Navigating the Storm: Helping your Teen Cope with Anxiety
Watching your teen struggle with anxiety can be heartbreaking. As a parent, you want to provide support and guidance, but it's important to understand how to effectively help them. Here's a guide to supporting your teen through their anxiety.
Understanding Your Teen's Anxiety
Recognize the signs:
Emotional symptoms: Excessive worry, fear, or irritability; difficulty concentrating; trouble sleeping; feeling overwhelmed or hopeless.
Physical symptoms: Rapid heartbeat, sweating, trembling, shortness of breath, dizziness, or nausea.
Behavioral symptoms: Avoiding social situations, excessive checking behaviors, excessive handwashing, or substance abuse.
Changes in eating habits: Loss of appetite or overeating.
Open communication: Encourage your teen to talk about their feelings and concerns. Create a safe and supportive environment where they feel comfortable sharing.
Seek professional help: If your teen's anxiety is significantly impacting their daily life, consider consulting with a mental health professional. At The Nourished Mind Counseling, our clinicians are trained in supporting teens with their anxiety.
Strategies for Supporting Your Teen
Validate their feelings: Let your teen know that their feelings are valid and that you're there to listen. Validation is not agreeing with the anxiety, rather that putting yourself in your teens shoes and telling them that their feelings are valid. Instead of saying "you don't need to worry about that!", say "I understand why this would make you worry because it is important to you..."
Encourage healthy habits: Promote a balanced diet, regular exercise, and sufficient sleep. These can help manage stress and improve overall well-being. Pro Tip: Be sure you are managing your own stressors in your own life as well. As parents, we lead by example.
Teach relaxation techniques: Introduce your teen to mindfulness, meditation, or deep breathing exercises. Maybe incorporate doing some of these together.
Help them challenge negative thoughts: Encourage your teen to identify and challenge negative thought patterns. Dig deeper into the root causes of these thoughts and work on helping them identify the fear or emotion.
Provide a supportive environment: Create a calm and supportive home environment. Use quality time to discuss stressors and provide support.
Connect with other parents: Join support groups or online forums to connect with other parents who understand what you're going through.
Remember, you're not alone. Many parents face similar challenges when supporting their teens with anxiety. Each teen's experience with anxiety is unique. Be patient, supportive, and understanding.
By working together, you can help your teen develop healthy coping skills and navigate their anxiety journey.
If your teen is needing support, our clinicians can help. We offer individual and family therapy. Call or text 210-816-1366 to schedule an appointment with one of our licensed therapists.
