Written by: Lena Nguyen, Counselling Intern
Clinically reviewed by: Kim Kendall, RCC-ACS, BCRPT, SPT-S
Signs, Types, and When to Seek Support
Perhaps you’ve noticed that your teenager is avoiding school, experiencing frequent headaches, or worrying constantly about what might go wrong. Or maybe you’re an adult who finds yourself caught in worst-case-scenario thinking while also experiencing a racing heart, restlessness, or difficulty relaxing. Anxiety in teens and adults can look very different, but both may experience symptoms that begin to interfere with everyday life.
The way anxiety presents can vary from one person to another and may change as we move through different stages of life. As we explored in our previous blog post, anxiety is a normal part of being human. It can alert us to potential challenges, help us prepare for important events, and keep us safe. However, when anxiety becomes persistent, overwhelming, or begins to interfere with everyday life, additional support may be helpful.
Signs of Anxiety in Teenagers
Anxiety can show up in many ways during adolescence. While some symptoms overlap with adults, anxiety in teens may also appear through changes in behaviour, school performance, friendships, or family relationships.
You may notice that a teenager experiencing anxiety avoids school or activities. Other anxiety symptoms may include withdrawing from friends, having difficulty sleeping, frequently seeking reassurance, or avoiding situations that feel uncomfortable. They may also feel increasingly self-conscious, worry excessively, feel nervous or overwhelmed, or struggle with uncertainty.
Some teenagers may not describe themselves as feeling anxious at all. Instead, anxiety may appear as irritability, withdrawal, frustration, or perfectionism.
Anxiety also activates the body’s stress response and can create physical sensations such as a racing heart, headaches, stomach discomfort, or restlessness.
Signs of Anxiety in Adults
Adults can be affected by anxiety in many different ways including emotionally, physically, and behaviourally. You may notice anxiety through avoiding situations that trigger anxious feelings, having difficulty sleeping or slowing down, seeking reassurance, or spending significant amounts of time preparing for possible problems or worst-case scenarios. Other symptoms can include nervousness, restlessness, tension, difficulty controlling worry, panic, or difficulty concentrating because of racing thoughts. Anxiety may become more noticeable during periods of change or increased stress.
Because anxiety involves the body’s stress response, it can also create physical sensations such as increased heart rate, rapid breathing, fatigue, muscle tension, or headaches. Understanding the connection between anxiety, thoughts, emotions, and the body can be an important first step toward responding with greater awareness and compassion.
Common Types of Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety is a normal part of day-to-day life. However, someone may be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder when symptoms are persistent, excessive, difficult to control, and significantly interfere with daily functioning.
Social Anxiety Disorder
Social anxiety disorder involves an intense and ongoing fear of being judged, embarrassed, rejected, or negatively evaluated by others. Someone experiencing social anxiety may avoid social gatherings, speaking in front of others, meeting new people, or other situations where they feel watched or judged.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) involves persistent and excessive worry about a variety of everyday areas of life. Teenagers may worry about school, friendships, the future, or making mistakes, while adults may worry about work, relationships, finances, health, family, or other responsibilities.
Panic Disorder
Panic disorder involves recurrent and unexpected panic attacks along with ongoing concern about having additional attacks. A panic attack can involve an intense wave of fear or discomfort accompanied by physical symptoms such as a racing heart, difficulty breathing, dizziness, trembling, sweating, or stomach discomfort.
These are only a few examples. A qualified professional can help with assessment and diagnosis when appropriate.
When Should You Seek Help for Anxiety?
Experiencing anxiety from time to time does not necessarily mean that something is wrong. Anxiety is a natural human response. It may be time to consider seeking support when symptoms of anxiety in teens and adults become persistent, difficult to manage, or begin interfering with everyday life.
For teenagers, this might look like avoiding school, withdrawing from friends, no longer participating in activities they once enjoyed, frequent physical complaints, or increasing irritability and emotional overwhelm.
For adults, anxiety may begin to affect work, relationships, sleep, social activities, family life, or the ability to enjoy everyday activities.
If anxiety is becoming difficult to manage, speaking with your family doctor or another qualified healthcare professional can be a helpful place to begin.
Strategies for Managing Anxiety and Supporting Your Mental Health
Professional support can be an important part of managing anxiety, but there are also small steps you can take in everyday life.
Be Mindful of Caffeine
Caffeine can contribute to an increased heart rate, restlessness, and jitteriness. Pay attention to how your body responds and consider whether reducing your intake may be helpful.
Practice Relaxation Techniques
Making space for relaxation can help your body and mind shift out of a heightened state of stress. You might consider mindfulness, meditation, guided imagery, slow deep breathing, or progressive muscle relaxation.
Build a Supportive Care Team
If anxiety is beginning to interfere with your life, consider connecting with a healthcare or mental health professional. Your family doctor can help you understand your symptoms and discuss treatment options.
Anxiety counselling can provide a safe and supportive space to better understand what is happening and develop strategies for managing it. At Achieve Balance Counselling, we recognize that anxiety can affect your body, emotions, relationships, and sense of safety.
Our therapists use evidence-informed and attachment-focused approaches, tailoring counselling to the individual. Depending on the client’s needs, therapy may incorporate Somatic Attachment, EMDR, Neuroscience and Satir in the Sand Tray (NSST), Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), or other experiential and relational approaches. For children and youth, anxiety may also be explored through play therapy or other developmentally appropriate approaches.
Counselling may include awareness of body sensations and emotions, emotional regulation skills, and exploring patterns that contribute to anxiety. The goal is not simply to make anxiety disappear, but to develop understanding and new ways of responding when anxiety shows up.
What Are the Next Steps?
Anxiety is a normal part of being human. When worry begins to interfere with school, work, relationships, sleep, or the activities that matter to you, it may be time to reach out for additional support.
You do not have to wait until anxiety becomes unbearable before asking for help.
At Achieve Balance Counselling, our therapists provide individualized support for children, teens, adults, couples, and families experiencing anxiety. If anxiety symptoms have been making life more difficult lately, reaching out can be a meaningful first step. Learn more about counselling at Achieve Balance Counselling and how our team can support you or feel free to book an Intake Session with any of our counsellors.
References
- National Institute of Mental Health. Anxiety Disorders.
- National Institute of Mental Health. Generalized Anxiety Disorder: What You Need to Know.
- National Institute of Mental Health. Social Anxiety Disorder: What You Need to Know.
- National Institute of Mental Health. Panic Disorder: What You Need to Know.
- Anxiety & Depression Association of America. Treatment for Anxiety in Children.
- Canadian Mental Health Association. Children, Youth and Anxiety.
- BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute. Anxiety disorders in kids: What parents need to know.
About the Author
Lena Nguyen is a Counselling Intern at Achieve Balance Counselling who is passionate about supporting children, youth, adults, couples, and families. She is completing her Master of Arts in Couple and Family Therapy at Trinity Western University and has a special interest in helping clients build resilience, strengthen relationships, and navigate life’s challenges with compassion and evidence-informed care.
This article was clinically reviewed for accuracy by Kim Kendall, RCC-ACS, BCRPT, SPT-S, Founder & Clinical Director of Achieve Balance Counselling.