Teens & Anxiety Disorders

This is an extremely important topic because anxiety disorders are believed to affect up to 10% of children and teenagers. These children and teens may experience overwhelming distress, worry and fear that interfere with some or all aspects of their lives.

Here is a list of anxiety disorders. If you suspect that your child is struggling with any of these difficulties please consider getting a professional opinion.

1. Phobia: An overwhelming fear of a specific object or situation like school, animals, etc.
2. Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Experiencing anxiety in many situations and the reason for the anxiety is unclear.
3. Panic Disorder: Discrete episodes of panic also referred to as panic attacks during which the child or teen feels overwhelmed and frightened by physical symptoms such as difficulty breathing, rapid heartbeat and as a result the fear of losing control.
4. Obsessive -Compulsive Disorder: the child or teenager feels that something bad will happen if s/he doesn’t engage in repeated thoughts or behaviors such as reciting certain statements or engaging in excessive hand washing.
5. Post-Traumatic Stress disorder-PTSD: When teens or children have experienced or witnessed a traumatic event such as a death or an accident they may experience flashbacks, irritability, avoidance of certain situations and a heightened sense of vigilance.