The expression of emotion makes us human. Anxiety is a complicated emotion and usually expresses itself in response to stress. It is not always a negative or abnormal response to stress, but like any aspect of life, it can be. For teens, who are in a stage of life marked by transition from childhood to adulthood, anxiety can spiral out of control and cause periodic to ongoing distress. CBT Counseling Centers can help your teen develop the coping mechanisms needed to battle anxiety. Breathing deeply, identifying triggers, eating well, exercising, getting enough sleep, and helping your teen realize that they cannot control everything are a few common coping strategies for teens to help manage stress.
Reframing your Teen’s Thoughts and Expectations
Cognitive behavioral therapy is an ideal treatment for anxiety because it works to help people challenge negative perceptions. Cognitive behavioral therapy, in effect, helps teenagers use the power of their own rationality and logic to combat the negative effects of anxiety. Teens are under academic stress, social stress, and pressure from multiple social media outlets to be perfect. It can be difficult for teens to open up to their parents and ask for help, which is where our team comes in.
There are many causes of anxiety and many ways it can show up in your teenager. If you recognize your teen in any of the following descriptions, you may benefit from working with one of CBT Counseling Centers’ experienced counselors, who are highly trained and compassionate professionals.
- Some degree of anxiety can help your teen feel prepared for normal daily events (such as being conscious of the need to pay attention while driving in heavy traffic) and constant anxiety in response to common occurrences may indicate that their anxiety level is too high.
- Sudden changes in sleep habits and/or grades.
- Constant worry after turning in an assignment that a teen completed incorrectly may indicate a level of anxiety that requires attention.
- Panic attack symptoms including increased heart rate, sweating, dizziness, sweating, chest pain or even the feeling that they may die. If your teen is experiencing extreme anxiety, to the point where it becomes panic in response to school or spending time with friends, their anxiety should be checked out as soon as possible.
Help your Teen Develop Strategies for Managing Anxiety
One important part of being a teenager is learning to put things in proper perspective. Anxiety can spin out of control in part because not all teens learn to recognize soon enough that stressful situations are not necessarily permanent. CBT Counseling Centers has the staff with the experience and expertise to help teens who are struggling with anxiety develop coping mechanisms to deal with their anxiety so they can finally get back to enjoying life.
To schedule time with one of our therapists, call us today at (828) 350-1177 to make an appointment.