Does your teen suffer from anxiety? In an age of social media perfection and increasing isolation, anxiety levels have drastically risen among teens. In this article, I’ll explain some of the causes of teenaged worry—and the cures. Find out how you can help safeguard your teen and combat their anxiety!
Where is the Anxiety Coming From?
Anxiety is not about your teen’s real life; rather, it’s about the things that are just out of reach. Worry over “what ifs” are normal, but they can quickly fester as teens contemplate those things that are out of their control. To make matters worse, teens today are bombarded with news and information 24/7, primarily about problems and events that they should never have to worry about and aren’t equipped to handle. From their devices, teens see glimpses of what’s happening around them, but they don‘t yet have a clear perspective on the greater context to help them understand what’s really going on. Online videos, images, memes, and headlines can be overwhelming and lead to anxious feelings or even trauma as a result of being exposed to content that most adults would struggle to process, as well.
Following social media can also increase your teen’s anxiety. Scrolling through the “air brushed” perfection of social media influencers makes most teens feel like they’ll never measure up. Seeing everyone else’s cherry-picked photos of their “perfect” life makes many teens feel like their own life is boring or messed up. On top of this, too many teens are isolated from their peers. Our culture doesn’t adequately teach teens how to engage with others. They tend to “like” and “follow,” but they rarely connect with others in a meaningful way. This tsunami of information and lack of close connection is the perfect storm causing so many teens today to experience a deep sense of anxiety.
How Can Parents and Grandparents Help Combat Anxiety in Teens?
While the causes of anxiety often come from the outside world, the cure is often closer to home. Parents have the power to counteract the messages teens hear from culture by offering consistent encouragement. Everyone wants to feel accepted and loved for who they are. But this sense of belonging can be elusive during the teen years. That’s why the affirmation teens get at home from parents and grandparents is so important. Keep affirming who they are, especially when they feel down because of the fake images they see on social media.
Then, talk to your teen regularly about what he’s seeing online, and expose what’s fake. As you have these conversations, you’re helping your teen to recognize what’s real and what isn’t when it comes to social media. Focus on building your relationship with your teen and training your teen to handle this age of information as you spend regular time together—just the two of you offline.
Finally, quit correcting your teen all the time. Not every mistake is a teaching lesson. Your teen is being sized up, judged and critiqued by the world all day long outside of your home. After a while, teens can start to feel like they’ll never be good enough and some will quit trying. Instead, make your home a safe place where your teens can be themselves. Listen without judgment when your teen shares with you. Ask questions to get to know their heart.
Conclusion
Anxiety is worry that leads to fear and panic of the unknown. Anxiety can be a great motivator in small doses, like when you feel anxious to complete an assignment, or need to get in front of others to speak or feel like you have to step up to perform. But in larger doses, anxiety can overwhelm the heart of a teen, shutting them down to the point that getting out of bed is a difficult task. Helping your teen handle bouts of anxiety may take a lot of listening and assurances from you that the mounting pressure they are facing isn’t as big as they feel it is and it will soon pass. It may also require the advice of a counselor and medication. Don’t ignore the signs of this sometimes-crippling mindset. But be assured that you can help your teen through these anxious years.
