Staring from our tiny-tot years, we all begin to experience some form of worry. Whether Billy will give back your ball or if your mom will pick you up today, these examples are classified within the most minor forms of anxiety. In today's society, teens everywhere face pressure and trivial drama that often results in endless hours of nervousness. While most teens brush it off, others may experience the more serious side of their worries. Teen anxiety, caused by phobias and parental expectations, is a growing problem within our generation that should be taken more seriously, as it can have many negative effects on an individual's future.
With the experience of teenagers changing considerably over the past 30-40 years, their problems change along with it. Although teen anxiety may have not been a serious or big problem in the past, it has crept up on our generation and nestled itself comfortably into many teenage lives. The National Institute of Mental Health states that while 8% of teens are diagnosed with anxiety, 18%-20% fly under the radar and remain undiagnosed. This is significantly larger compared to the 3% of teens from 1970-1990, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. Most are unaware of the growing problem, as it seems either uncommon or unimportant. We must learn not to mistake ordinary worries for anxiety and vice versa.
As stated before, an undiagnosed anxiety disorder can be sorely misconceived as an ordinary worry taken overboard. This common misinterpretation has lead many into thinking that teen anxiety, or anxiety in general, is not serious and should not be taken seriously. Parents of teens are the majority of who believe that their child is just going through a phase, and it shouldn't be anything to worry about. Meanwhile, they're unconsciously pressuring their kids to do good, or better in school. As most teens continue throughout high school, obstacles and problems are evident, such as parental expectations and common phobias. Parental expectations, a regular part of a student's life, may sometimes be overbearing and cause a majority of their stress. Children are constantly looking for parental approval and support, both of which can be gained by satisfying expectations set. Disappointment may seem normal to some, but terrifying and horrible to others. This can trigger panic attacks, a more general form of anxiety. Panic attacks can be described as dizziness and light headedness, along with flashing vision, nausea, tingling sensations, shortness of breath and/or chest pain, and the feeling of being closed in. Most parents don't want to freak their kids out on purpose, although they are oblivious. Compared to "major" mental disorders, such as schizophrenia or depression, anxiety is usually categorized as a "sub-disorder," or a smaller part of the major disorders. In reality, anxiety alone is a major disorder that more should pay attention to. According to the Discovery Channel, anxiety disorders are one of the top 10 diagnosed mental disorders in America. Even though anxiety can be triggered by insignificant events, such as not meeting parental expectations or failing a test, they may have a substantial impact on a teen's current state and future.
Without proper diagnosis and treatment, anxiety, in the most crucial part of our lives- our high school years- could ruin teens for the rest of their days. Anxiety not only takes a toll on your mental health, but your physical health as well. Due to phobias, constantly worrying and being on guard means a lack of sleep and relaxation; what all humans crave and need. Phobias, such as being afraid of the dark, social interaction, or the number 13, play a big role in anxiety. Based on a Gallup poll, the fear of failure was ranked number four in a survey of top 10 teen fears in America. Failure can be anything from a bad grade on a test to not getting on the football team and anything in between. Adding to that, because everyone has as different definition of failure, it can also mean getting on the team but not the position you wanted, or getting a B instead of an A. Little things such as those can trigger panic attacks or immense terror in a person. An Oregon Live study states that five times as many high school and college students are dealing with anxiety and other mental health issues that youth of the same age who were studied in the Great Depression era. With an anxiety disorder and the phobia of failure, the need for perfection is greater than the average student, and would study until satisfied. Not having enough sleep that night could lead to different situations, some being exhaustion and not having the ability to focus. There's no telling how much this could affect the student's future, on all aspects of their life.
Teen anxiety, caused by phobias and parental expectations, is a growing problem within our generation that should be taken more seriously, as it can have many negative effects on an individual's future. Whether it be worrying about an upcoming test or acceptance of your peers, take a bit of extra time to asses yourself and your nervousness.
I found this to be a very interesting topic, having lived through what I like to call "teenage angst" and now being the parent of a teen. Your ideas about the subject are good, and your points seem to support your viewpoints.
ReplyDeleteI found the paragraphs to be too long with too many points being made; it was sometimes difficult to ascertain WHICH point was the MAIN point. Perhaps shorter paragraphs would have been more effective.
I think introducing some examples, or even case-studies, would have added to the efficacy of this article, and would provide the reader with tell-tale signs of how to determine whether the teen has an anxiety disorder or not.
I really liked the last paragraph as it tied everything together in a succinct manner.