Teen Anxiety: How to Overcome it Before it is Too Late?

Teen anxiety is a big deal that can affect how teenagers feel and do things every day. According to experts at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), around 31.9% of teens aged 13-18 deal with anxiety at some point. Teen years are a time of lots of changes, like school deadlines, social pressure, and other factors that stress them out.

In this blog post, we’ll talk about teen anxiety, what makes it worse, and some simple ways to handle it.

Understanding Teen Anxiety:

Teens can feel anxious in different ways, like worrying too much, having trouble focusing, feeling moody, or even feeling physical effects like tense muscles, having trouble sleeping, or even shallow breathing. They and their parents need to know these signs so they can get help when needed.

Environments of Teen Anxiety:

Many things can make anxiety worse, such as challenges in school, friends, family, and society. Teens might feel like they need to blend in and not stand out, sort of like how zebras have stripes to hide in a herd. This helps them avoid being singled out or judged, just as a zebra avoids being “picked” by a lion.

How to Overcome Teen Anxiety:

Getting over anxiety needs a few different things. Getting help from a therapist is important, but teens can also start simple yet powerful habits every day to make them feel better:

1. Relaxation: Teens can try things like deep breathing, meditation, or yoga to help their body relax.
2. Think better: Teens can learn to challenge their negative thoughts by looking at them differently.
3. Take care: Eating well, sleeping enough, and staying away from things like caffeine or alcohol can help.
4. Talk it out: Having supportive friends, family, or teachers can make a big difference.

What to Do When Anxious:

When feeling anxious, there are things they can do to feel better:

1. Breathe: Taking slow, deep breaths can calm the body and mind, count through 10 seconds: 4 to inhale, hold for 3, 4 to exhale, hold for 3, and let go.
2. Focus: Teens can try focusing on their senses or doing something repetitive to stay in the moment, this technique is also known as grounding.
3. Distract: Doing things they like, such as listening to music or walking, can help take their mind off anxious thoughts, doing this while letting go of the cause for the anxiety is 10 times more powerful than any Xanax.
4. Get help: If anxiety is affecting daily life, it’s important to talk to a therapist who can offer helpful treatments like talking therapy.

Conclusion:

Teen anxiety can be tough, but with some ways to cope and getting support from others, teens can handle it better. By understanding what makes anxiety worse, finding ways to cope, and getting help when needed, teens can overcome anxiety and feel happier. The objective is not to get rid of anxiety, remember anxiety is our friend. The end goal is to learn how to make anxiety a thriving emotion and not a coping one.