It’s really hard to be an adolescent and teenager today. Anxiety in adolescents and teens is on the rise. School workloads are demanding. Sports and other extracurricular activities require more and more time. There is greater competition to do well in these areas and our children are feeling the increased stress. Adolescents and teenagers are having a difficult time managing the demands of life and may require more support during this time. Often, parents are also working and traveling more and can’t provide the extra support that’s needed. This is where counseling can help.
Anxiety in this age group can often present as anger, sadness or moodiness and irritability, feelings that parents often struggle with supporting. To make it even harder, these kids are often unable to recognize that these feelings are related to anxiety even though it is the anxiety triggering these behaviors.
Counseling can help give adolescents and teens the concrete skills to help manage their time, their feelings and their frustrations. It can help give them perspective – seeing the world in a bigger way which will help make the day to day seem a little easier. Counseling can also give adolescents and teens the skills to better communicate their needs. As most parents know, adolescents and teens can have a hard time relating to their parents and counseling can give them another outlet. It is often easier for them to talk to an adult other than a parent to work through some of their feelings as well as build their confidence and communication skills to advocate and express themselves appropriately to their peers and adults.
It can also be helpful during this time for parents to meet alone and with their adolescent or teen to work on strategies to manage the anxiety at home. Parent coaching can be helpful for both parent and child to improve the relationship as well as minimize conflict at home. It can relieve stress for both of you.
Aimée Muth, LCSW is a therapist practicing in Old Greenwich. For more information, go to: www.aimeemuthlcsw.com.