Teen Anxiety in High School

Podcast Episode Summary:

Over the last couple of years, there has been an increase in teenage anxiety and depression. Personally, we have seen the impact of this increase at the Center.  After seeing so many children and teens struggling with anxiety it is critical to prioritize:

•  Listening to a child or teen

• Understand all their needs

• Ensure that they have the words to communicate thoughts and emotions

Anxiety: is a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome. 

We all have anxiety at different times in our lives for different reasons. Anxiety is a normal response. When anxiety impacts one’s ability to perform daily life tasks and activities this is outside the healthy range.

Nick shares on the different skill podcast his experience with anxiety during his transition to high school.

Story: 

When did you notice anxiety was impacting your quality of life?

In my Freshman year of high school, I started at a new school. I had spent the last 8 years in a small elementary and middle school Bethany Christian School. My graduating middle school class was 20 kids. I was entering a freshman class of 200 students.  I was very concerned with fitting in and making new friends. Two of my friends came with me to Calvary which provided some ease and needed support.

I really wanted to succeed socially but my anxiety would stop me from meeting people.  The anxiety was impacting my quality of life. I was constantly overthinking just saying hi to peers. I would be nervous and uneasy. I would wonder how I looked to other people. I would stay in this loop overthinking the interaction till I froze.

What did you do first? 

I got tired of freezing up and not taking action. I wanted to meet people and have a successful social life. I decided to start to take small steps by:

·      Identify different ways that I could meet people

• joined track team: teams and clubs make the school smaller

·      Approach peers that were in my classes

·      Challenge myself to go up to someone new at lunch and sit with them

How would you avoid the overthinking loop that led to freeze mode?

•  Focus on acting vs. thinking

  • small steps

• Positive self-talk

What else did you do?

Share my struggle with my family.  Sharing makes you feel better and you discover you are not the only one that is struggling. Sought advice from my older sister. She struggled with anxiety all throughout elementary school and high school freshman year was a big transition for her as well. Gaby inspired me she was courageous and would go to school social events on her own.  Gaby was solution-focused she would make a plan and then act. Her approach was small steps as well.

One of my classes was strength and conditioning. This class ignited my interest in weightlifting. In middle school, I boxed and did calisthenics. Boxing was an outlet for my stress and anxiety. With this new level of stress and anxiety, I needed something more intense. The weightlifting really helped me cope and release the stress. It also built my confidence and improve my physical appearance.    The gym at my school was also a very social place, I was able to make new friends with a shared interests.