Being a teenager is a very confusing and difficult period with tons of new experiences, opportunities, and challenges. During this time, a teenager's brain is constantly trying to evolve and become stronger, and their bodies are being flooded with new hormones. Teenager’s also begin to want some independence from their parents and autonomy in their life choices. During this time is also when teens begin to notice stressors in their lives. Teenagers might begin to worry about starting highschool, their body image, exams, driving tests, public speaking, and dating. Now more than ever, teenagers have to deal with stressors like pandemics, politics, climate change, and their biggest enemy, social media.
Feeling nervous or anxious is a normal emotion like anger, or sadness, but for some teenagers and adults, anxiety doesn't really go away. Anxiety can even prevent individuals from completing everyday tasks like going to school, or talking to friends. It's important to take steps as soon as you begin to notice signs your child needs help rather than assuming your child will grow out of it. Leaving an anxiety condition undiagnosed can have very negative, long term effects on a child's thoughts, emotions and physical health.
In order to help your teenager regain control of the world around them, it's important to recognize the signs and symptoms of an anxiety disorder. Some of the most common signs to look for are:
Irritability or lashing out at others
Recurring fears and worries about routine parts of everyday life
Trouble concentrating
Extreme self-consciousness
Withdrawal from social activities/extracurriculars
Avoidance (school, social life, activities)
Constant headaches/stomach problems
Drop in grades/performance at school
Issues sleeping
Substance abuse
Recognizing and helping your child learn ways to deal with their anxieties in a healthy, safe environment can have a lasting impact on their mental health. Teenagers who go without treatment can have issues with their mental and physical health, which can interfere with their ability to function both academically, and socially.
Anxiety disorders in teenagers can take on many different forms that can limit an individual's ability to function. Common anxiety disorders among teens include:
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD): anxiety disorder that involves constant and chronic worrying, nervousness, and tension
Social Anxiety disorder: Involves intense fear of certain social situations
Panic Disorder: Causes frequent and unexpected panic attacks
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD): Characterized by uncontrollable, unwanted thoughts and ritualized, repetitive behaviors you feel compelled to perform
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Condition that can develop after a person experiences or witnesses a traumatic event
The onset of these anxiety disorders can be triggered by stressful events like, difficulties in school, stress from family situations, abrupt changes in their life, or traumatic experiences like bullying or abuse.
Helping your teen find strategies to manage their stress...
Tip #1: Respond to their anxiety with care, and kindness:
When talking to your teen, start the conversation by asking them to just express their thoughts and feelings about what they worry about. Reassure your child, show concern and understanding by telling them it's okay to feel that way, and that there is no shame in asking for help. Telling a child “not to worry” or to stop thinking about their problems is extremely unsupportive, and invalidating. When your child is being vulnerable expressing their emotions, shutting them down will only prevent them from asking you for help in the future. As well, it’s incredibly important that you as a parent use this time to try and build healthy coping skills in your teenager. Anytime goals are reached or strategies are developed, recognizing their achievement by saying “I'm so proud of how you handled that and worked through your fears”
Tip #2 Practice relaxation techniques with your teen:
One way you can teach healthy coping skills to your teen is by actively practicing relaxation techniques with them. Offering to do deep breathing, meditation, yoga, or other relaxation tips can help promote healthy active coping skills.
Tip #3 Be a good role model:
Your teenager would never admit this but they truly look to you for guidance in how to manage their emotions like stress and anxiety. Like the saying goes - children are in fact like sponges, they truly soak up everything, including their parents emotional regulation strategies. When dealing with stress or frustration, it's best to try and stay as calm as possible dealing with these problems in front of children. Teenagers' values and behaviors are heavily influenced by the way their parents speak, and what they speak about. Avoid making negative comments about your body, or your appearance, since this can lead to poor self-image in teenagers.
Tip #4 Promote healthy social media use:
Social media can have some very negative and harmful effects on teenagers. It's important to teach teens about the dangers of social media and the internet. It's important to teach them how to be safe online, how to recognize and report bullying,and how to recognize real vs. fake posts. Instead of trying to force your teen to put their phone away, encouraging your child to socialize in real life by joining activities, and creating hobbies is a better way to limit screen time.
Tip #5 Encourage good sleep and hygiene:
Anxious children often have trouble sleeping, and establishing a sleep routine. Setting a regular sleep schedule, reducing screen time before bed and avoiding caffeine are great ways to encourage better sleep. Additionally, encouraging teenagers to keep good hygiene is a great way to improve self-esteem, mood and give teens a sense of control.
Tip #6 Seek professional help:
If your child's anxiety symptoms are not improving, it can be very helpful to seek professional help. Getting a teenager the support they need during a fragile developmental stage will have positive lifelong benefits for the individual. By using therapeutic techniques and counselling, a therapist can be with your teenager and provide valuable coping skills they can rely on throughout their adult life.
To access support for your teen, contact us at info@georgetowncouplestherapy.com or 416 949 9878. We have several teen therapists on our team who are available and offer online or in person therapy.
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