For those who are teenagers, anxiety is a common and unavoidable emotion. With rapid brain and body development, increased academic and social pressures, and increased responsibility at home, teens have a full plate of emotions to deal with on a daily basis. While many teenagers learn to deal with the anxiety of everyday life, there are many others who struggle to cope with their anxiety. Their anxiety completely takes over their lives, and they avoid school, friends, and family.
This article will show how common anxiety is in teens as well as the causes of anxiety. Most importantly, you will learn where to find teen anxiety treatment. Call Teen Thrive Treatment today if your son or daughter is fighting an anxiety disorder. We provide top-tier mental health services for teens in California, featuring evidence-based anxiety treatment programs that are personalized for your teen’s specific needs.
You may be surprised to find that teen anxiety is common. Data provided by the NIH states that 31.9% of teenagers aged 13-18 had been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. Of all adolescents with an anxiety disorder, 8.3% were diagnosed as having severe impairment. The NIH data also shows that the prevalence of anxiety disorder was higher for females than males. Alarmingly, teen anxiety is on the rise. A recent study from the University of Calgary shows that depression and anxiety in teens and young people have doubled in the last couple of years. This dramatic increase is primarily due to the stresses of COVID-19.
When discussing what causes anxiety in teens, we need to look at how it can develop from the pre-teen to the teen years. For children and pre-teens, the focus of anxiety is external. External anxiety may manifest as being anxious to go to new places or be without their parents. When children age and become teenagers, the focus on anxiety turns inward and on themselves. Teenagers can become anxious about their school or sport performance, and they become more focused on what their peers think of them.
For teens who experience anxiety, they may have been dealing with their condition for years. In many cases, parents may believe their child’s anxiety is a quirky personality and not realize how much of a disruptive force it plays in their lives. This does not mean these parents of negligent, but rather just shows a gap in the understanding of the effects of impacts of teen anxiety.
In other cases, parents sought treatment to help their child overcome anxiety at a young age successfully. However, the increase in stress and pressure brought on in the teen years brings this anxiety back to the surface. During the adolescent years, anxiety can blossom into anxiety disorders such as social anxiety and phobias.
There are a multitude of causes of anxiety in teens. An obvious reason for what causes anxiety in teens is a family history of anxiety. If a parent suffers from anxiety, their children can mirror that behavior and becomes normal. Another cause of teenage anxiety is trauma which can include physical abuse, sexual abuse, bullying, or experiencing a death of a friend or family member. As discussed earlier, teens can develop anxiety due to high expectations and the pressures to succeed in school and other activities.
Social media is often a major cause of anxiety in teens. For many teens, their self-worth and esteem are tied to social media. When teens see what their peers and others are posting on social media, they may look at their lives and feel inadequate. Additionally, an increasingly uncertain and scary world is what causes anxiety in teens. With school shootings, drills, and terrorist attacks, teens can feel less secure and may feel they need to watch over their shoulders.
If your teen’s anxiety has taken over their life, it becomes crucial that you find professional help found at a teen anxiety treatment center. These facilities provide specialized programming that focuses on the unique needs of teenagers. Also, these facilities feature an experienced staff with years of proven experience in working with teenagers. Teen anxiety programs feature evidence-based treatment services such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), family therapy, medication management, and other programs. If you are searching for a Los Angeles anxiety treatment center for teens, Teen Thrive Treatment is your first choice. Our teen anxiety treatment programs are extensively tested and proven to work. Our comprehensive mental treatment services give your teen and family the tools you need to address anxiety in a healthy manner. Call Teen Thrive Treatment today and help your son or daughter regain their health and happiness.
