The adolescent years have always been some of the most difficult a person will ever have to go through. It is a time of growth, change, and maturing that can often seem like a whirlwind of confusion and angst. Today's teens have it even harder than many of those in generations past. There have been increases in teen violence, drug and alcohol use, and sexual activity, while there have been decreases in family time, educational funding, and moral absolutes. As a society, we are being faced with the possibility that the youth we are currently raising up are truly at a disadvantage than we were, even with all of the advances that were supposed to give them advantages.
There are more and more teens that are dealing with anxiety disorders, some medically diagnosed and others obvious with or without a doctor's label slapped on it. The symptoms of anxiety disorders are varied and they are numerous. According to Medical News Today, the most common symptoms of anxiety are the following:
Trembling
Churning stomach
Nausea
Diarrhea
Headache
Backache
Heart palpitations
Numbness or "pins and needles" in arms, hands or legs
Sweating/flushing
Restlessness
Easily tired
Trouble concentrating
Irritability
Muscle tension
Frequent urination
Trouble falling or staying asleep
Being easily startled
Obviously, these symptoms would be very difficult to live with, most especially during the adolescent years. There can be many causes of anxiety disorders, more even than the number of symptoms, but there are some that are especially common among teens.
*Peer Pressure and Stress-There is an enormous amount of peer pressure today for teens to involve themselves in activities that they may know are wrong, but have great difficulty saying no to. These are the years that people need to feel the most love and acceptance and if they aren't feeling it, they will be more likely to do things that they don't necessarily feel are right, but that they do feel will allow them to be loved and accepted. Some of these pressures may be to smoke, use narcotics or alcohol, have sex, skip school, shoplift, and a plethora of other things. The teen is then torn between the knowledge that they are not making good choices and that they are finally fitting in with a group of their peers.
*Educational/Academic Stress-Academic stress is very difficult for some teens to deal with, especially if continued education after the high school years are expected of them. High school years are filled with learning, both in the classroom and in the form of homework, and for those students who have struggled before this point, there is often a complete feeling of failure and hopelessness as the pressure mounts during these years.
*Expectations, Especially Parental-No one wants to feel like they are not meeting the expectations of the people that they admire and care about. When a teen feels that their parents have expectations that they aren't able to meet, they can feel incredible disappointment in themselves. This disappointment can lead to anxiety as they constantly strive to do better and more, but still find themselves unable to do enough.
*Low Self-Esteem-Low self-esteem is a problem that is increasing among our youth. They aren't feeling valued or worthwhile. They are hurting, often in silence, and this pain can come out in a terrible anxiety disorder.
*Abuse of any Sort-Living with abuse, either presently or with the memories of past abuse, is another issue that can lead to an anxiety disorder. The teen may feel fearful, unworthy of being treated well and loved, nervous, or unusually insecure due to the abuse. Even if they are not abused themselves, but are raised in an atmosphere of abuse, these feelings can occur.
Anxiety disorders among teens are on the rise. Without treatment from a trained professional, such as a therapist, this is very likely to follow them into adulthood. Anxiety can destroy the future hopes and dreams of these young people, never allowing them to reach their full potential. They are our future and we should be doing all that we can to help these teens in need.