Stomach pain is something that we’ve probably all had at one time or another. Perhaps you ate too much spicy food for dinner, or you have a lactose intolerance that flared up after getting the wrong milk in your coffee. But did you know that anxiety can also be a cause of stomach pain?

Anxiety can cause an increase of cortisol, a stress hormone that can interrupt your teen’s digestive system. There’s a strong connection between the stomach and brain, referred to as the gut-brain axis. The cortisol works systematically,  to gastrointestinal issues, such as stomach pain, nausea and bowel changes.

Nerve signals, immune responses and gut-bacteria shifts also interact together with the brain, causing pain, nausea or bowel changes during stressful times.

However, stomach pain is just one potential symptom of anxiety that you may be overlooking in your teen. Here are five other signs that you shouldn’t overlook:

• Exhaustion/fatigue

Even though anxiety can make it difficult to turn your brain off when it’s time for sleep, it’s also possible for the brain to become tired from the anxious thoughts, leading to feelings of exhaustion or fatigue, even if they’ve gotten enough quality sleep. 

Try to take note of your teen’s energy levels throughout the day. If you find that they are always taking long naps or lay around for hours, they might be experiencing the mental exhaustion of anxiety. 

• Headaches/migraines

Just like stomach pain, having a headache or migraine can have many causes, meaning that your mind might not always jump to anxiety if your teen is talking about their head hurting. However, cortisol release, along with muscle tension in the neck and shoulders, can lead to tension headaches or migraines. It’s also possible for migraines to increase the likelihood of experiencing anxiety symptoms.

If your teen is experiencing persistent or recurring headaches, talk to their doctor about whether anxiety may be a contributing factor.

• Perfectionism 

There is no such thing as being perfect, and it’s important that your teen learn and understand that. But anxiety doesn’t stop them from trying. A teen with anxiety may set unrealistic expectations for themselves and excessively worry about the outcome of their efforts.

It’s also possible for them to have “just right” obsessive-compulsive disorder, which was previously categorized as an anxiety disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, but the newest revision puts OCD as its own classification.

• Difficulty staying still

Restlessness, or constantly fidgeting while sitting, is a common symptom of anxiety in teens and is often brushed off as a nervous habit. However, if your teen is having a difficult time staying still, then it might be their brain’s “fight or flight” instinct kicking in as a response to a potential threat, even if there isn’t a clear trigger.

Keep an eye on your teen’s body language to get a better idea of their anxiety level, such as pacing or a constantly shaking leg while sitting.

• Changes in school performance

Many teens may start to develop anxiety due to challenges at school, such as overwhelming courseloads, social pressure and postgraduation planning. If they’re having a difficult time managing their anxiety, it can actually lead to a negative impact on their grades due to difficulty concentrating or retaining information.

If your teen is coming home with low grades that don’t match their regular performance, it’s time to talk to them about potential anxiety as well as what they can do to improve their grades.

Just like all mental health conditions, anxiety isn’t something that’s always easy to see from the outside. As the parent to a teenager, try to pay closer attention to their emotions and behaviors to see if there’s an underlying cause of anxiety that may require professional support.

Lightfully can help teens experiencing anxiety symptoms, including stomach pain

If your teen is complaining of stomach pain on a regular basis, or the pain is persistent, then it may be time to consider causes beyond diet. It can be easy to overlook symptoms of anxiety in your teen, but taking note of potential signs can help you determine if they need further support.

If your teen is experiencing anxiety, you can work together to learn stress management and coping mechanisms that can help, such as breathing exercises. But they could also benefit from talking to a therapist to determine the root causes of their anxious thoughts.

If your teen needs further treatment beyond outpatient therapy, we provide whole-person care across the following levels:

• Residential Treatment
• Partial Hospitalization Program 
• Intensive Outpatient Program

Change is possible. When you’re ready to take the first step, reach out to our Admissions Concierge Team. We’ll take the next steps together, toward the fullest, brightest version of your teen.