If your teen has been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, you are likely feeling a range of emotions. It can be difficult to understand how to best support your teen through anxiety. Fortunately, there are a number of strategies and techniques that can help a teenager cope with their anxiety and make it more manageable. Let’s take a look at some of these tips.
Ways to Support Your Teen Through Anxiety
As a parent, it’s difficult to see your child struggle with anxiety. Anxiety can be a debilitating condition that can impact every aspect of your child’s life. However, as a parent, there are things that you can do to support your child through their anxiety.
Teach Coping Skills
One of the most effective ways to help a child manage their anxiety is by teaching them coping skills. These techniques can help them self-soothe when they experience overwhelming emotions or situations. Examples of coping skills include deep breathing exercises, progressive muscle relaxation, self-talk, mindfulness meditation, problem-solving activities, physical exercise, journaling, and creative expressions such as drawing or painting. Encouraging your child to explore which activities work best for them will help them identify the tools they need when feeling anxious or stressed out.
Creating Routines & Structures
Another way to support your child is by creating routines and structures in their lives. This will provide consistency and create boundaries that can help reduce stress and anxiety levels. An effective routine might include regular mealtimes and bedtimes, daily chores that need to be completed each day, set times for homework or studying, etc.
Additionally, creating structure in terms of how tasks or activities should be accomplished can also be helpful for teens who struggle with anxiety; for example, breaking down larger tasks into smaller steps can make them seem more manageable and less overwhelming. By creating routines and instructions you are showing you will support your teen through anxiety.
Educate Yourself
The first step in supporting your child through their anxiety is to educate yourself about the condition. Learn about the symptoms, triggers, and treatment options. Understanding anxiety can help you better understand your child’s experiences and needs.
Validate Their Feelings
It’s important to validate your child’s feelings and let them know that what they are experiencing is real and valid. Let them know that it’s okay to feel anxious and that you are there to support them. Avoid minimizing their feelings or telling them to “just calm down.”
Create a Safe Space
Create a safe space for your child to express their feelings and emotions without judgment. Let them know that they can come to you when they are feeling overwhelmed or anxious. Create a routine that provides structure and predictability to their day, which can help to alleviate some of their anxiety. This is a great way to support your teen through anxiety.
Practice Relaxation Techniques
Teach your child relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing or progressive muscle relaxation, which can help them manage their anxiety. Encourage them to practice these techniques regularly, even when they are not feeling anxious so that they become a part of their daily routine. Mindfulness activities are a great thing for teens to learn to utilize.
Anxiety disorders are complex conditions that require patience and understanding from both parents and youth alike. It’s important to remember that everyone copes differently with stress and anxiety; what works for one person may not work for another.
However, by teaching your teen coping skills while providing routine and structure in their lives you are giving them the tools they need to better manage their condition going forward. As always if you have any concerns at all about your child’s mental health please do not hesitate to contact a professional who specializes in these areas!