Anxiety disorders are one of the most common mental illnesses among children and adolescents. Anxiety can take many different forms in adolescents but regardless of the form, it can significantly interfere with teenagers' concentration, confidence, relationships and other abilities which are important to their learning and development.
Anxiety can be described as a general sense of apprehension and fear. Triggers for this fear may be school, social situations, separation from family, and many other factors. Adolescents with anxiety often describe having a general sense of "stress" that they have difficulty managing. In addition to excessive worry, other symptoms of anxiety disorders include irritability, difficulty concentrating, fatigue, difficulty sleeping, restlessness, and physical complaints. More intense forms of anxiety can include panic attacks. Panic attacks are short episodes of intense anxiety accompanied by several physical symptoms such as sweating, nausea, heart palpitations, and difficulty breathing.
For adolescents, anxiety is often accompanied by other mental illnesses. Depression symptoms often co-occur with anxiety as a result of the impairment that anxiety causes. Because anxiety has been known to cause significant interference with adolescents' academic achievement, they may experience depression when their grades fall. Depression may also arise if adolescents' anxiety keeps them from engaging in social activities due to worry about embarrassment, judgment, or rejection. In severe cases, adolescents with anxiety may develop substance abuse problems. Drugs and alcohol may be sought out as a way to cope with anxiety and manage their stress in the absence of more effective and positive coping skills.
Parents and teachers can help anxious teenagers by teaching them ways to manage their responsibilities and take care of themselves, including eating well, exercising and getting plenty of sleep. They can also give teenagers positive reassurance of their abilities and skills, increasing their self-confidence and self-esteem.
If the anxiety is severe or the impairment it causes is significant, parents should enroll their child in therapy with a professional. Treatment for anxiety includes teaching the adolescent relaxation strategies and other types of coping skills that would improve his/her ability to manage stress. Therapy can also teach adolescents how to think positively about themselves and their circumstances which would decrease their immediate anxiety and also give them tools that they can use over the long-term.
In some cases, medication may be necessary to improve anxiety symptoms until teens can learn to manage the symptoms without medication. However, treatment approaches vary depending on the nature of the anxiety and its severity.
If you or someone you know suffers from anxiety, Perspectives Counseling Centers
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