Anxiety is prevalent in teens and can interfere with their overall health and happiness. Generalized anxiety and high-functioning anxiety can be pretty similar, although there are a few distinguishing characteristics. Recognizing the signs of anxiety in teens and knowing if your child is struggling with high-functioning anxiety can help you get the proper treatment for them. Keep reading to learn which type of anxiety your teen may be dealing with and how you can help them manage it effectively with an anxiety treatment program for adolescents.
At Venture Academy, we understand that seeing the signs of anxiety in your teen can be worrisome. Our anxiety treatment programs will teach your child the coping skills they need to overcome crippling fears that can prevent them from achieving their goals. We know that you want your child to succeed in life, and we are here to help you and your child get through anxiety together. Call us today at 866.762.2211 or contact us online to learn more about how we can help your teen overcome anxiety.
What Are the Signs of Anxiety in Teens?
Generalized anxiety and high-functioning anxiety have similar symptoms, so it is helpful to know how to recognise the signs of anxiety in teens and tell the difference between the two.
If your teen is struggling with generalized anxiety, you may notice:
- Restlessness
- Frequent worrying and nervousness
- Fearful thoughts
- Insomnia
- Shaking or trembling
- Often feeling like something terrible is going to happen
- Inability to concentrate
- Frequent complaints of headaches and stomachaches
It is normal to worry about things occasionally, like a difficult test or an upcoming school project. However, when a teen is experiencing anxiety, those worries can become all-consuming, making it difficult for them to relax and rest when needed. Obsessive fears can take over their lives and make it difficult to function.
How Can You Tell If Your Teen Has High-Functioning Anxiety?
When a person encounters something that invokes fear, the most common responses are fight, flight, or freeze. Anxiety most often results in the flight response, where a person finds a way to escape the fear-provoking situation. High-functioning anxiety is most distinguishable by how a person responds to stress or fear, which is the fight response. Instead of avoidance, they fight even harder to prevent their worst fears.
Many parents may not even realize their teen has anxiety if it falls under this category because their child may do well in school. Although their grades may excel, their anxiety about being perfect can be detrimental to their well-being.
Some signs of high-functioning anxiety in teens include:
- Obsessing over grades
- Being tough on themselves if they do not do something perfectly
- Spending an excessive amount of time on schoolwork
- Having a difficult time saying no even if they are already overcommitted
- Trying to please others
It can be challenging to distinguish between a high achiever teen and a teen with high-functioning anxiety. If you notice some of the above signs of high-functioning anxiety along with some of the signs of generalized anxiety, you may wish to talk to your teen about seeing a counsellor. Without anxiety treatment, your teen may burn themselves out or develop unhealthy coping skills like self-medication with drugs or alcohol.
Choose Venture Academy for a Top Anxiety Treatment Program for Adolescents
At Venture Academy, we understand that you want to encourage your teen to set goals for themselves and celebrate their accomplishments, but that can sometimes lead to perfectionism and high-functioning anxiety. When anxiety gets out of control and interferes with your teen’s well-being, we are here to help with our specialized anxiety treatment programs for teens. Reach out to us today online or at 866.762.2211 to learn more about how we can help your child cope with anxiety and find healthier ways to deal with everyday stressors.