Perhaps your child seems the most on-edge and tense when it comes to school-related tasks. For example, your child may display perfectionism, rewriting sentences over and over or requesting new, clean worksheets that likely are not available. Although your child or teen may devote a great deal of time to their studies, the results don’t seem to match their efforts. Are they falling behind in their classes and struggling to get along with their peers? Do they dread going to school so much that they claim to be ill yet don’t have observable symptoms?

Have you noticed compulsive behavior, like excessive hand washing, rechecking things or counting or ordering objects in very specific ways? Maybe your child worries about things outside their control, like the weather, natural disasters or hypothetical situations.

It’s also possible that your child has begun complaining about real health concerns. Anxiety disorders in children and teens can also lead to physical issues, such as stomach problems, headaches, sweating, irregular sleeping patterns, nightmares and more.

At this point, it may be alarming to watch your child become physically distressed, as well as miss out on the many opportunities and activities going on around them. As a parent, you want them to succeed and feel comfortable spending time with friends, relatives and schoolmates. Most of all, you want them to tackle life’s challenges and cherish its joys.

Anxiety In Teens And Children Is Very Common

If your child or teen seems to be exhibiting anxiety symptoms, they are certainly not alone. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, an estimated 31.9 percent of adolescents were diagnosed with an anxiety disorder last year.

It is important to remember that anxiety is something we all experience. Worry and fear are normal, adaptive responses that alert us to danger. In this day and age, healthy anxiety looks like preparing for a test or completing tasks on time. Anxiety becomes a problem when it’s triggered even when no actual danger or pressure is present.

The human body and brain can get stuck in repetitive anxious thoughts and behaviors. Our habits actually shape brain functioning, carving out neural pathways that teach our minds how to act and react. Think of carving neural pathways like sledding down fresh snow. The more you sled down the hill, the more formed the path becomes. The more formed the path, the more likely your sled is to follow it. Habitual behaviors work similarly. In other words, the more anxiety you experience, the more that anxiety response is triggered.

Kids these days encounter a ton of stress. Academic demands on children and parents are higher than ever. Major life events, such as a move, marriage, divorce, new sibling, loss of a loved one or something else can also trigger anxiety. That means it’s easier than ever for children and teens to get stuck in anxious habits that don’t serve them.

The good news is that neural pathways can be reformed. There are effective ways to deal with stressful life events. It’s possible for your child to break out of anxious habits and develop more calming, balanced ways of moving through their lives.