Because adolescence is a time of mood swings and angry outbursts followed by tearful withdrawals, it is very difficult to tell if your teenager is just being a typical adolescent or if their behavior is indicative of a bigger problem. Quite often, anxiety disorders in children and teenagers are overlooked. This can be a dangerous oversight as overly anxious teenagers turn into overanxious adults, or even more seriously, the specter of depression and suicide loom large.

Why is it that some teenagers are prone to anxiety while others are more carefree? There are a lot of reasons which can be separated into:

1. Psychological – When a teenager is unable to cope with the changes in their bodies and the challenges of adolescent life, they become over anxious. This can also be a learned behavior from a close relative as studies have found that about 50% of people suffering from an anxiety disorder have a family member who suffers also. This leads us to the second cause.

2.Genetic – Scientists have been unable to pinpoint exactly to what degree anxiety is a learned response because of a role model or to what extent one is genetically programmed to timidity and anxiety. There is, however, evidence which supports the hypothesis that both factors are responsible.

3. Biological – Studies have shown that abnormal functioning in some parts of the brain are common to those who suffer from anxiety disorders; specifically,  norepinephrine, serotonin, and GABA.

4. Medical – Before an anxiety disorder is diagnosed, tests must first rule out the involvement of medical conditions such as cardiovascular disease, lung disease, some types of tumor, thyroid problems, infections, and neurologic disease.

All adolescents worry about something – school, their appearance, acceptance by their peers, their future. But what is a normal level of anxiety and what is an unhealthy level? Probably the best yardstick to use is whether anxiety is interfering with your child’s life to the extent that once-routine activities are things of the past.

There are two components to anxiety disorders – physical symptoms and behavioral problems. The physical symptoms include nausea, sweating, headaches, diarrhea, stomach pains, high blood pressure and heart palpitations. Behavioral problems manifest themselves in uncharacteristic and negative actions.

For example, are they skipping school? Are they doing badly in class? Are they staying in all the time whereas in the past they hung out with their friends? Do they think that if their work or appearance is not perfect, they won’t be accepted – which leads to obsessive checking and re-checking? Do you suspect they drink alcohol, smoke or take drugs?

Teenagers suffering from an anxiety disorder find they cannot concentrate on their schoolwork,  find it more difficult to make decisions and perceive their environment in a different way than they used to.

There are six types of anxiety disorders; not all of which are usually found in children and teenagers. More common to pre-teens and teens are Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), social anxiety disorder and panic disorder. Depression often goes hand-in-hand with these conditions, especially in adolescents.