How to Help Teenagers Cope with Anxiety

Many Teenagers suffer from crippling Anxiety.  And many Parents Forget Just How Hard it is To Be A Teenager

Being a teenager is awkward, embarrassing and is generally a tough and shitty time to live through. Navigating school, friends, bullies, body changes and establishing their own identities is a lot to go through, especially with hormones racing through their bodies.

If your teenager has anxiety on top of everything else, this can spiral out of control. 

Here are some ways you can help your teenager through this time – and still be friends at the end.

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Table of Contents:

1. Encourage Your Teenagers to Talk

2. Spotting Anxiety in Teenagers

3. Most Common Causes of Anxiety in Teenagers

4. There’s a World Outside Your Bedroom Door

5. Water is a Great Way to De-Stress

6. What Your Teenager Can Do to Help

7. Therapy is Not a Dirty Word

8. Medication for Anxiety is Also Not a Dirty Word

9. What does the Mental Health Plan Give You?

10. Types of Anxiety Commonly Suffered by Teenagers

11. The Good News about Anxiety in Teenagers

1. Encourage Your Teen to Talk to You

If your teenager is willing, encourage them to talk.  About absolutely anything.  All you need to do is listen to them – and give them a cuddle.  You want your child to be able to come with you for anything without judgement.

In fact, yelling or telling your teenager off when they talk to you is a good way for your teenager to start keeping secrets from you.

Find a nice quiet place in the house or yard where the two of you can talk in private.  Even if you can’t help them with their problems, just getting it off their chest can make a huge difference.

Hints:

• The car is a GREAT place to get teenagers to talk – they can’t leave! And if they won’t talk in the car, they can listen!
• Stop yelling or getting mad at your teenager – it doesn’t help. Stop and listen.

2. Spotting Anxiety in Teenagers

Teenagers are very good at hiding their feelings.  So you may not automatically realise that your teen is suffering from anxiety. Anxiety is very real and very debilitating.  And if you can get in and treat it early, it will save both your teenager and your family from loads of heartache.

Some indicators your teenager might be suffering from Anxiety include:

• They become withdrawn and avoid any social interaction or activities
• Become very self-criticising.  “I’m ugly”, or “I’m not good enough”.
• They always expect the worst will happen in any situation
• Spend most of their time locked in their room in front of a screen
• Their grades deteriorate
• They have trouble sleeping
• Panic Attacks
• Irritability

3. Most Common Causes of Anxiety in Teenagers

All of us are anxious at some time in our lives.  And teenagers will naturally be anxious during times of exams or during relationship breakdowns when everything is so new.  But the most common causes of anxiety include:

• School Grades and Expectations to Do Well
• Hormones
• Lack of exercise and proper diet
• Immature brain development (particularly in boys)
• Failing to meet parental expectations
• Peer pressure
• Depression
• Drug Use
• Alcohol Consumption

4. There’s a world outside your bedroom door

Getting your teenager exercising regularly, eating well and spending time with friends and family can really help with minor anxiety.  See if you can book them into team sport or an activity that they really enjoy,  If your teenager is having problems at school, team sports that are outside the school where they can meet other people their own age that they don’t associate with day to day at school can encourage new friendships and something to look forward to during the school week.

Perhaps look at your teenager getting a part-time job so they get to associate with other people they don’t go to school with.

Limit screen time where kids can be bullied online in the ‘safety’ of their own bedroom.

5. Water is a Great Way to De-Stress

No matter how old your child is – babies through to adults – water is a universal de-stressor.  Run them a bath, take them swimming, do some water aerobics, go to the beach – but get in the water.

It really does help with anxiety.

6. What Your Teenager Can Do To Help

There is plenty your teen can do to ease the symptoms of anxiety.  They can reduce the amount of stress in their life by downloading an app on mindfulness or doing regular meditation or relaxation exercises.

There are great online forums to check out such as:

• ReachOut
• BRAVE self-help program
• Youth Beyond Blue
• Head Space

7. Therapy is NOT a Dirty Word

If you feel like your teenager’s problems are getting out of hand, or out of your depth – seek counselling.  Therapy is fantastic – for both your teen dealing with anxiety – and you as a parent dealing with teenagers with anxiety.

In fact, even if your child ISN’T dealing with anxiety and won’t talk – therapy is great.

Find a therapist that specialises in teenagers and anxiety.

But first – you need to make an appointment with your GP.

Your General Practitioner to get both the health of your teenager checked (to ensure there isn’t anything medically wrong), and organise a Mental Health Care Plan that can help out with the costs associated with therapy. The Mental Health Care Plan identifies what sort of care your teenager needs, and plans it out to achieve the desired outcome.

Hints:  When seeking a Mental Health Care Plan from your GP, book a long appointment.  The plan can take a bit of time to complete.

Therapists use cognitive behaviour therapy or counselling to address anxiety issues.  They can also prescribe antidepressants if needed.

There is even online therapy now which is great because your teenager doesn’t even have to leave home to talk to a dedicated therapist. Some online counselling services include:

• Online-Therapy.com
• Talkspace has a specific program for teenagers.
• Better Help

8. Medication for Anxiety is Also Not a Dirty Word

As a parent of a child on the Autism Spectrum, nothing makes me wilder to hear ‘I’m not going to medicate my child’.  But if your child is sick, wouldn’t you be the first to give them medicine?

Antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications are fantastic tools to use when your child has more than a mild case of anxiety.  In fact, medications can save their lives when their anxiety spirals out of control.  Sure, do your homework – but these drugs are incredible at what they do.

9. What Does the Mental Health Care Plan Give You?

The Mental Health Care Plan gives you a Medicare rebate for up to 10 appointments with a mental health service within a year.   Once you have attended six appointments, you will need to go back to your GP for a review and another referral.

Mental Heal Services include:

• Psychiatrists
• Psychologists
• Counselling
• Access to Social Workers

The Mental Health Care Plan won’t cover the entire cost of the appointments but they will certainly assist.  If your teenager requires medication, your GP will worth with a Psychologist or Psychiatrist who can work out the right medication for your teenager.

Read more information here >

10. Types of Anxiety Problems Most Commonly Suffered by Teenagers

People of any age can suffer from an anxiety disorder.  It isn’t just limited to teenagers.  And they can recover from them with time and treatment.  The most common anxiety disorders include:

• Generalised Anxiety Disorder
• Social Phobia
• Separation Anxiety Disorder
• Panic Disorder
• Agoraphobia

11. The Good News About Anxiety in Teenagers

Anxiety in teenagers is common and can be treated.  The trick is to get help early and to keep the lines of communication open.  Therapies often offer long-term strategies for teens to soothe anxiety and deal with issues before they blow up into something they can’t handle.

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If you become concerned about any symptoms, please seek immediate medical attention we have some hotlines and suggested websites for further information and advice https://www.stayathomemum.com.au/my-kids/babies/important-hotlines-websites/

SAHM takes no responsibility for any illness, injury or death caused by misuse of this information. All information provided is correct at time of publication.