When your teen suffers unusual symptoms, you can struggle with understanding where these behavioural signs come from. For example, anxiety causes a collection of effects in teens that many parents do not recognize. So if you learn how to spot a teen anxiety attack, it helps you understand your loved one’s need for help.
About Teen Anxiety Attack
About one in four teens suffer at least one anxiety attack. Some experience these crippling attacks on a more frequent basis, such as weekly or daily. Teen stress occurs on a more consistent basis and often alters your young person’s mood and behaviours.
Any of these feelings and behaviours can cause problems in daily life and left untreated, only grow worse. Over time, anxiety affects school, work, earning ability, and even relationships.
There are multiple types of teen anxiety conditions. These include generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety, and anxiety attacks.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is the most frequent diagnosis for teen anxiety. Some children start experiencing these problems as early as age six. But most form GAD at about age 11.
GAD involves day-to-day worry that lasts for long periods of time. Teens with this condition suffer emotional stress and a range of other symptoms common to GAD. Low self-esteem and worry are two of the biggest signs of the disorder.
For example, symptoms of GAD include:
- Uncontrolled feelings of stress and worry
- Edginess and restlessness
- Sleep problems
- Concentration problems
- Irritability
- Muscle tension
- Fatigue
GAD responds very well to treatment. Therefore, it’s important to overcome teen anxiety attack symptoms at a professional center.
Social Anxiety Disorder
Social anxiety typically starts in teen years, with most seeing their first anxiety attack symptoms from social anxiety at about 13 years of age.
This social phobia occurs with intense fear and worry in social settings, around family or even at school. This limits your teen’s activities and life experiences. Concern over judgment by others motivates much of this anxiety, so your teen avoids being around peers or adults.
Symptoms of social anxiety include nausea, sweating, blushing, shaking, and fear of having to talk in front of others.
Overcoming Teen Anxiety Attack Symptoms
A third type of common anxiety involves reactions to external stress. Anxiety attacks happen when you encounter something or someone that stresses you. When your teen goes through one of these attacks, they suffer a wide range of symptoms.
These anxiety attack symptoms include fear, dread, shortness of breath, and racing heart. They also include cold sweats and dizziness. The good news about anxiety attack symptoms is they pass when the stressor is no longer nearby.
Helping Your Teen Overcome Anxiety Symptoms
When you recognize problems with your teen’s behaviours or believe they might suffer mental health problems, you need qualified treatment designed for teens. This teen treatment includes:
- Teen anxiety treatment
- Mental health treatment
- Individual counselling
- 30 day assessment and intervention
At Venture Academy in Ontario, British Columbia, and Alberta, your teen gets the help they need to overcome their teen anxiety attack symptoms and other mental health problems. Therefore, call Venture Academy now at 866.762.2211 for more information about available programs.
