Anxiety in Adolescents During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Today’s children and teens are battling myriad pressures from friends, parents, school, society and social media. The result is a widespread struggle with anxiety.
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), 1 in 3 Americans ages 13 to 18 will experience an anxiety disorder. It affects teens of every gender, race and socioeconomic status — and it’s only getting worse. Data from the National Survey of Children’s Health published in the Journal of Development Behavioral Pediatrics shows that between 2007 and 2012 researchers found a 20% increase in the diagnosis of anxiety amongst the age group, making it the leading mental health issue they face.
The uncertainty brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic is only compounding the struggle for many adolescents. Forty-two percent of teens said that they feel “more lonely than usual” right now, according to a recent poll conducted by Common Sense Media and SurveyMonkey. In addition, slightly more than half of the teens surveyed who are not attending school in-person said they are worried about not being able to keep up with their schoolwork.
“42% of teens feel ‘more lonely than usual’ while living through the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Left untreated, this can result in more significant mental health challenges, including depression. If anxious symptoms are not handled properly during this time you may see lingering anxiety in your child when the pandemic is over, said Meghan Welch, PMHNP-BC, a nurse practitioner at Right Track Medical Group. To help their children manage anxiety during this period of extreme stress Welch offers these five tips.
Understand the symptoms. To help your child manage their anxiety, you must first know what the signs are. “Everyone reacts differently to stress,” Welch said. “But parents know their child more than anyone else.” According to Welch, symptoms include:
Excessive crying
Increased irritability
Excessive worry or sadness
Unhealthy eating or sleeping habits
Behaviors that you would describe as “acting out”
Being easily distracted
Avoidance of activities previously enjoyed
Unexplained headaches or stomach aches or other body pains
Understand their struggle. If your child is experiencing symptoms of anxiety, it is important that you acknowledge their feelings, actively listen to their feelings, validate their feelings and offer realistic ways to cope with what is going on, Welch said. “Answer questions and share facts in moderation,” she adds. “Then reassure your child that they are safe, but that it is completely normal to be upset or fearful.”
Set an example. “Recognize that adolescents react to stressful situations much like their parents,” Welch said. “If parents are very anxious, their children will see that. If their parents act in a calm, cool and rational manner, adolescents will see that as well.” For parents that are feeling the stress, Welch added that it can be helpful to explain — when appropriate — to your children how you are managing your stress or uncertainties.
Maintain a routine. “One of the best ways to combat anxiety is to try to keep a schedule and stick to it as best as possible,” Welch said. This establishes a sense of normalcy that many children and teens are now missing. “Your schedule may include spending time outdoors, exercising, using technology to connect to friends and relatives.” Your child or teen’s routine should also include healthy habits such as getting enough sleep, eating healthy meals and engaging in exercise.
Seek professional help if necessary. If your child’s anxiety begins to interfere with their daily life for several days in a row, it’s time to seek professional help, Welch said.