorders, but because Teens’ brains are still developing, it is best to avoid medications whenever possible.

Begin treatment alternatives by trying safer, non-medical techniques. Psychology Today lays out a plan for parents and teens that will be further explored in next week’s blog.

Perhaps the most challenging part is getting started.

• Determining the Cause of Teen Anxiety

As in most health disruptions, it is important to admit that there is, indeed a problem. Parents can help and support their Teen to confront his/her behaviors and look for the real cause of his/her discomfort. From there, together, they can make a plan to find relief.

• Facing Discomfort in Anxiety

Experts agree that the most effective plan is to gradually help the Teens face their discomfort.

It will require changes for both parent and teen. Change is inherently uncomfortable. With that as a given, it is important for both parties to be ready to accept the changes – and take them one step at a time.

• Example: Limiting Social Media for Teens with Anxiety

For example, scrolling social media and addictive sites like Tok-Took and YouTube, is already known to be detrimental for anxious Teens, by overstimulating the nervous system, and presenting unhelpful comparisons.

 The parent and Teen will need to make a plan to limit where, when, and how much time your Teen spends on a digital screen; also, which sites are acceptable. Parents need to remember, the digital device does not belong to the teen. It is important to take charge here.

      Resource and Plan for Teen Anxiety

Dr. Victoria L. Dunkley has one of the most comprehensive plans to get your Teen back into life, in her book Reset Your Child’s Brain. It is a 4 week plan to boost social skills by reversing the effects of digital screen time. (Her plan also ends moody meltdowns and raises school grades.)

• Parents’ Helping Anxious Teens

All of this can be challenging, but it is worth every step. Parents who are prepared can help their teens best by NOT:

• accommodating their anxieties,
• turning a blind eye – to avoid upsetting their Teen’s feelings,
• glossing over the real cause for the Teen’s anxiety

Teens Taking Control of their Anxiety

As I discussed in my blog Turning Your Light On Anxiety, Teens will reap a meaningful benefit in positively looking at the root cause for their anxiety. Once they identify it, they can turn it on its head, and see that the anxiety is showing what they truly care about. Their relief plan is all about motivating them to go after what they really want.

Next week’s blog shows parents and teens the alternative steps to find relief for the anxiety in body, mind, heart and soul… with your…

LIGHT ON!