Watching your teenager struggle with anxiety can leave you feeling worried, helpless and unsure about what to do. You may notice changes in their sleep, mood, school performance, friendships or willingness to participate in activities. Or your teen may appear to be doing fine while privately dealing with persistent worry.
13% of teens have clinically significant mental health problems, globally
Anxiety is a normal human emotion. It can help us respond to challenges and potential threats. It becomes more concerning when worry or fear is persistent, overwhelming or begins to interfere with everyday life, relationships, school or activities.
Research suggests that a complex combination of biological, social and environmental factors influences adolescent anxiety. A identified academic pressure, social media and digital technology, family dynamics, extracurricular demands and broader societal uncertainty among factors that may contribute to anxiety in adolescents.
For parents, the goal isn鈥檛 to make every anxious feeling disappear. Instead, it鈥檚 to help your teenager feel heard and supported while knowing when professional help is needed.
When a teenager tells you they鈥檙e anxious, saying 鈥淭here鈥檚 nothing to worry about鈥� may be intended to reassure them, but it can make them feel that their concerns aren鈥檛 being understood. A more helpful approach is to listen without judgment and ask what kind of support they want.
Try questions such as:
You don鈥檛 need to have all the answers. Your role isn鈥檛 to become your teenager鈥檚 therapist. It鈥檚 to create an environment where they know they don鈥檛 have to manage everything alone.
Anxiety doesn鈥檛 always look like someone saying, 鈥淚鈥檓 anxious.鈥� Parents may instead notice withdrawal from friends or family, changes in sleep or eating, declining school performance, loss of interest in activities, irritability, low energy or persistent worrying.
One change doesn鈥檛 necessarily mean a teenager has an anxiety disorder. The more important question is whether changes are persistent, severe or interfering with everyday life.
If you鈥檙e concerned, talk with your teen and consider connecting with a family doctor, nurse practitioner, counsellor or other .
Anxiety can lead young people to avoid situations that make them uncomfortable. While avoiding something may provide short-term relief, ongoing avoidance can also interfere with school, friendships and everyday activities.
Rather than forcing your teen into a situation they鈥檙e afraid of, work with them to understand what鈥檚 behind the anxiety and what support they need. Professional treatment can help young people develop appropriate coping strategies.
Teenagers may worry about upsetting or burdening their parents. Calmly communicating, 鈥淚鈥檓 here, and we鈥檒l figure out what support you need,鈥� can be reassuring.
Anxiety can affect thoughts, emotions, physical sensations and behaviour. According to mental health resources from , possible symptoms include excessive worry, difficulty concentrating, restlessness, irritability, sleep difficulties, muscle tension and physical sensations such as a racing heart, shortness of breath or nausea.
You might notice:
Anxiety symptoms can occur occasionally without indicating an anxiety disorder. However, if anxiety is causing significant distress or interfering with your teenager鈥檚 daily life, professional assessment can help determine what鈥檚 happening and what support may be appropriate.
The return to school can bring a major shift in routine. Earlier mornings, homework, tests, extracurricular commitments and social expectations can all create additional pressure.
For some teenagers, the social side of school can be particularly challenging. They may worry about fitting in, being judged, academic performance, friendships or speaking in front of others. Research examining adolescent anxiety has identified academic pressure and social factors among contributors to anxiety in this age group.
Parents can start the conversation before school begins.
Instead of asking, 鈥淎re you ready for school?鈥�, try:
This can make it easier for your teen to talk about concerns before they become overwhelming.
If the concern involves school, consider whether a teacher, guidance counsellor or another trusted school professional could help. The goal is to help them feel supported while they navigate change.
Science shows that everyday factors impact mental health. For parents looking for additional ways to support their teen鈥檚 mental health, consider creating a home environment that includes safe spaces that encourage healthy lifestyle habits, such as physical activity, time in nature, and nutrition.
Physical activity is one area worth exploring. A found exercise training was associated with a moderate reduction in anxiety symptoms among children and adolescents. The analysis included different forms of exercise, including aerobic activity, strength and conditioning, aerobic games, and yoga. The evidence is still developing, particularly in young people receiving treatment for anxiety.
For parents, this doesn鈥檛 have to mean another item on an already busy schedule. Walking the dog, cycling, swimming, playing a sport, hiking or simply getting outside together can make movement part of everyday life.
Nature may offer another accessible way to support stress management. reports that spending at least 20 to 30 minutes immersed in a natural setting was associated with the greatest drop in cortisol, a hormone involved in the body鈥檚 stress response.
Other research on adolescent anxiety also points to and access to green space as potentially beneficial for mental health.
It can be as simple as taking a walk through a local park, sitting outside without a phone, or planning a weekend hike.
Nutrition can be one piece of the larger picture when supporting adolescent mental health, but there鈥檚 no special anxiety diet – instead research shows overall diet quality is important.
A review published in Nutrients examined 19 studies on diet and adolescent mental health. Overall, healthier dietary patterns were generally associated with better mental health outcomes, although the evidence was not strong enough to show that diet directly prevents or treats anxiety. The research suggests that overall diet quality may matter more than focusing on individual nutrients or supplements.
For parents, this means encouraging a balanced eating pattern that includes a variety of nutritious foods, such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains and protein-rich foods, without making food another source of stress or pressure.
, and possibly , may be nutrients that play a supportive role in adolescents. In adolescents, there is little research on safety or dosage of ashwagandha, but research on is interesting and suggests a possible supportive role in anxiety in adolescents.
You don鈥檛 have to wait for a crisis before asking for help.
If anxiety is persistent, worsening or interfering with school, relationships, sleep or everyday activities, talk with a healthcare professional. Evidence-based treatments for anxiety are available, and getting support early can be an important step.
If your teenager is in immediate danger or experiencing a mental health emergency, seek emergency medical care.
Supporting a teenager鈥檚 mental health can be an opportunity to learn more about the connections between nutrition, lifestyle, physical activity, environment and overall well-being.
The 蘑菇视频app (CSNN) offers education for people who want to develop their knowledge of holistic nutrition, whether for personal interest, family health or a professional career. Learn practical and science-based holistic health strategies that emphasize understanding individual needs rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach.
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