Parenting My Teen

Anxiety is a normal part of life for most people; however some teens experience a higher level of anxiety than normal.

What is Anxiety?

Anxiety can be described in a couple of different ways:

1. An overwhelming feeling of distress or restlessness, with no hope in sight, and nothing feels right.
2. Everyday occurrences cause one to worry and have “worst case scenario” thoughts on an ongoing basis.

Anxiety in Teens

Because teenagers are going through one of the most difficult times of their lives (hormones are raging, they’re trying to gain some independence, they feel awkward or feel like they don’t fit in, etc.) many teens experience higher levels of anxiety than adults or other teens. Some teens may even experience anxiety over a broken nail, an unexpected low grade on a test, or other seemingly trivial things.

Some anxiety is normal; it serves as a warning sign to protect yourself when you’re in danger. However, high levels of anxiety can cause problems and an unhealthy fear of everyday occurrences. Some people with high levels often experience worst-case-scenario thoughts. For instance, my husband has dealt with higher levels of anxiety throughout his life and some situations cause him to imagine the worst case scenario before the situation has even played out. Therefore, he gets anxious and worried without cause because 99.99% of the time the situation is not as bad as he imagined it could be. As he’s gotten older, he’s learned to get his thoughts under control and not allow his mind to go into “worst case scenario” mode, which helps to keep his anxiety level down. I’ve learned to recognize the signs when his mind is going to worst case scenario, so I give him a gentle reminder not to go there, which helps to keep his anxiety levels under control.

You can do the same thing with your teen. When you begin to see your teen start to worry and become anxious, talk to them about what they’re feeling, what their thought process are, what they think is going to happen. Often talking it through on a reasonable level will help them to bring their anxiety level down and to see things more clearly.

Some signs to watch for in your teen are listed in my previous post. If you see any of these signs, it’s important to take action immediately. The sooner your teen gets help dealing with their anxiety, the sooner they can be on the road to a normal life, without those overwhelming feelings of hopelessness.

Honest Parenting can also help you to communicate and relate to your teen in a way they will understand. Click on the link and start building a great relationship with your teen today.