How to Navigate Anxiety for Teens and Young Adults
- Sabrina McCrear
- Dec 13, 2024
- 5 min read
Updated: Apr 22
Anxiety among teens, adolescents and young adults are on the rise, but there are ways to help manage and treat it.
Having anxiety isn’t something to fear. Millions of teens and young adults across the U.S. suffer from or have an anxiety disorder.
“It's like a feeling of never being empty, like there's always something you could be doing – just having an overwhelming sense of worry literally all the time,” says Ja-Ni Brumfield, 17, a student at Howard University. “It's almost crippling sometimes because you can't function or relax.”
Anxiety in teens, adolescents and young adults nearly doubled during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the National Institute of Health, 20% of youth reported experiencing heightened symptoms of anxiety. The duration of the global lockdown kept people isolated and disconnected from their communities, activities and friends taking a significant toll on our youth.
Furthermore, 1 in 3 high school students and half of the female students reported persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, an overall increase of 40% from 2009, according to a 2021 advisory report by the U.S. Surgeon General titled “Protecting Youth Mental Health.”
It’s important to remember that you are not alone and that there are several ways to help treat anxiety or anxious feelings.
Key Takeaways
Anxiety in teens, adolescents and young adults is a common condition that affects nearly 20% of the youth population, nearly doubling during the COVID-19 pandemic.
There are several types of anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder and phobia-related disorders.
Symptoms of anxiety in teens can present in a variety of physical ways, including changes in sleep patterns, difficulty concentrating and changes in appetite.
Medications, therapy and lifestyle habits – such as exercise, meditation and a healthy diet – can help teens manage and treat their anxiety.
What Is Anxiety in Teens?
Anxiety is often characterized by temporary feelings of fear, dread or uneasiness. In more extreme cases, people can develop anxiety disorders, which can include the same persistent feelings of fear or dread, but are not temporary and can often worsen over time.
There are several types of anxiety disorders, including:
Generalized anxiety disorders, or GAD
Panic disorder
Social anxiety disorders
Phobia-related disorders
According to Mission Harbor Behavioral Health Center, 8% of children and teenagers experience some type of anxiety disorder, making it the most common mental disorder in the United States.
Does My Teen Have Anxiety?
There are many symptoms associated with anxiety, especially in teens and even young adults. Teenagers are in a transformative period, trying to figure out who they are, navigate their social scene and balance the ever-increasing responsibilities of school and life.
So, how can you tell the difference between a teen who is simply moody and someone who is experiencing anxiety?
“We start to get a little bit more concerned when these feelings or these symptoms are starting to impact everyday life and everyday functioning, as well as when they're happening for longer periods of time,” says Dr. Tyanna Snider, a pediatric psychologist at Nationwide Children's Hospital and clinical associate professor at the Ohio State University.
As a parent, it’s important to take note of your teen's behavior over time when trying to discern if they just have anxious feelings or an anxiety disorder.
Opening pathways for communication and learning how to empathize and understand what your child may be struggling with can help your child to feel seen or heard and, as a result, can make a significant impact on their mental health.
“One of the best things you can do is really just have conversations with your adolescent, providing them with a safe space where they can kind of discuss their feelings and be really validating,” Snider says.
Symptoms of Anxiety in Teens
Common symptoms of anxiety in teens include:
Social isolation or withdrawal from friends, family and extracurricular activities
Showing a lack of interest in previously engaged activities
Changes in appetite
Difficulty concentrating
Physical symptoms, such as stomachaches, nausea and headaches
Stress, Depression & Social Media Fuel Anxiety
There are several risk factors for anxiety among teens, including social media, stress and depression.
Social media
Numerous studies, including a 2023 study published in the International Journals of Environmental Research and Public Health, have found a correlation between screen time, social media and depression and anxiety in adolescents and young adults.
It’s important to make sure you put a cap on the amount of screen time your teen uses but don’t discourage it altogether.
“It's really about balance. It's okay to spend some time on social media and online, but we also need to make sure we're spending some time in kind of those in-person interactions as well,” Snider says.
Stress
Teens experience stress just like anybody else. School and social pressure are among the top stressors and causes of anxiety for teens, according to the Journal of Affective Disorders.
“Adolescents are really increasingly focused on social acceptance, maybe personal success, even kind of those issues in society and in our culture,“ Snider says." Adolescents might experience anxiety, particularly around difficulties or stressors in school, such as grades, challenges with friends and peers, concerns with dating.”
Take 21-year-old Howard University Student, Deja Dixon, who believes her anxiety started in middle school and was persistent throughout her academic career.
“I think that (my anxiety) was worse in high school because … during that age, you're kind of worried about what other people think,” Dixon says.
Depression
Anxiety and depression have several symptom overlaps and sometimes coincide in teens and young adults.
“Depression looks a little bit different in adolescence compared to adults,” Snider says. “In adolescents, you might notice more irritability and anger or perhaps even being kind of quick-tempered or short-tempered.”
Snider recommends frequently engaging in open-ended conversations with your teen.
“Sometimes the child might just want to be heard. Maybe they do want help, or maybe they just want a hug. Maybe they just want someone to kind of sit there with them for a little bit of time and provide them with some of that support,” Snider says.
Additionally, it can help to reengage your teen in mood-boosting activities they used to enjoy.
“We know getting busy and getting active can really be helpful with depression. Try to do at least one thing you enjoy every day, maybe one thing that makes you feel successful every day,” Snider says. “Is really important, even if maybe they don't feel like it at that moment.”\
Anxiety Treatment Options
There are medical and non-medical treatments for anxiety.
Medications
Speaking with your health care provider or psychiatrist about antianxiety medication is a good step in the right direction.
It’s important to be aware of symptoms as they arise in your teen, especially if they persist for weeks or months at a time, Snider says. At that point, she suggests seeking help from a mental health professional for your teen.
