Teens & Anxiety

Peanut butter and jelly, chicken and waffles, swimsuits and water, or cats and strings... some things naturally complement each other. Unfortunately, teens and anxiety are increasingly becoming one of these pairs, a trend we would prefer not to see.

Nearly 1/3 of teens are estimated to deal with anxiety.

According the the World Health Organization (WHO), 1 in 7 teens will experience a mental health disorder. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, 31.9% of teens are estimated to have anxiety and the prevalence of any anxiety disorder was higher for females (38.0%) than for males (26.1%).2

Causes

Genetic Dispositions

According to a 2024 study by Anderson, Valiauga, Tallo et al., for some it may be a genetic predisposition and environmental factors of anxiety disorders being present. If we think about how unique each family behaves, thinks, reacts, etc. along with where they tend to live, generational traits, emotional patterns, and belief systems can drive the continuation of anxiety symptoms.

Social Media & Technology

Many of us naturally blame anxiety on social media, especially when noting from a 2023 Pew Research Center survey showing 95% of teens ages 13–17 have smartphones and 96% are on online daily.3

Our discernment for the reasoning behind the increase of anxiety over the last couple of decades is given even more support by a study from Shannon et al. (2002). This study discussed the addictive potential of social media, characterized by compulsive use and the demand of online interactions in teens' personal and educational lives, as being linked to detrimental mental health outcomes.

Identity Confusion

From my personal experiences and that of even more experienced counselors and psychologists, natural childhood development during adolescents involves a time of understanding who we are and who we want to be. Thus, anxiety on a small scale has been experienced by most over the years of human experiences.

However, when you add in the factors of social issues (racism, socioeconomic status, current gender mindsets, cultural values, etc.), environmental issues (pollution, lack of food/supplies, violence, etc.), social media and internet sites, and the array of nuclear family belief systems, trying to figure who you are becomes even more complicated.

Put yourself in their shoes and their time in history: you are looking for an outfit for the first day of middle school. When you look on Pintrest, Instagram, TikTok, and other social sites, you see an array of urban, vintage, athletic, and all the likes. As a teen, you are trying to find people who look like you, but they're dressed in most or all the styles. After watching the videos, seeing the likes, reading the comments, how would you pick the outfit? How much of a struggle could it cause in how you see yourself? Do you notice how most teens find it normal to be "seen" online?

Other Usual Suspects

Teens have historically faced anxiety due to parental styles and values. While parenting styles differ—authoritative, authoritarian, permissive, and neglectful—a balanced approach is ideal. Every nuclear family has a set of values, which can range from education, charity, love, creativeness, adventure, freedom, faith, etc. If a family values high performance, then every person in that family may be expected to succeed. On the other hand, a family who values experiences, may not understand or support a teens personal pressure to win a national award. Parents' own worries and past experiences often lead to added pressure on teens, with high expectations for academic or extracurricular success, sometimes resulting in drastic ultimatums.

Another factor that impact anxiety in teens political and environmental uncertainty. From President Trump sending ICE in the U.S. to various places and other immigration laws going into affect to local authorities targeting certain demographics, teens are unsure of their current safety and future.

There is more than just traditional factors that are contributing to the increase of anxiety in our youths.

As expected, over time academic success or the number of degrees or certifications one has, has increased due to the competitive job market. Many teens today are choosing alternative careers, such as, an online streamer, music artists, alternative investor outside of traditional stocks and bonds, and more. However, there are still a fair number of teens who feel the pressure to succeed academically due to pressures at school, family, and even self. This "pressure" may be exacerbated by political and financial factors, too.

Teens often engage in extracurricular activities like music, theater, coding, sports, and art. These activities come with the pressure of participation and performance. Teens may worry about meeting expectations, such as having the right attire for orchestra or practicing jujitsu moves. While manageable anxiety can be beneficial, additional pressures from academics, family dynamics, social media, coaches, teammates, health issues, and environmental factors can burden teens.

Are There Any Solutions?

To understand anxiety, one could read the DSM-V or use Ai to answer some questions, but the most complex question to answer is "Are there any solutions?" Yes, teens have the ability to heal from anxiety or to at least manage it well.

To make it simple, one has to, first, understand the unique human experiences that we all have, along with our belief systems, values, negative experiences, genetic predispositions, personalities, characteristics, mindsets, likes and dislikes, mental capacity or intelligence, and personal influences. Have you ever actually allowed yourself to feel the worries? Have you every tried to not care? How has your personal experiences affected your fear factors? This takes self-exploration.

Secondly, one has to consider the fact that the solution is not usually tucked neatly and boxed into one grounding technique or breathing exercises. Instead, there is a need for a trial-and-error mindset that is open to various avenues of techniques that may work for one season, then not for the next two years, suddenly coming back into play as a part of a new set of coping skills, cognitive restructuring, and value systems. Be open-minded.

Next, self-education (or with a professional) into learning about emotional regulation and the nervous system will be very important. With wisdom we can have a better understanding of the human body and apply our knowledge of self in order to try various strategies for healing. When we know what is happening on the inside, we are not so surprised by the somatic and emotional symptoms that accompany most anxiety disorders. Become a wise mind.

And what I have found to be the most important factor is a person's foundation of truth. A foundation of truth is a belief system of ethics, morals, and values that drive how we think, act, how we see our life, and move in our life. For example, if a person is of the Muslim faith, then, depending upon their environment or locale, they may have certain truths that they gather from the Quoran on how to navigate life and view Allah. Another example is a Christian teen, who only attended church because they had to, but instead trying to develop an understanding and relationship with the God of their Bible. Where do you get your foundational truth? Is your truth serving you well?

Anxiety is Good

Contrary to most of the information in this blog post, worry and anxiety can be useful! It drives us to be on time, to avoid danger, to be more conscious of details, to improve on learning or study habits, and more. Whether its good or not, one thing to know is that worry and anxiety is normal and experienced by all.

When we begin to feel anxiety nearly all the time or soon after a traumatic experience, , along with the bodily (somatic) responses, such as shaking or retardation, then the normal level of anxiety can become GAD or other related diagnosis.

If you believe you may have an anxiety disorder, see a mental health professional for a diagnosis. Once confirmed, seek a professional that will help you to learn the skills needed to navigage and regulate your thoughts, actions, and emotions. Find and practice coping skills, until you have developed the ones that serve you well. And most importantly, take care of yourself. Self-love and self-care will be your best friends to defeating anxiety's grip on your life.