Anxiety treatment is effective. Whether you get nervous in specific situations or you’re always worried, you can find treatment that helps you feel better. But the benefits don’t stop there, treatment can also help you learn how to manage your anxiety so you can get back to enjoying life.
How does anxiety affect you?
While you will have some things in common with other people who have it, the way you experience anxiety is different from anyone else. You can feel anxious about anything. Your grades, your performance during the big game, how you fit in with others, the state of the world, and even getting into a car to drive to work—these are all valid reasons for being anxious. How your anxiety affects you will be part of what determines which type of anxiety condition you might be diagnosed with.
You probably notice anxiety getting in the way of a lot of the things you like to do. Being nervous about being judged by others—even your friends—might keep you from going out. Test anxiety might have your stomach in knots and on the verge of tears for days before a big exam. Panic attacks might sneak up on you unannounced, leaving you feeling like you’re spiraling, even unable to breathe.
Types of anxiety
- Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) – Constant, overwhelming anxiety about pretty much everything
- Social anxiety disorder – Fear and nervousness about being around others, including being judged or embarrassed in social situations
- Panic disorder – Regular panic attacks interrupt life suddenly, causing a fast heart rate, shortness of breath, and even feelings of dying
- Specific phobias – Being severely afraid of certain things or situations, like flying, animals, or heights
- Other mental health – Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and other mental health conditions—even depression—can also cause anxiety
Looking for help for your anxiety is okay
Whether you’ve been living with anxiety for a while and feel like you’ve gotten used to it or you just had your first anxiety attack, looking for help is okay. You don’t have to struggle with it alone or just live with it. In fact, not addressing it can make it worse.
Your brain and body know when you’re stressed out; that’s what makes you feel bad when you have anxiety. Over time, stress and anxiety take a toll on you, affecting how you think, your ability to handle even minor challenges, and your relationships with your friends and family. Anxiety treatment can teach you how to cope with anxiety so that you’re able to do the things you enjoy and keep up with all of your responsibilities without feeling like you’re being held back.
What an anxiety treatment plan might look like
Treatment for your anxiety will be personalized to you because your experience with it is your own—no one else’s.
Therapies for anxiety
Some talk therapy—also called psychotherapy—methods have been proven to help many people with anxiety, including teens. These are called “evidence-based” therapies and will make up a large part of treatment. You might engage in these therapies in one-on-one sessions with a therapist, in groups with other teens, and even with your family.
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) – Teaches you how to recognize when you start to feel anxious and how you can cope with it before it gets out of control
- Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) – Helps you learn how to regulate your emotions and handle stress better, including with mindfulness exercises
- Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) – Teaches you how to accept that there are things you can’t change—including anxious feelings—so you can learn to live with them instead of fighting them
Creativity and experiential outlets
Sometimes, you won’t have the words you need to talk about how you feel. Plus, once you learn to identify your anxiety, you’ll need some outlets to help you deal with it—including some that don’t involve just talking about it. Different experiential therapies are used during treatment, giving you space to practice something new that can also help you express how you feel.
- Expressive arts therapy – Sculpting clay, painting portraits, and drawing can get your thoughts out of your head and into the world without trying to find the words to talk about them
- Music therapy – Listening to music, creating playlists, and even studying lyrics can be relaxing—it can also be therapeutic
- Equine therapy – Working with horses gives you a chance to connect with a gentle, caring animal, which can be soothing and allow you to process your emotions
- Exercise – Moving your body can be great for releasing energy, including the anxious kind, while also improving your physical health
Medications
For many teens, medication can be a safe, effective part of anxiety treatment. You’ll be able to work closely with a psychiatric provider—someone who has gone to medical school and specialized in mental health treatment—to find out if medication could be right for you. If it is, they’ll help you find a balance between medication and therapy to help you manage your symptoms while finding joy in the things you love again.
Teen anxiety disorder treatment at Family First
We know it’s tough to reach out for help, but your mental health is worth it. At Family First, we provide adolescent anxiety treatment and support for other mental health conditions. When you get help from our team, we’ll get to know you, how anxiety affects your life, and what you are looking forward to in the future. That way, we can create a personalized plan that works for you.
On top of treatment, we’ll also provide academic support so you can stay on track or even get ahead. We can also help you make a plan for what you want to do after graduation with our college, career readiness, and professional development tracks. Plus, we’ll work closely with your parents to help them understand more about what you’re going through and how they can support you. So, talk to someone about getting help for your anxiety—your mental health is worth it.