How Do I Help My Teen with Their Anxiety?
The teen years can be challenging. But there's an added challenge if your teen is struggling with anxiety.
As a parent, you're always going to want what's best for your children. It may pain you to see your child struggling with something like anxiety. You may be noticing some of the signs. They're having problems sleeping. They're withdrawing from friends and activities they used to enjoy, and they're constantly on edge, even more so than the average teen can be.
But you don't just have to stand back and watch them. There are ways that you can actually help your teen cope and manage the signs and symptoms of anxiety.
This is how you can help your teen with their anxiety.
Talk to Your Teen
While you may assume that your teen is struggling with anxiety, it's always best to discuss it with them first before trying to jump in. Try to start a conversation with your teen about how they're feeling and what they may be worried about. when they open up, make sure that you're actually listening to them and trying to understand where they're coming from. You're not going to make them feel any better by dismissing how they're feeling or telling them to suck it up and get over it. Validate their feelings and let them know that it's okay to feel this way and that you'll be there for them no matter what.
Encourage a Healthy Lifestyle
You can encourage a healthier lifestyle from the inside out by making sure that they're taking care of themselves. When your teen is eating and sleeping well, their body and brain can perform to the best of their ability. You can help promote a healthy lifestyle for your teen by making sure they're fueling their body with healthy and well-balanced meals. You can further promote this by having them stick to a sleep schedule and routine so that they're able to get a solid eight hours of sleep each and every night.
Consider How You Handle Anxiety
Your children watch what you do from the time they're born and even throughout their teen years. Even when it feels like they want nothing to do with you. Try to consider how you handle stressful situations. Try to remain calm and patient the next time you face a challenge or are frustrated. Make sure that you're always taking time for yourself to take care of your wants and needs. The way that you handle stress and anxiety can teach your children how to handle it.
Implement Relaxation Techniques
There are many different coping mechanisms that you can implement with your teen to help both of you better manage any of your stressors. Set time aside at home to practice some of these techniques. Here are a few of the different relaxation techniques that you can try out together:
Body scan
Deep breathing
Go for a walk outside
Meditation
Yoga
By practicing these techniques at home, your teen will be better prepared to handle any stress or anxiety the next time they face it. These techniques can help them be a little more proactive rather than reactive towards their anxiety.
Seek Additional Support
If you and your teen aren't seeing any signs of improvement, it's important to talk to them about seeking additional support. Remind your teen that there is nothing wrong with asking for help and it can actually be one of the strongest things that they do. An outside third party who is licensed and trained on this topic will be able to help you and your teen deal with the anxiety that they're facing. I’m here when you're both ready. Reach out to me today to learn more about teen therapy options for anxiety.
