How to Help a Teen with Anxiety

For many teenagers, anxiety can be a large or small part of their daily lives. This can lead to parents wondering how they can help and what’s happening. 

The American Psychological Society defines anxiety as an emotion caused by feelings of tension, thoughts, and physical changes, such as increased blood pressure. They also note that anxiety is not the same as fear, but it can sometimes be used interchangeably.

Those suffering from anxiety may exhibit physical, mental, or emotional symptoms. Throughout this article, we will discuss some of those signs to look out for teens so you can be better equipped to help them. 

Before you can help your teen, it’s important to learn and recognize the warning signs.

Emotional and mental changes

Many teenagers suffering from anxiety will show emotional changes such as increased irritability and struggles concentrating or focusing on daily tasks. They can also be fearful that something bad is going to happen to them or a loved one. Additionally, they tend to be unable to relax.

It’s normal for teenagers to go through various changes as they enter and go throughout their teenage years. The key to this is to know your teenager and what you’re seeing is normal or out of character for them.

Physical symptoms and changes

You may also begin to notice various physical changes and symptoms when a teen is struggling with anxiety. These can include expressing that they feel nauseous or have stomachaches or headaches. They may also struggle with muscle pain, weakness, or sweat or shake more than usual. Additionally, some teenagers may not want to eat at all, or you’ll notice them stressed out. 

Academic Struggles

Teenagers may start showing worsened schoolwork performances that are noticeable on report cards or testing results. It can lead to them thinking negatively about their schoolwork and saying things such as I’m not good at this or I can’t do this.

Now that we’ve reviewed some signs and symptoms to look out for, it’s time to go over how parents can help their teens suffering from anxiety. 

Learn coping skills and triggers.

You can also help them learn what their triggers are. While they sometimes may seem obvious, it can be helpful to not only the teenager but the parent to know what those situations are. They may include schoolwork or certain people they interact with.

It will also be important for your teenager to learn coping skills that can help them manage their anxiety. These coping skills can include deep breathing, going for a walk, talking to someone they trust, or deep breathing exercises.

Help identify feelings

One of the first things parents can do is help the teenager identify their feelings. This can be done by helping them verbalize and label the emotions and physical symptoms that they may be experiencing. By doing this, you will help teenagers healthily process their emotions, and know what to look out for when future moments of anxiety may occur.

Start journaling 

Encourage your teenager to keep a journal. Many find writing down their emotions and thoughts in a journal helpful. This can be considered a safe space for those who have difficulty expressing emotions verbally. It’s important to let your teenager decide if and when they want to share. This will help them not only have trust in you but also help them feel like they’re in a safe space.

Remember, there is no one way to cope with anxiety. The most important thing as a parent is to be active and get your child help when they need it. Reach out to us for teen counseling To learn more about our services.