SUN Behavioral Columbus Blog Post Advises How to Deal With Teen Anxiety

COLUMBUS, Ohio — SUN Behavioral Columbus, a mental health care provider, has published a new blog post titled "Here’s How You Can Help Your Teen Manage Anxiety" that discusses the causes of teen anxiety and possible solutions for managing it.

The blog post begins by asking parents to talk to their children and help them understand anxiety is a normal feeling in one’s teenage years. "It's important to not run away from or hide from these feelings," a SUN Columbus spokesperson said. Using coping techniques can ease the mental burden of anxiety and help one resume a normal life.

The most common causes of anxiety are believed to be genetics, stress, and the environment one is raised in. The most common anxiety disorders are generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and phobias. Generalized anxiety disorder is the excessive worry about everyday things like money, loved ones, and overall well-being. Panic disorder involves panic attacks, which are sudden bouts of extreme fear even when there’s nothing to be fearful of. Phobias are defined by an intense fear of something that usually isn’t dangerous.

The people at the most risk for anxiety disorders are those with personality traits like being shy or withdrawn, those with a family history of mental health disorders, people with thyroid problems or arrhythmia (irregular or abnormal heartbeat), and those who’ve suffered a traumatic experience. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), around 4.4 million children in the United States have been diagnosed with anxiety.

Teenagers can suffer from anxiety for a multitude of reasons such as stress due to grades or schoolwork, problems making friends, bullying, stigmas (negative and often unfair beliefs about something), violence, peer pressure, an unsafe neighborhood, applying for college, entering the workforce, balancing responsibilities, self-consciousness (feeling embarrassed, awkward, or ashamed), and even financial problems faced by their parents.

The blog post recommends parents maintain contact with their children, check in with them regularly, and refrain from being judgmental. Professional help should be sought if the teen is overwhelmed and shows signs of problems such as having trouble sleeping, being unable to relax, being unable to manage or stop worrying, having difficulty concentrating, displaying nervousness, and constant overthinking.

The blog post recommends cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to help teens discover deep-rooted psychological issues that are affecting their mental health. A licensed practitioner can also recommend medications to help teens better combat anxiety. Ongoing therapy sessions are recommended to help identify healthy ways of dealing with and managing emotional distress. SUN Behavioral uses a combination of both methods as part of its evidence-based adolescent therapy treatments. The center works to arrive at a plan that takes into consideration the patient’s needs and tackles their anxiety and possible depression from all angles.

SUN Behavioral Columbus can be contacted via their website or by calling (614) 706-2786. The center also offers treatment for adult mental health and substance use disorders, as well as telehealth services.