Tips for Parenting Your Anxious Teen

Puberty is a tough time. Your teenager’s brain and body are changing rapidly, and they’re trying to adjust to fluctuating hormones, new responsibilities, and big emotions. It’s no wonder that anxiety among teens is very common. If your teen has been struggling with excessive worrying, feeling overwhelmed, or having trouble sleeping, you should learn the best ways to support them. Here are several tips for parenting your anxious teen.

As a parent, you want to be able to erase all their worries. But now, you need to teach them how to be brave. Anxiety will come and go their entire lives, so preparing them to deal with it in healthy ways sets them up for success.

Educate yourself about anxiety

Effective parenting means understanding anxiety and what your teen is going through. Take the time to educate yourself about the different types of anxiety disorders, their symptoms, and potential triggers. If you suffer from anxiety too, pay attention to your experiences and what emotions you allow your teen to see. When you understand your own anxiety, you can model healthy ways of handling stressors for them.

Communicate openly and non-judgmentally

One of the fundamental pillars of parenting an anxious teen is creating a safe space between you and your teenager. They need to be able to express their feelings and thoughts without being afraid you’ll criticize or belittle them. When they come to you, practice active listening—ask them questions, reassure them, and devote your full attention to them. Avoid dismissing their feelings. Instead, be validating and encouraging.

Don’t promise their anxiety away

As a parent, you want to be able to erase all their worries. But now, you need to teach them how to be brave. Anxiety will come and go their entire lives, so preparing them to deal with it in healthy ways sets them up for success. This means acknowledging their stressors and emotions. Talk through their fears with them while encouraging them not to avoid what they’re afraid of.

Encourage healthy coping behaviors

Show them the importance of developing hobbies like reading, making art, cooking, or anything else that helps them relax. Exercise plays a huge role in coping with stress, too. Get them into sports and outdoor activities. You can even do these things together. Spend time in parks, walking through town, or taking a class at the gym.

Help them set realistic expectations

Your teen has pressure on all sides: get good grades, keep up with extracurriculars, be a good friend, figure out who they are, and deal with family stuff. Sometimes their anxiety will come from the expectations they put on themselves. They might perceive that everyone else wants them to achieve more than is possible, so they always fall short. Help them realign their expectations closer to what’s actually achievable for them. Celebrate small wins. Show them your love is unconditional, no matter whether (or how) they succeed.

Monitor their online activity

Unrestricted access to the internet isn’t healthy and it’s a stressor in kids’ lives. Talk to them about online safety and set limits on their screen time. Check out their social media profiles and decide which platforms you’re okay with them using.

Keep a solid family routine

Kids need a set routine at home to feel comfortable. Anxiety thrives in unstable situations, so when you have set mealtimes, bedtimes, and days for activities, you can control the necessary parts of their lives. Doing these things together also keeps communication open and you can see how your teen is coping. Part of your routine can also involve healthy lifestyle choices like home-cooked food, big helpings of fruit and vegetables, and solid sleep.

Get them into therapy

A child- and teen-focused therapist can give them strategies for managing their anxiety. Therapy does more than just address a specific issue—your teen can learn how to cope with strong emotions, change negative thought patterns, and set themselves up to lead a fulfilling adult life.

To find out more about how therapy can help your teen cope with anxiety, please reach out to us for teen counseling.