Does your teen seem constantly on edge? Maybe they have trouble sleeping, avoid social situations or worry excessively about schoolwork. These could all be signs of an anxiety disorder.

Anxiety disorders are common among teens, affecting roughly 32% of teens. This constant worry can have a significant impact on their daily lives, making it difficult to go to school, participate in activities or build strong relationships. But here’s the good news: Anxiety disorders can be highly treatable. With your support and the right tools, your teen can learn how to manage their worries and live a more fulfilling life. 

Understanding the roots of anxiety in teens

There’s no single cause behind anxiety disorders in teens. It can be due to a combination of factors, including:

• Brain chemistry — Chemical imbalances in the brain can contribute to anxiety.
• Family history — If anxiety runs in your family, your teen may be more prone to it.
• Life events — Major changes like moving, family conflict or loss can trigger anxiety in teens.
• Social pressure — Fitting in, peer pressure and social media can be huge sources of anxiety for teens.
• Medical conditions — Certain medical conditions, like thyroid problems, asthma or diabetes, can also contribute to anxiety symptoms. 

Every teen experiences anxiety differently. What triggers anxiety in one teen may not bother another teen. The key is to identify what triggers your teen’s anxiety and what can make it worse. 

Helping your teen manage anxiety

There are a number of effective treatments available for anxiety disorders in teens. Here are some options you can explore:

• Therapy — Therapy for anxiety in teens provides them with a safe and supportive space for them to express their feelings and concerns. It also gives them the opportunity to work with their therapist to explore the root causes of their anxiety and work on problem-solving skills to empower them to manage their anxiety more effectively.

• Relaxation techniques — Deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation and mindfulness meditation can help teens calm their bodies and minds when feeling anxious. 
• Lifestyle changes — Encourage healthy sleep habits, a balanced diet and regular exercise. These can all improve mood and reduce anxiety symptoms. Limiting caffeine intake and avoiding alcohol and drugs are also important. These substances can all make anxiety worse.
• Medication — In some cases, their doctor may recommend medication to help manage anxiety symptoms. 

A personalized approach to helping your teen’s anxiety

A specific type of therapy that can be very helpful is process-based therapy. This unique clinical approach is a fully personalized framework that integrates components of evidence-based techniques. These techniques include cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), compassion-focused therapy and somatic therapy. Combining the most effective components of these therapy techniques can help target the four core processes that drive mental health symptoms, like those associated with anxiety disorders.

Process-based therapy focuses on helping your teen to understand the underlying causes of their anxiety and helping them develop healthy coping mechanisms. Here’s a breakdown of how process-based therapy may go:

• Building rapport — An important part of therapy is your teen’s therapist building a safe and supportive relationship with your teen. This can help them feel comfortable expressing their feelings and thoughts openly.
• Exploring the roots — The therapist works with your teen to explore past experiences and identify any negative events or patterns that can be contributing to their anxiety. 
• Identifying triggers — Together, their therapist and your teen will work to identify situations, thoughts or feelings that can trigger their anxiety.
• Developing coping skills — Their therapist will work with them to develop healthy coping skills they can use when faced with anxiety-provoking situations. These skills may include relaxation techniques, communication strategies or problem-solving strategies.
• Practicing new skills — Their therapist can guide them through practicing these new skills in safe and controlled environments. Slowly, they can build their confidence in their ability to manage anxiety. 

Process-based therapy (PBT) for anxiety in teens can help them tackle the four core processes that drive anxiety:

• Difficulty with emotions — PBT can help teens understand why they feel the way they do. They’ll learn mindfulness techniques to observe their emotions without judgment and develop healthy ways to express them, like talking to a trusted friend or journaling. 
• Difficulty with thoughts — PBT goes beyond challenging negative thoughts. It dives deeper to understand why those thoughts pop up in the first place. Does your teen jump to the worst-case scenario? Do worries get stuck on repeat? PBT helps individuals identify these patterns and develop tools to interrupt them before they fuel anxiety. 
• Difficulty with behaviors — Anxiety can make teens want to avoid things that trigger their worries. This may be skipping class presentations or avoiding social events. PBT can help your teen recognize these avoidance behaviors and understand how they can make anxiety worse in the long run. They’ll then work on developing healthier coping mechanisms, like relaxation techniques or facing situations step by step. 
• Difficulty with relationships — Anxiety can make it hard to connect with others. PBT explores how a teen’s emotions, thoughts and behaviors may be affecting their relationships. Their therapist can help them develop better communication skills to express themselves clearly and build stronger connections with friends and family.

If you’re looking for support for your teen’s anxiety, Lightfully Teen can help

At Lightfully Teen, we understand the unique challenges teens face, and we can address the underlying causes of anxiety and provide your teen with whole-person-centered care. We’ll focus on your teen’s overall well-being, not just their anxiety. We can help your teen develop the skills they need to manage their emotions, thoughts and behaviors to help them gain healthier relationships and live a more fulfilling life.

Change is possible. When they’re ready to take the first step, contact us. We’ll take the next steps together, toward the fullest, brightest version of them.