What Are Signs of Anxiety In Teens

You knew the teen years would be a tough time for you, your teen, and your family. The teen years bring on a lot of changes. Your little baby has grown up, and they’re becoming their own person.

While you’re proud of them, you could go without the constant mood swings. You know that being a teen isn’t easy, but you’re not really sure how much longer you can deal with their attitude. You’re starting to wonder if there’s a larger issue at play.

You’ve noticed some behaviors and actions from your teen that could actually be anxiety, and you want to make sure you’re doing what you can to help them.

Let’s find out how anxiety looks in teens.

Frequent Mood Changes or Mood Swings

The teenage years come along with a lot of changes. Your teen may be a little on edge or moody from the physical and emotional changes that they'll naturally go through as they transition into a teenager. That being said, if your teen is experiencing anxiety, their mood, and emotions may be a little more extreme than normal. These are some of the emotional changes to look for if you suspect your teen is struggling with anxiety:

• Difficulting concentrating

• Emotional outbursts

• Irritable

• On edge

• Restless

Isolating Themselves from Friends or Activities They Once Enjoyed

A big sign of anxiety in teens is that their social life may change. You may notice that they're not hanging out with their friends as much. They may even show little to no interest in activities that they used to love. If you notice that your teen is keeping to themselves or isolating alone in their room, it could be a big indicator of anxiety.

Sleeping Problems

During the teenage years, a teen's brain is going through developmental changes that require more sleep. On top of that, they also may have more demands from school in terms of studying or completing homework assignments as well as any extracurricular activities that they're part of. Your teen sleeping more than normal may not be related to anxiety. A big sign of anxiety is sleeping problems. Here are some of the most common anxiety-related signs to look for:

• Difficulty falling asleep

• Difficulty staying asleep throughout the night

• Feeling tired even after a full night's sleep or a nap

• Nightmares

Change in School Performance

If anxiety is causing disturbances in your teen's mood, social life, and changes in their physical health, including their sleeping schedule; it should come as no surprise that their performance in school will also be affected. Anxiety can cause your teen to miss homework assignments or have test-related anxiety that makes it difficult for them to study or perform well on quizzes and tests.

They may also be too tired to complete assignments or attend classes. If your teen's grades are suffering and they're missing assignments, it could be a sign that your teen is dealing with anxiety. They may also be procrastinating on their work more than normal due to their anxiety or lack of ability to concentrate on the tasks at hand due to being overwhelmed.

Next Step

Anxiety can be a common emotion that everyone may experience at one point or another throughout their life. If it's having a negative impact on your daily life and routine, it's a good sign to reach out for help. A mental health professional can work with your teen to get to the root cause of their anxiety. They will also be able to help your teen work through the signs and symptoms they may be experiencing. Reach out to us today to set up a consultation for teen counseling.