Anxiety is a common challenge for many teenagers, impacting their mental, emotional, and physical well-being. Teens face unique pressures. Our practitioners offer tailored therapy to help them navigate and manage their anxiety. Whether it’s school stress, social pressures, or family expectations, we are here to help your teenager build resilience and emotional strength.
What is teen anxiety?
Anxiety is a natural response to stress, but for some teenagers, it can become overwhelming and persistent, affecting their everyday life. Teen anxiety is often triggered by changes in life, school challenges, social situations, or even family issues. Anxiety may manifest differently in teenagers than in adults, with physical symptoms like racing heart, sweating, or dizziness, along with feelings of fear, uncertainty, or being overwhelmed.
What does anxiety feel like?
Teenagers experiencing anxiety might notice these physical and emotional symptoms:
- Racing heart or palpitations
- Shortness of breath or hyperventilation
- Sweating, trembling, or feeling jittery
- Nausea, dizziness, or stomach aches
- Difficulty focusing or feeling “on edge”
- Restlessness, irritability, or avoidance of social situations
These symptoms can make it difficult for teens to manage school, friendships, or family life. In some cases, anxiety can lead to avoiding activities or even refusing to leave the house.
Possible factors behind anxiety experienced by teenagers
Teenagers can experience different forms of anxiety for different reasons. Here are some of the possible causes and manifestations.
- Generalised anxiety disorder: Persistent worry about a variety of issues like school, relationships, or future uncertainty.
- Social anxiety: Fear of social situations, leading to avoidance of school events, parties, or hanging out with friends.
- Panic attacks: Sudden waves of intense fear that can cause physical symptoms, such as rapid heartbeat or dizziness.
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder: Repetitive and intrusive thoughts, leading to compulsive behaviours.
- Phobias: Fear of specific things, such as heights, animals, or needles.
- Post-traumatic stress disorder: Anxiety following a traumatic experience, like bullying, accidents, or family upheaval.
- Body dysmorphia: Excessive preoccupation with perceived flaws in appearance.
How therapy can help teenagers with anxiety
Teenagers struggling with anxiety can benefit from therapy that provides them with coping mechanisms and emotional tools. We offer evidence-based treatments to help teens manage their anxiety and thrive. Some of the therapeutic approaches we use include:
- Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT): Helps teens identify and challenge negative thoughts and behaviours that fuel anxiety.
- Mindfulness and relaxation techniques: Teaches skills to stay calm, present, and reduce the body’s anxiety response.
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): Helps teens accept anxious thoughts and feelings while taking steps toward what matters most to them.
These approaches help not only manage anxiety but also build lasting resilience. Our practitioners are trained in working with young people, and we take the time to build a trusting, non-judgmental therapeutic relationship.
We provide:
- Flexible appointment times, including after-hours
- A warm, welcoming, and confidential environment
- Immediate availability to see a psychologist
- Psychologists experienced in treating teen anxiety
If your teenager is feeling overwhelmed by anxiety or facing challenges affecting their mental health, we are here to help. Together, we can work on building emotional strength and reducing anxiety. Get in touch with us now to book an appointment or learn more about how we can help.
