Adolescence can be a difficult time for many, and anxious feelings and worries are common. Many teens have busy schedules, packed with extracurricular activities on top of hours of homework, social pressure, and family stress. Teen anxiety is at an all-time high.
Some teens feel stress much more deeply and become overwhelmed by stressful situations. Even thinking about the pressure can cause great distress.
Signs To Watch Out For
When worries become overwhelming, some teens can have a hard time completing daily tasks and maintaining their busy schedules. Sometimes, teenagers may not even be aware of how much the stress is affecting them. The following are some possible signs that an adolescent may be experiencing anxiety:
- Changes in sleeping habits
- Physical symptoms (stomach aches, headaches, and other “illnesses”)
- Avoidance of school and other activities
- Irritability
- Changes in eating habits
- Withdrawal or isolation
Strategies That Help
There are a number of stress relief strategies that can help teenagers with their symptoms of anxiety. Finding a therapist who specializes in teen anxiety is important for adolescents who are feeling stuck. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, as well as talk therapy, can be very helpful techniques for treating teen anxiety. For some forms of anxiety, like social anxiety, the most helpful treatment is often repeated exposure to the anxiety-causing situations.
Biofeedback, meditation, and other types of stress relief techniques can also be effective in reducing teen anxiety. A few techniques that can help are:
Psychoeducation
It is important to teach teens about how anxiety works and our body’s fight-or-flight response. Once adolescents can understand the course of anxiety, they can start to work on reducing it.
Learn the Signs & Symptoms
It is helpful to recognize the physical symptoms that accompany teen anxiety—these are clues that anxiety is starting. For instance, one teenager might have sweaty palms when anxiety begins. Understanding that “when my palms get sweaty, it means I am feeling anxious” can be an important step in slowing down the process.
Identify Helpful Activities
Find activities that teens can engage in once anxiety begins. For instance, listening to music, exercising, cooking, or drawing can be helpful.
Breathing exercises can also be very effective for managing anxious feelings in the moment. Try “4 square breathing”: breathe in for 4 counts, hold for 4 counts, and breathe out for 4 counts. Doing this for 3–5 minutes can help the body start to relax. Using imagery of a calm, relaxing place can also be helpful during stressful times.
Normalize the Fear
Often, teen anxiety escalates when they think, “I shouldn’t feel anxious about this.” This self-criticism can make things worse. Normalizing fear as something many people experience and framing it as understandable can help teenagers feel supported.
Reduce Negative Self-Talk
Identify the negative and critical thoughts teens have about themselves. When they are aware of their negative self-talk, they can begin to challenge misinterpretations. For instance, a teenager worried about a test they “failed” might catastrophize. Encouraging them to reevaluate and recognize that a few wrong answers do not mean failure can reduce their anxiety.
Imagine Their Best Self
Envisioning a more confident and relaxed version of themselves can help teens visualize how they want to feel. They can practice imagining what it would look like and how they would feel to be confident and relaxed.
Use Mindfulness
Mindfulness focuses on being aware and present in the moment. Teens can use mindfulness practices to slow down and reduce self-criticism. Often, adolescents judge their thoughts harshly, thinking, “I shouldn’t think like that” or “I shouldn’t feel this way.” Mindfulness encourages them to observe their thoughts without attaching judgment.
Read more about Teen Therapy and contact DC Metro Sleep and Psychotherapy today.
