Three Simple Facts Every Teen Can Relate To
What do you think of when you hear the word anxiety? Maybe it’s a pit in your stomach. A nervous energy. The voice in your head that makes you feel like you’re doing everything wrong. The inability to just “relax.”
While it may manifest slightly differently for different people, anxiety is truly a universal human experience. Even the most subdued, chill people you know experience periods of anxiety.
No one likes it. (Let’s be honest — it sucks.)
But in and of itself, anxiety isn’t a malfunction. It’s an important part of our biology.
Anxiety is a highly advanced system hardwired into our brains and bodies to help keep us safe. The ability to imagine — and therefore avoid — future dangers is one of the reasons humans have survived for millions of years. That jittery feeling, that surge of adrenaline you get during times of uncertainty, is actually your nervous system preparing your muscles to react to a potential threat. You may have heard this referred to as the “fight, flight, or freeze” reflex.
However, this doesn’t mean that anxiety is something you should have to deal with all the time. When your anxiety response is constantly firing, it’s no longer doing its job. It’s stuck in overdrive and needs a serious reset.
Why is teen anxiety so common?
Most people experience some mild anxiety in childhood: fear of the dark, a stomachache before a sleepover, or first day of school jitters. But in teens and young adults, anxiety can become much more pronounced for a variety of reasons.
1. Name that feeling.
At your age, you have the verbiage to identify, label, and explore your feelings in a way that you simply couldn’t as a kid. This is a critical aspect of emotional maturity. But it can also be challenging. Just because you recognize what anxiety is doesn’t mean you understand why it’s happening or how to deal with it all on your own. This can lead to a sense of helplessness, frustration, or self-doubt which only worsens existing symptoms of anxiety.
It’s not only okay, but extremely valuable to get support from others who can help you break this cycle and cope with anxiety (or any other intense emotions) in healthy ways.
2. Hello, hormones.
We know. As a teen, it feels like people want to blame your hormones for everything — your own internal boogeyman. But there’s a reason for the repetition. The hormonal shifts you’re going through are no joke. Your brain is actively flooding with chemicals, rewiring to experience and feel things on a whole new level: love, friendship, freedom, etc.
But with higher highs come lower lows. That newfound focus on relationships leads to heightened fears of “messing it up.” And with freedom of young adulthood comes the ability to grasp the gravity of setting yourself up for a future that you alone are responsible for… (*Insert jump scare!*)
3. A double-edged sword.
As a teen or young adult, you need independence. It’s the only true path to adulthood, and it’s mapped out in your DNA. (Thanks again, hormones.)
But whether your parents willingly loosen up the reigns or you’re still fighting tooth and nail, this change in parenting dynamics can intensify feelings of anxiety. Even if you “feel ready,” your brain has relied on your parents for survival your whole life. The subconscious knowledge that you’re on your own for the first time can be as terrifying as it is exhilarating.
Bottom line? Teen anxiety is not just common — it’s completely normal. But that doesn’t mean you have to deal with it alone. We’re passionate about helping young adults like you navigate intensified feelings of anxiety, using our expertise to help you cope with the symptoms, understand the root causes, and ultimately feel more calm and confident about your future.