Teen Anxiety

Remuda Ranch
Remuda Ranch

Today, most people know that adolescent girls can fall victim to an eating disorder. What is perhaps less well known is the high prevalence of co-occurring disorders that are present when a teen has anorexia or bulimia. A co-occurring disorder is a secondary psychiatric problem that happens simultaneously. In teens with eating disorders, depression is the most common co-occurring disorder, with anxiety coming in a close second. This article focuses on anxiety.

To those in the treatment field, anxiety disorders are not necessarily surprising, simply due to the high occurrence in the overall population. Currently, anxiety disorders are the most commonly diagnosed psychiatric illnesses in young people, with about 13% of all children and adolescents ages 9 to 17 experiencing some kind of anxiety disorder. This number translates into four to five million individuals. As with many psychiatric issues, the prevalence of anxiety is higher in girls than boys.

It is important for everyone, especially parents, to know what an anxiety disorder is and what it is not. If a girl is anxious about standing up in front of the class and giving a speech, or a teen gets a case of “butterflies” before a big exam, this is not a disorder. This is simply the basic nervousness we've all come to expect with certain situations. However, if a child is so anxious about interacting with her peers that she is unable to attend school, or she absolutely refuses to leave home or get on an elevator because it is too terrifying, this should be considered a red flag. In other words, it is all a matter of degree. When anxiety graduates from a feeling of mild discomfort to complete irrational panic; when the fear is so great that she begins avoiding people and situations and her functioning is impaired, something is definitely wrong.

Anxiety disorders encompass a broad range of issues. Some of these include: obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD); panic disorder; specific phobia; social anxiety disorder; separation anxiety disorder; and generalized anxiety disorder.

Anxiety disorders in the young are often triggered by life-changing events or extreme stressors. Entering middle school, or going from middle school to high school, are examples of such high-stress times. Considering that puberty, with all its physical and hormonal changes, occurs about this time, conditions would be rife for a full-blown anxiety disorder to take hold.

Many parents are baffled as to why young people today are getting these types of psychiatric disorders. The causes are varied. There is a genetic component, which means if a parent suffers from anxiety, this predisposition can be passed onto their child, both genetically and through modeling behavior. The lifestyle in America is also a contributing factor. Years ago, there was so much more physical activity at home and school; children would run around at recess and play in the back yard after school. People walked more. Today, with computers, television, and cars, children are far more sedentary, which means they expend less energy in a healthy fashion. Also, the stress placed on young people regarding appearance and achievement is much higher than in years past.

Warning signs do exist as to whether a child may be a good candidate for a future anxiety disorder. These are such behaviors as an extreme reluctance to separate from a parent to visit friends or relatives or when it is time to enter school, and frequent stomach aches that necessitate returning home when the child is at school or involved in social engagements with peers. In situations such as this, the best course of action for the parent is to encourage the child or teen to not return home, but to see it through. Helping a child to successfully face her fears will help her gain confidence. Rescuing a child and allowing her to escape only reinforces the avoidance behavior. The end result is that when the next potentially frightening event occurs, instead of attending and risking negative feelings, she just won't go.

If you have a child, or know of an adolescent girl who is struggling with anxiety, please get help. If left untreated, anxiety can evolve into a crippling illness; but with treatment she can go on to live a healthy and productive life. For additional information or to find out about Remuda's Anxiety Disorders Program, call 1-800-445-1900 today.