Anxiety in adolescence: characteristics and keys to resolve it

Adolescence is a complex stage for many reasons. It is a transitional age between childhood and adulthood in which it is necessary to adapt to new responsibilities, new ways of relating to others, and to the need to develop for the first time a consistent self-concept and sense of identity, linked to the role that one has in front of society and with which one feels oneself well. And to all that we must add a process of physical transformation and change in hormonal functioning.

Of course, managing all these changes is not easy and requires effort. But make no mistake, adolescence does not have to be a vital phase of strong psychological ups and downs or emotional or identity crises; there is nothing inherently painful about it. Considering this, Parents and educators should know that seeing adolescents suffering from high levels of anxiety is not and should not be normal, and that when detecting these cases it is necessary to help them and take measures as soon as possible.

• Related article: "The 3 stages of adolescence"

What forms does anxiety take in adolescence?

The most common anxiety disorders among the youngest are separation anxiety disorder (especially during childhood and early teenage years), social phobia, generalized anxiety disorder, and specific phobias. Its main characteristics are the following:

• Separation anxiety disorder: it appears above all in the school context, given the perception that there is no parental protection.
• Social phobia: it is the anxious reaction to the idea of ​​being teased and put down by others.
• Generalized anxiety disorder: a state of high anxiety that is maintained over time, without worries or easily identifiable triggering events.
• Specific phobias: psychopathologies based on specific phobic stimuli: needles, animals, specific places, etc.

On the other hand, as time passes and the young person suffers the effects of this kind of psychological alterations, the chances that you will also start to develop clinical depression are increasing, since anxiety disorders and mood disorders overlap a lot in the general population, also in adolescents. These psychopathologies constitute serious problems that greatly erode the quality of life of young people and that, in certain cases, they can even lead to a form of symptomatology as severe as ideation suicide.

However, keep in mind that There are also frequent cases in which an excess of anxiety occurs but this does not constitute a diagnosable psychopathology; that is, it is a propensity to experience moments when anxiety accumulates a lot and / or encourages young people to adopt counterproductive behavior patterns to try to alleviate this discomfort.

In cases like this, it is important to know that because it is not a disorder, elevated anxiety is no longer a problem that must be solved. Everything that involves helping young people to properly regulate their emotions and not letting stress and anxiety leading them to adopt harmful habits will be progress in maintaining their mental health.

Elements that favor the appearance of anxiety in young people

These are some of the factors capable of producing anxiety problems in adolescents.

1. Anxiety about seeking acceptance from other young people

The beginning of adolescence coincides with a period in which the referents of young people go from being parents to be other young people of similar age to oneself, and especially those who are a little greater.

This often creates a feeling of disorientation when having to relate to others from new coordinates, adopting various behaviors associated with the concept of "the popular" And, in certain cases, this even leads some adolescents to compete with others for the attention of the other members of that generation, and to become obsessed with not missing fashions and ways of expressing themselves that give good picture.

2. Insecurities with one's image and / or identity

Related to the previous anxiety-triggering element, we find the ease that the adolescents have when it comes to developing insecurities related to their body and their image in general.

This is especially true for girls, who tend to experience greater social pressure to hide what is often considered to be imperfections; thus, they must actively work to always present their best appearance. In addition, the rapid and to some extent “messy” physical changes that the body of adolescents undergo makes it easier for many to not accept themselves as they are. Knowing this, it is not surprising that adolescence is a key stage in the onset of eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia.

• You may be interested in: "Anorexia nervosa: symptoms, causes and treatment"

3. The problems to organize

Teenagers do not have it as easy as adults to prioritize long-term goals over short-term pleasures and satisfactions. This means that in many cases they do not organize their tasks well and postpone many of their tasks indefinitely. them, their responsibilities accumulate and they end up feeling that the activities to be carried out overflow.

4. Inexperience in conflict management

In adolescents, it is common to observe problems to face conflicts from a constructive attitude and seeking consensus; In many ways, they show less predisposition to adopt an external and global perspective of interest clashes, and focus more on their own point of view, partly due to lack of experience in conflict resolution. This means, for example, that strong arguments and frequent crises can occur in your group of friends.

5. Dependence on new technologies

Most adolescents in Western societies use social media almost daily, if only to see what others are posting.. In fact, it is through this medium that they find out most of the news in their circle of friends or social circle of reference, minute by minute. This means that the simple fact that the battery of the mobile phone runs out while on the street can get to produce anxiety, through what is known as FOMO syndrome (Fear of Missing Out).

Tips to help you overcome this form of discomfort

These are several guidelines that we as adults can follow to help teens manage anxiety.

1. Allow them to work on self-acceptance

This happens by not constantly drawing their attention to their image to highlight the negative, and also by talk openly about the beauty in their features that deviate from the prevailing canons of beauty and in her wardrobe choices beyond the prevailing fashion codes.

2. Teach them relaxation techniques

There are many such techniques available, such as Mindfulness or Jacobson's progressive muscle relaxation.

3. Support them in their hobbies and hobbies

Hobbies are a great way to manage anxiety and to let go of intrusive thoughts that induce worry; That is why, as parents, we must give them support in the activities with which they decide to spend their time. free, as long as there is a certain variety in them and the active participation of friends of their age.

4. Help them organize

Making it easy for them to meet a more or less fixed work schedule will make them enjoy their free time more and that associate satisfaction with the experience of performing their tasks, since they will know that they will finish them successfully and without problems. The latter, in turn, will reduce the chances of them putting off these activities.

5. Give them tools to challenge peer pressure

Help them develop critical thinking and question the fashions and ideas behind what is considered “cool” it will make it easier for them not to feel bad if from time to time they fall into the category of "the unpopular". This is effective if at the same time we include the whole group of friends, making them gain autonomy to choose their own rules of operation and their own values ​​without always depending on what the the rest.

Are you looking for professional psychological support?

If you are interested in having psychological help for yourself or your children, get in touch with us.

On Psychomaster You will find both child and adolescent psychotherapy as well as for adults, as well as other services such as couples therapy or counseling for parents and mothers, and all this offered by a team of psychologists with more than 14 years of experience helping people in the field of well-being psychological. We offer face-to-face therapy (in our center in Madrid) and also online therapy sessions. To see more information about us and the way we work, go to this page.

Bibliographic references:

• Beesdo, K.; Knappe, S.; Pine, D.S. (2011). Anxiety and Anxiety Disorders in Children and Adolescents: Developmental Issues and Implications for DSM-V. Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 32 (3): pp. 483 - 524.
• Bhatia, M.S., Goyal, A. (2018). Anxiety disorders in children and adolescents: Need for early detection. Journal of Postgraduate Medicine, 64 (2): pp. 75 - 76.
• Garber, J. & Weersing, V.R. (2011). Comorbidity of Anxiety and Depression in Youth: Implications for Treatment and Prevention. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice, 17 (4): pp. 293 - 306.
• Leigh, E. & Clark, D.M. (2018). Understanding Social Anxiety Disorder in Adolescents and Improving Treatment Outcomes: Applying the Cognitive Model of Clark and Wells (1995). Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 21 (3): pp. 388 - 414.
• Siegel, R.S. & Dickstein, D.P. (2012). Anxiety in adolescents: Update on its diagnosis and treatment for primary care providers. Adolescent Health, Medicine and Therapeutics, 3: pp. 1 - 16.