Anxiety in teenagers: an overview.

 A teenage anxiety problem might be hard to spot since many teenagers are exceptional at hiding their feelings and thoughts.

Picture credits: @/finnnyc on Unsplash. 

Anxiety is a normal reaction to stress, but sometimes what may seem like usual teen struggles can be a sign of a more severe anxiety disorder.

Anxiety disorders can be especially consequential for young people because their minds are still developing. If left untreated, anxiety disorders in teenagers can have long-term effects on mental health and development. All teens experience some amount of anxiety at times. Apprehension is a normal reaction to stress, and sometimes it helps teens deal with tense or overwhelming situations. Anxiety disorders vary from teenager to teenager.

Symptoms of anxiety disorders usually include excessive fears and worries, feelings of inner restlessness, and a tendency to be excessively wary and vigilant. Even in the absence of an actual threat, some teenagers describe feelings of continual nervousness, unease, or extreme stress. One may feel constantly agitated, tense, restless, very sensitive to criticism, and extremely self-conscious. He may always expect the worse to happen, avoid difficult or new situations, become isolated by avoiding social activities and have obsessive thoughts or images that can’t get out of his head.

A teenage anxiety problem might be hard to spot since many teenagers are exceptional at hiding their feelings and thoughts. They might even mask their feelings with aggressive behavior or withdrawal from family-oriented activities. There are also several different types of anxiety disorders in teenagers, and not every child will have the same symptoms.

“Honestly, I’ve had more students this year hospitalized for anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues than ever. There’s just so much going on in this day and age, the pressure to fit in, the pressure to achieve, the pressure of social media,” said Kathy Reamy, school counselor at La Plata High School in southern Maryland and chair of NEA School Counselor Caucus. 

To achieve remission, will no doubt, take time. Using relaxation methods, planning short-term activities that are enjoyable or distracting, exercise helps cope with worry and canceling nervous energy. Use structured problem solving to deal with stressors that may contribute to worry, once you have identified and challenged your thoughts, practice shifting away from the notion and use emotion regulation and mindfulness.