Symptoms & Support for Anxiousness in Kids & Teens
Sep 03, 2020Timothy Culbert, MD, IFMCP
Symptoms of Anxiety in Kids and Teens May Not Be Obvious
Anxiety in kids and teens may not look like it does in adults. Emotional changes are more easily spotted, but social, physical, and sleep changes are also common for both anxiety and depression.
Emotional Changes
- Increasing anger, irritability, and/or emotional reactivity
- Feeling keyed up or restless
- Flat affect (lack of showing emotion)
- Anhedonia (not enjoying activities once enjoyed, decreased ability to feel pleasure)
- Easily bored
- Sad
- Panic, new fears, and/or persistent worries
- Increase in oppositional, non-compliant behaviors
- Restlessness
- Trouble separating from parents
- Phobias
- Obsessive/compulsive behaviors
Social Changes
- Withdrawal
- Isolation
- Changing peer groups
- Avoiding participation in extracurricular activities
Physical Changes
- Headaches
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
- Appetite change
- Stomach aches
- Low energy
- Unexplained aches and pains
- Complaints of vague unease or not feeling well without an obvious medical cause
- Less physical activity
- Muscle tension
- Sensory sensitivities
- Sweating
- Racing heart
- Rapid breathing
Sleep Changes
- Sleeping too much
- Sleeping to little
- Excessive daytime sleepiness
- Frequent nightmares
- Not feeling refreshed after sleep
School Performance
- Significant decrease in grades
- Missing assignments
- Trouble concentrating
- School avoidance
- Feeling overwhelmed by academic demands
- Procrastination on homework assignments
Parents can support their teen who has anxiety in many ways:
- Support your adolescent’s health literacy. Help them identify and understand reliable mental health information that is available online. Read more about health literacy here.
- Be a good listener and acknowledge their anxiety. Ask them how they are feeling, be patient, and reflect back to them what you think you heard them say.
- Be supportive but realistic. Let them know that you have confidence in their ability to handle stress and challenging circumstances but also encourage them to ask for help if needed.
- Help them practice healthy lifestyle factors that reduce anxiety such as a good sleep, daily exercise, and eating a balanced diet.
- Safety first! Don’t hesitate to refer your kid/teen for professional assessment and treatment especially if their symptoms are severe.
Mental Health Books for Kids
