5 Major Reasons of Anxiety in Your Teen Child

Adolescence is the time of many changes, both physiological and psychological. The plethora of changes can be overwhelming for some teenagers and may lead to panic or anxiety attacks.

Considering the many moods your teenager has in a day (owing to hormonal changes), it may not be easy to tell if they are suffering from anxiety until they display extreme behaviors. According to research, around 25.1% of children aged between 13 and 18 years are affected by anxiety disorders, which is worrisome. So it is important that you keep an eye on the growing teen to identify any behavior that is not normal. Anxiety is the feeling of nervousness that arises due to fears or worries about unknown situations. Anxiety to a certain level is normal and can be helpful too, in some instances. Anxiety can motivate teenagers to complete their work at school or perform better at sports and help them stay alert at all times.

* High expectations

With increasing competition in academics and other areas, parents may unknowingly put pressure on their children to perform better in their chosen fields. This increases the stress level, especially in teens, to prove their worth to the parents and peers, paving the way for extreme anxiety.

* Social media effects

Teenagers who are actively connected to social media could easily get influenced by the posts on these platforms. This could affect their self-esteem, thereby resulting in anxiety.

* Scary and threatening situations

News stories on crime, natural disasters, and so on could be depressing and trigger anxiety in teenagers, especially those who have had similar experiences in the past. Teens with negative experiences may be anxious as they fear the situation or event could recur.

* Depression

It is the most common cause of anxiety. Depression causes learning disabilities, low self-esteem, feeling of neglect, and emotional trauma to name a few, which further leads to anxiety.

* Childhood effects

Children brought up in an unhealthy environment, where they’ve faced abuse or torture (physical and mental), can develop anxiety by the time they are in their teenage.