With more openness around mental health, it’s easy to get confused about what words like “depression” and “anxiety” mean. That makes it hard for the support people in a teenager’s life to discern what their teen needs best. Despite this:
𝗜𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝘅𝗶𝗲𝘁𝘆
Anxiety is our body’s response to a perceived threat. We wouldn’t survive very long without it. There are certain situations that should make us anxious, and it would be concerning if they didn’t.
One way to discern if anxiety is a problem for you or your teen is to use a simple 1-10 scale.
"How intense is your anxiety on a scale of 1-10?"
Higher intensities should get more attention- especially if there isn’t any identified threat.
Next, consider how disruptive the anxiety is. What does it prevent your teen from doing? Higher levels of disruption should also get more attention.
Regardless of the level of anxiety, teens benefit from a space to share their concerns with someone else. This is where therapy can be a major benefit. Not only does therapy provide a professional who can help determine the severity of the anxiety, it’s also a safe space for the client to share their concerns openly and honestly.
If you’re concerned about the levels of anxiety in your life or in a teenager’s life, I encourage you to seek professional support. You can go to my Services page to learn more about how I can help you.
Comments