Understanding Teen Anxiety: Breaking It Down into Thoughts, Emotions, Physical Sensations, and Behaviours

Author

Sasha Baldeosingh, MSc Mental Health Therapist at Lifelong Living Counselling Services

Anxiety can feel overwhelming, but breaking it down into its component parts can help us better manage it. In this post, we explore how thoughts, emotions, physical sensations, and behaviours all interplay in anxiety, and what you can do to support the teenager in your life who may be struggling. Click to read more below.

How does anxiety work?

Before we can manage anxiety, we need to understand it. In a previous post (can be found here) we explored how to know if a teen is experiencing anxiety. We also looked at the purpose anxiety serves. 

For this post, I want to look at a way we can break anxiety down, because many times it can feel like one big feeling. But in this feeling, there are thoughts, emotions, physical sensations, and behaviours that all can interconnect and respond to each other. 

For example, your teenager might be called on to answer a question in class, and she is unsure of the answer. She might think, "I don't know the answer!" and start to panic. This panic might make her start sweating, make her heart start beating fast. Let's say she responds that she does not know the answer. She might then think, "ugh, now everyone thinks I am dumb!" This thought might make her start to feel embarrassed, angry with herself, angry with the teacher, worry about what her peers might be thinking. With these thoughts and emotions coursing through her, she might then snap at the parent who asked how her day was. She might then lock herself in her room, feeling angry, sad, confused. And you can see how a negative cycle can begin? And how her thoughts can create emotions and behaviours, and vice versa. 

And it happens to us adults too! But sometimes, with teenagers, a lot of confusion comes along with these experiences due to not having ways to self-soothe and understand their emotions. 

So what can you as the adult in this teen's life do to help?

1. Enhance your own understanding of the inner workings of anxiety. That means understanding how thoughts, emotions, and behaviours interplay with each other. 
2. Pay attention. Do you see any of the signs mentioned in the previous post?
3. Do not assume the worst if your teen lashes out or isolates. Instead, show up for them. And this can be in a silent way. Many times when emotions are high, questions can be the most unproductive thing ever! Try, "I feel like you might be having a tough time with something. I want you to know that I am here if you need me." 
4. Acknowledge and validate their anxious feelings. Let them know you support them and never belittle their feeling. Instead, if you suspect your teen is having issues with anxiety, share resources with them. And let them know you are there to talk about the resources if they want to. 
5. Guide them through problem-solving skills. Teach them ways they can look at their anxiety and work through it (Sign up below for a FREE copy of understanding your thoughts, emotions, and behaviours worksheet)
6. Share your stories of anxiety! We all have had moments where we were nervous about something. Do not use your story to belittle their emotion; instead, use a story that will help them problem-solve.

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Anxiety can be a difficult experience to navigate, especially for teenagers who may not yet have the tools to self-soothe and understand their emotions. But by breaking it down and supporting teenagers in managing it, we can help them develop the tools they need to navigate this challenging emotion.