Helping Teens with Anxiety: Creating a Supportive Environment at Home

It can be difficult to see your teenager struggling with anxiety. But, consider everything they might have on their plate. Teens are going through a lot of hormonal changes that can make life feel confusing and overwhelming, at times. 

On top of that, they might be dealing with relationship issues, social pressures, the desire to do well in school, or even fears about the future. There may even be difficult things that have occurred that they haven’t felt comfortable talking or even know how to talk about fueling their anxiety.

In today’s fast-paced, stressful world, it’s no wonder so many teens are struggling with anxiety. Thankfully, by creating a supportive environment at home, you can help your teen manage the symptoms of anxiety and learn to take charge of their mental health. Let’s cover a few tips that can make a difference. 

Create a Communicative Environment

Communication within the home is one of the best and vital things you can do for every member of your family — especially your teen. 

Teenagers aren’t always known for being open books. It can sometimes feel like no matter what you do or say, they won’t open up and talk to you. But, keep trying, especially if you think they’re dealing with anxiety. Don’t force a conversation, but let them know you’re there to support them and listen. 

When they do start to talk about what they’re feeling, practice active listening. Give them your full attention, empathize, and ask questions. Validate their feelings and try to better understand what they’re going through so you can help. 

Try to stay away from platitudes (ie. “It’s going to be fine.”), advice (i.e. Don’t stress so much) or minimizing (i.e. “It’s all in your head.” “You’re being too sensitive.”) 

Instead, find ways to connect and show you understand. Express compassion and concern for what they’re going through. Provide help with brainstorming solutions. This can include doing research and learning more about anxiety.

Be a Mental Health Role Model

You might think your teen doesn’t look up to you or care about your opinion, but they do. 

They’re watching and paying attention to you more than you probably realize, and you’re still their number one influence in life. So, make sure you’re taking care of your own mental health in and out of the home. 

That starts by talking openly about mental health reassuring your teen it’s nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed of. It’s something to prioritize. If you tend to have your own challenges with anxiety or depression, be a strong example of how it should be handled. Or if you’ve had past struggles, let your teen know as this will likely be a relief for them to hear that they’re not alone in their experience.

Take care of yourself, physically and mentally. Work with a therapist if needed, and take medication, if necessary. Don’t hide these things away, but promote them as normal forms of care for dealing with mental health issues. 

Additionally, get comfortable talking about and naming emotions. Make room in everyday conversation to discuss feelings your teen might be having. Welcome them all—sadness, fear, anger, hurt. Often bottling up emotions leads to anxiety so creating an open environment for sharing about emotional experiences alleviates the build up that can accumulate over time of not freely expressing what’s happening inside.

Encourage Self-Care

Anxiety can make it difficult to prioritize self-care at any age. You might see your teen struggling with their sleep schedule, spending too much time on devices, or reaching for foods that are likely going to make them feel worse. 

While you can’t force them to change habits, you can encourage different self-care practices and make them easy to achieve at home. Encourage better sleep hygiene by suggesting a routine. Cook nutritious meals that will help promote sound mental health. Go for family walks each night to help your teen get some exercise, release stressful energy from their day, and also provide casual opportunities for easy connection.

By helping them foster healthy habits now, they’ll learn the value of self-care when it comes to their mental health as an adult. 

Seek Professional Help

If you’re worried your teen is still struggling, don’t hesitate to set up an appointment with a therapist. Anxiety is often very manageable. But, it’s not something anyone should have to take care of on their own — especially a teenager. 

A therapist can help your teen better understand what’s causing their anxiety. Getting to the root is the first step in overcoming it. Therapy can also help your teen learn how to manage their symptoms. When they’re able to do that, their anxious thoughts and fears might not seem so overwhelming every day. 

It can be difficult to watch your teenager deal with the effects of anxiety. But, by talking to them, creating a safe environment to discuss mental health, and encouraging the benefits of therapy, you can help them take control of their anxiety. If you’re interested in finding out more about how therapy for teens can help, don’t hesitate to reach out and contact me.