Teen anxiety is on the rise, but many parents are unsure how to tell if their child is struggling. Anxiety can manifest in many different ways, from physical symptoms like headaches and stomachaches to behavioral changes like irritability and social withdrawal. Here’s some common symptoms of anxiety.
- Feelings of unease: Anxiety can cause extreme nervousness or worries about everyday situations, even when the worries are out of proportion to the reality. It’s normal to worry about major life events, but these worries should be temporary. With anxiety, these worries are often more intrusive and can make it difficult to complete everyday tasks.
- Constant restlessness: Anxiety can cause extreme nervousness or worries about everyday situations, even though these may be out of proportion to reality. One may also feel constantly restless, with a tense body and a sense of impending danger or panic, even though there is no real danger. If these feelings are consistent, it could be a sign of anxiety.
- Physiological signs: When you have anxiety, your sympathetic nervous system goes into overdrive. This causes a number of physical symptoms, or physiological signs, as your body prepares to fight or flee.One common symptom is an elevated heart rate. You may feel your pulse racing, even though there is no obvious reason for it. Your breathing may also become faster and shallower. You may also experience sweaty palms, clamminess, trembling hands, or restless legs. With prolonged anxiety, it is common to experience gastrointestinal problems or stomach pains. You may also suffer from chronic headaches or backaches. It is helpful to keep track of any symptoms you are experiencing and what you are doing when they occur.
- Difficulty Concentrating: If one is anxious, one’s working memory and short-term memory are impaired. This can lead to reduced performance on tasks.
- Irritability: Experts have found that irritability is a common symptom of anxiety, as the body is in “fight or flight” mode. This makes one more likely to be on edge and easily irritated.
- Sleep Disruptions: Sleep disturbances can be a sign of anxiety or can cause anxiety. If one has trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, especially if one has a racing mind or worries about unimportant things at bedtime, it may be a sign of anxiety. Anxiety can also cause one to wake up frequently in the middle of the night and have difficulty falling back asleep. Once awake, one’s mind may start to race again.
- Avoidance: Social anxiety is a common condition, affecting about 5-10% of the population. It is characterized by fear or discomfort in social situations, a preoccupation with being judged by others, and a fear of being humiliated in front of others. These feelings can be so intense that they interfere with daily life and lead to people avoiding social situations altogether. Social anxiety typically develops in adolescence and can persist into adulthood. People with social anxiety may appear calm on the outside, but they are often riddled with fear and anxiety on the inside.
If you are concerned that your teen may have anxiety, it is important to talk to them about it. Let them know that you are there for them and that you want to help. You can also encourage them to talk to a trusted adult, such as a teacher, counselor, or coach.
There are many effective treatments for anxiety, so it is important to seek professional help if your teen is struggling. With the right support, your teen can learn to manage their anxiety and live a happy and fulfilling life.
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