Help Your Adolescent Handle Anxiety for Future Success

Adolescence is a tricky time. You’re no longer a child, but you’re also not yet a fully-developed adult. Though many people describe adolescence as somewhat tumultuous, it’s during this period when many impending young adults find themselves. This can be an amazing and wonderful time for pre-teens and teens; however, forging new relationships, handling school stresses and social etiquette often bring undue worries and anxieties. 

As a parent, it’s your job to maintain a level of security for your child. Though you can’t always be there, you can instill valuable skills in your child so that she has a foundation that will serve her well as she matures. 

Understanding Adolescent Anxiety 

Everyone faces stress; it’s a fact of life. While some pressure is beneficial, harmful types of stress can impact one’s physical and mental well-being. You may have heard the term “adolescent storm and stress,” coined by G.Stanley Hall, according to The National Center for Biotechnology Information, referring to a young adult’s predisposition to heightened stressors throughout her life. These are factors that contribute to a child’s mood and behavior.  Pressures from media, society, school and even peers can bring about a sort of impact in a child’s development. 

Though the highs and lows of the teenage years can cause concern for any parent, take the time to nurture your child’s needs. One way to do so is to talk directly to her about what is going on. Keeping the lines of communication open not only encourages her to come to you in times of trouble, but also helps her acquire a better understanding of her emotions, especially if she knows you value her feelings. 

Stress in Adolescents

Though society has their way of stereotyping typical teen behavior, the truth is, most teens just want to fit in and be understood. Teenage brains are soft and pliable, like Play-doh, according to a study conducted by the Society for Neuroscience, as reported by Smithsonian Magazine. So while we all deal with anxiety, a pre-teen may not know how to cope with such pressures.

Harmful stress can cause a host of health problems, from heart disease and high blood pressure to cognitive and mental health issues. Anxiety can also make it easy to lose your cool, which will not only have damaging social consequence, but can also cause unnecessary fights, encourage one to engage in unprotected sex and heighten the risk of putting oneself in mortal danger.

Ways to Cope

While outside factors undoubtedly contribute to stress, it doesn’t have to overcome your child. Though stress can be useful, such as with feelings of euphoria, joy or love and comfort, watch out for changes in mood or behavior, a decrease or increase in appetite, sleep disturbances or lack of attention or feelings of apathy, which can lead to depression. 

Become a role model and remain calm when dealing with demanding situations. Learn to handle stress in your own life so that you can better demonstrate positive emotions to your child. For instance, if you're an entrepreneur who's struggling with achieving a balance with work and personal life, try to prioritize the tasks that are most important to you and delegate other tasks to your employees or freelancers. 

Talk to your teen about gaining a better perspective and ways to avoid negative feelings. Teach your child how to relax by implementing a healthy diet, exercise, aromatherapy, and meditation, all of which can have permanent healthy benefits. It’s also important to talk to your child about the dangers of drugs and alcohol, which can have long-lasting, damaging effects and may even lead them down the path of addiction. 

The perils of storm and stress are enough to make any parent lose their sanity. Understanding the mindset and influence of teenage kids will help you gain a better knowledge of communicating with your child and help her create the foundation for a happier life. 

If you'd like to learn about how psychotherapy can help treat anxiety, contact an experienced therapist at Sejdaras Psy.D and Associates -- 872-529-1980.

If you’d like to work with one of our Therapists we are currently accepting clients and you can reach us at Our Office. We provide a free 15 phone consultation to determine if we are a good match for one another. For more information on anxiety and depression treatment check out our website at www.chicagopsych.org