According to experts, teen anxiety is at an all-time high and continues to increase. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) reports that teens have higher anxiety levels than adults. 19% of American adults suffered from an anxiety disorder in the last year, compared to 32% of teens. Additionally, teenage girls suffer from anxiety disorders more than any other group (38%). At Imagine Nampa, we provide comprehensive adolescent treatment programs in Idaho for teens ages 12-17, including anxiety disorder treatment.
Imagine Nampa is part of the Northpoint family of treatment centers. We provide holistic, evidence-based care to help teens develop skills and strategies to manage symptoms and heal from mental disorders. Contact our team at 888.503.4604 to learn how we can help your teen and family.
Types of Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety is the most common mental health disorder but is also most responsive to treatment. There are five distinct classifications of anxiety disorders:
- Generalized anxiety disorder
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder
- Panic disorder
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Social anxiety disorder
Occasional stress and anxiety are a normal part of life that everyone will experience at different times. Persistent or chronic fear or worry lasting for six months or longer are trademarks of anxiety disorders.
Signs Your Teen Needs Anxiety Disorder Treatment
Adolescence can be a stressful time for teens and parents alike. Many teens who experience anxiety lack the tools to cope in healthy ways. Unfortunately, the teen years often involve emotional instability and moodiness. Therefore, it can be difficult for parents or teens to distinguish between everyday teen angst and an actual anxiety disorder.
Parents should educate themselves about the symptoms of anxiety, which can include physical, emotional, and behavioral signs. These symptoms include but are not limited to:
- Frequent complaints of headaches or stomachaches
- Being irritable or easily agitated
- Sleep disturbances including insomnia and nightmares
- Increased isolation or avoidance of social situations
- Difficulties at school such as falling grades, getting in trouble, or skipping classes
- Persistently talking about worries or fears
- Constantly moving, fidgeting, or being unable to concentrate or focus
If your teen complains about being stressed or anxious, you should take it seriously. Minimizing teen stress and anxiety is a mistake that can have short- and long-term consequences. An outpatient adolescent anxiety treatment program in Nampa, ID, offers a safe, supportive environment where teens can get help.
The Benefits of an Adolescent Anxiety Treatment Program
Teens who suffer from clinical anxiety will encounter challenges in their daily lives that impact their social, academic, and home functioning. Teens suffering from anxiety often do so in silence, believing that they are the only ones experiencing these feelings. It is critical to let teens know that anxiety is common, help is available, and they do not have to suffer from anxiety forever.
Untreated anxiety can lead to more significant problems. Chronic stress and anxiety have both short-and long-term mental and physical consequences. Without the tools and skills needed to cope with chronic anxiety, many teens turn to drugs and alcohol to relieve their symptoms, putting them at higher risk of developing a co-occurring substance use disorder.
An adolescent anxiety treatment program provides benefits, including:
- Peer and community connections – Loneliness and isolation are significant contributors to teen anxiety. In treatment, teens benefit from peer support, inclusion in the community, and relationship-building skills that will aid them in the long term.
- Tools to manage anxiety – Learning to recognize triggers, practicing emotional regulation, and reframing techniques are tools that can provide symptom relief right away and in the future.
- Healing trauma – Teen anxiety is often related to childhood, acute, or ongoing trauma. Processing underlying trauma is critical to overcoming anxiety.
- Co-occurring disorder treatment – The presence of other mental health issues, including substance use disorders, eating disorders, self-harm, and depression, are common in teens with anxiety. It is essential to treat these simultaneously.
Anxiety impacts everyone differently depending upon their unique makeup and experiences. An effective adolescent anxiety treatment program in Nampa, ID, will be tailored to meet your teen’s individual needs.
Call Imagine Nampa for Support Today
Social media, peer pressure, identity issues, academic pressure, active shooter drills, COVID-19, and trauma contribute to the higher rates of teen anxiety today. Untreated anxiety and other mental health disorders have severe ramifications for our nation’s youth both now and in the future. At Imagine Nampa, we are committed to serving the mental health needs of adolescents ages 12-17 and their families.
We offer a range of evidence-based, holistic treatment modalities, including:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)
- Crisis intervention
- Trauma therapy
- Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)
- Mindfulness and meditation
- Art and music therapy
- Interpersonal therapy
If you are concerned about your teen’s anxiety, we are here to help. Contact our team using our secure online form or calling 888.503.4604.