Anxiety in teens is on the rise. Be it academic deadlines, peer pressure, or even fears about the future in a pandemic-ridden world, teenagers these days struggle with a lot of anxiety and feel all alone in their path. Teens with anxiety become irritable, suffer mood swings, and may even develop sleeping problems and other disorders. As a parent, you can reassure them and find healthy ways for your child to cope with anxiety. If you’re looking for resources on your teen’s anxiety, especially for treatment-resistant teens, reach out to Venture Academy at the earliest.
Depression and anxiety are the two most prevalent mental health disorders in teenagers and adults. Nevertheless, it is possible to lead a fulfilling and productive life with therapy, medication, and certain lifestyle changes. To know more about our personalized programs for teens with anxiety, call us at 866.762.2211.
3 Ways to Help Fight Anxiety in Teens
Given the state of the world, it isn’t unsurprising for teenagers to be so stressed and anxious all the time. But your teen’s anxiety can drastically reduce their quality of life. Whether your teen’s anxiety is more generalized (and chronic) or manifests itself in short bursts, like panic attacks, you can encourage them to take steps to control the symptoms. Here are three proven methods to reduce anxiety in teens.
1. Breathing and Meditation
Teens’ anxiety often results in flight-or-fight responses. They may get angry, defensive, act out, or throw tantrums. Alternatively, they may suffer a meltdown and wish to retreat from the world. Either way, they perceive the stressful situation or a “trigger” as uncontrollable and react accordingly.
This is where meditation and breathing techniques are helpful. Even when a situation cannot be changed, we can always control our reaction to it. Breathing exercises can help reduce the elevated heart rate and prevent your teenager from overreacting. Meanwhile, meditation can promote an overall sense of calm and emotional well-being.
2. Talking It Out
Teens with anxiety often feel that they are all alone in their struggles, which is so far from the truth. If your child is worried about something, encourage them to confide in you or a trusted person. When alone, we frequently “catastrophize” about a situation—jump to the worst possible outcome without trying to find sustainable situations.
By talking about their anxieties and fears with someone with a more mature outlook on life, your teenager will slowly realize that it isn’t the end of the world and that things can get better.
Moreover, you can also seek out a qualified therapist or counsellor for your teenager who can provide them with proactive advice and help them feel understood.
3. Encourage Mindfulness
Anxiety begins in the brain but makes itself felt through physical bodily symptoms. Having your teen be aware of how their body is reacting to a situation or the emotions they are feeling at a specific time can bring their anxiety under control. You can encourage your teen to practice mindfulness in the following ways:
- Keep a gratitude journal
- Take up yoga and meditation
- Follow grounding exercises
- Eat healthily and exercise regularly
- Make time for self-care
These are just a few ways of helping your teen with anxiety. Reach out to us at Venture Academy for more valuable resources and tools for your teen.
Get Help and Support for Teens with Anxiety at Venture Academy
At Venture Academy, we help resolve behavioural issues in troubled teens, guiding them to unlock their full potential. At our three treatment centres across Canada, we provide a variety of programs designed to help teenagers fight anxiety and co-occurring mental disorders to get their lives back on track. Since all teenagers’ circumstances and needs are unique, our team performs a 30-day assessment and intervention. Following that, we develop a personalized treatment program that may last for as long as six months if need be.
Teens’ anxiety is very serious, which can lead to other behavioural issues if left unchecked. Contact us at 866.762.2211 and schedule an appointment today.
