Anxiety Disorders in Teenagers & How to Deal with It

 

Anxiety Disorders in Teenagers & How to Deal with It

According to the National Institutes of Health, nearly 1 in 3 of all adolescents aged 13 to 18 experience an anxiety disorder. These numbers have been rising steadily. Anxiety disorders cut across all demographics―suburban, urban, or rural. And all age categories.

Feeling anxious and Fear of particulars is a basic emotion of human beings. It is associated with the perception of a real threatening situation and involves the fight or flight response activated by sympathetic nervous system.

If a thug attacks you in the street, you would feel intense fear. Then you would either run to save your life or hit him back. Thus fear involves cognition of the threatening object, subjective cognition of being in danger, physiological components like increased heart rate and behavioral component like running or hitting. Now if you cannot go out of your home because you are always apprehending an attack from a hoodlum, it is anxiety. You are projecting the threatening situation in future and reacting to it is imminent.

Anxiety is indeed a common reaction to stress. It saves us from being careless and hence from accidental disasters. Unless teens have anxiety about their examination, they will not study. But anxiety turns into a disorder when you are so anxious that you have a breakdown at the examination hall, and you forget everything to write. These stats combined with the rate of hospital admissions for suicidal teenagers also doubling over the past decade leaves us with many concerning questions.

While we don't know for sure, there are a number of factors that could be contributing. In addition to genetics, brain chemistry, personality, and life events, we have to take the following into consideration:

• High expectations and pressure to succeed. Today's youth feels pressurized to succeed in many ways compared to previous generations. Today’s teen feels much more overwhelmed by all they have to do than earlier times. Kids at a very young age have been exposed to drinks and parties and peer pressure.
• A world that feels scary and threatening. Uncertainty and violation in the social environment projects fear and threat to the mind of teens as well as everyone in the society. Constant watching and reading disturbing news around the world creates feeling of negativity.
• Social media. Today's children and teens are constantly connected to social media. It is therefore not surprising that their self-esteem―and worldview ―becomes connected to responses to social media posts. It is hard for them not to compare their life and social connections to what they see others posting on social media.

Frequent Panic Attacks leads to chronic anxiety, which can lead to serious mental health problems― it can interfere with the ability to focus and learn causing school problems that can have lifelong impact. It can also lead to physical problems, such as headaches, giddiness, occasional fainting, nausea and digestive problems.

According to the anxiety and depression association of America, 80% of kids with a diagnosable anxiety disorder are not getting treatment.

What parents should Do?

• Talk with kids about potential stressors. Try to see the world the way they do—and help them to keep perspective and find ways to cope.  
• Be mindful of the expectations you set for children and teens. High expectations can help children reach their potential, but they need to be realistic ones. Not only that, remember that kids need time to relax, play, and be with friends—all of which are crucial for their mental and physical health. And it is extremely important for all of us to remember that there is more to life than achievement.
• Give lot of assurance and security to kids as well as Explain to your kids to think critically and rationally about the effect of social media on their lives.
• Regular exercise, good nutrition and sleep provide your body and brain with the right fuel and time to recharge. Follow a healthy lifestyle at home.

 

Anxiety disorders can be treated by mental health professionals. A therapist can look at the symptoms someone is dealing with, diagnose the specific anxiety disorder, and create a plan to help the person get relief.

A particular type of talk therapy called cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT) is often used. In CBT, a person learns new ways to think and act in situations that can cause anxiety, and to manage and deal with stress. Sometimes, medication is used as part of the treatment for anxiety.

Try to stay patient and positive for your kids. It can take time to feel better, and courage to face fears. But letting go of worry allows space for more happiness and fun.

 

By

Dr. Mona Shah

Occupational Therapist, Clinical Psychologist