Helping teens handle ANXIETY

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A forlmost a quarter of teens — 22 percent — suffer from an anxiety disorder at some point, and that number has been steadily rising decades, according to the National Institutes of Health.

While social anxiety has always been an issue, it’s being emphasized more frequently nowadays, said Robin Henderson, clinical liaison with Well Being Trust, a national foundation focused on mental, social and spiritual health.

“Kids live in the limelight of social media all day every day,” Henderson said. In the past kids might have been nervous about what will happen at school the next day, but because of social media they may be anxious about what’s happening the next instant, she said.

“Teen anxiety is more common than people realize — including doctors,” said Dr. Henry Berman, a pediatrician specializing in adolescent medicine at Seattle Children’s Hospital and a clinical professor of pediatrics at the University of Washington School of Medicine. Compared to depression, pediatricians and general practitioners often don’t know how to talk about anxiety and don’t know what to look for, Berman said.

“With depression, people know what to look for. A depressed teen looks depressed,” he said. “Anxiety is more common, but harder to diagnose.”

From fear of missing out to the incredible stress put on teens to succeed in school, it’s no wonder anxiety is on the rise. What happens when a parent takes a teen’s phone away? He feels like he’s lost a lifeline, Henderson said. “They’re worried about getting a 4.3 grade point average on a 4-point system. The expectations are too high, and the pressure to perform is crippling,” she added.

Anxiety affects girls more than boys, Berman said. A study from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania found that it might be because of blood flow to the brain. Another study from the University of Calgary found that girls were more likely to exhibit anxiety when they perceived their parents were experiencing high levels of stress.

Instead of sharing their anxieties openly, parents need to model good behavior, Henderson said.

“Avoid saying, ‘Are you worried about the test?’ Instead, ask ‘What can I do to help?’ or ‘Do you need a study snack?’” Henderson said.

One common way anxiety presents itself is in a teen feeling too sick to go to school. A child will feel physical pain such as a bellyache or be vomiting in the morning and ask to stay home, but by noon — when it’s too late to go to school — he or she is recovered. Often a parent will take a child to the doctor, who can find nothing physically wrong, Berman said.

Parents need to be on the lookout for patterns in this behavior. The behavior also doesn’t occur on the weekend, he added.

Anxiety hits both the physical body and the mind, but there are tips for dealing with it.

• Exercise: Get outside. Go for a walk. “Exercise is proven to help reduce anxiety,” Henderson said.

• Breathe: Use deep breathing exercises such as box or square breathing, which is quick, easy and can be done on short notice, Berman said. Breathe in through your nose for four counts. Hold your breath for four counts. Exhale through your mouth for four counts. Hold your breath for four counts. If you can’t do it in class, excuse yourself and do it in the bathroom.

• Meditate: Meditation is especially good if something is going to make you anxious and you have time to practice it about 30 minutes beforehand, Berman said.

• Disconnect: “Schedule time offline. It gives (teens) a chance to understand their life won’t end if they miss a Snapchat streak,” Henderson said.

“Kids live in the limelight of social media all day every day. In the past kids might have been nervous about what will happen at school the next day, but because of social media they may be anxious about what’s happening the next instant.” Robin Henderson, Well Being Trust