As a parent, watching your teen boy navigate adolescence can be both rewarding and challenging. If your son is struggling with anxiety, it can be particularly distressing. You may feel helpless, unsure of how to support him, and worried about the long-term effects of his mental health struggles.
With the right support and treatment, teen boys can learn to manage their anxiety effectively, allowing them to thrive both emotionally and socially. In this article, we’ll share why it can be difficult to recognize anxiety in teen boys and what signs you can look for as a parent. We’ll also share effective coping strategies and why treatment with a mental health professional might be the best option for your teen long term.
What You’ll Learn
- How many teen boys are dealing with anxiety?
- In what ways to adolescent boys show signs of anxiety?
- What are some healthy coping strategies for someone with anxiety?
- When should you seek treatment for teen anxiety?
Quick Read
Anxiety in teen boys can often be challenging for parents to recognize and address. Unlike their female peers, who may express anxiety more openly, boys might display symptoms through anger, isolation, or an intense focus on self-image. According to the National Survey of Children’s Health, approximately 12.3 percent of teen boys struggle with anxiety disorders, with rates rising significantly in recent years, partly due to the stressors introduced by the COVID-19 pandemic. Understanding the signs of anxiety in boys is critical for providing the right support and treatment.
Anxiety disorders in adolescents can manifest in various forms, including generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), social anxiety disorder, and panic disorder, among others. Symptoms may include constant worrying, irritability, sleep disturbances, and physical complaints like headaches or stomachaches. Additionally, anxiety often co-occurs with other conditions, such as ADHD and depression, which can complicate the identification of anxiety symptoms. Boys may be less likely to communicate their feelings, leading to increased irritability or risk-taking behaviors as they cope with their anxiety.
To support a teenage boy dealing with anxiety, parents can encourage healthy coping strategies such as physical activity, meditation, journaling, and spending time in nature. Engaging in these activities can help alleviate anxiety and promote emotional well-being. If anxiety becomes life-disrupting, seeking professional help is essential. Mental health professionals can provide effective treatment options, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), which helps teens reframe negative thoughts and develop healthier coping mechanisms.
At Newport Academy, a comprehensive approach is taken to address anxiety in young males. The clinical team utilizes evidence-based treatments, including trauma-informed care, to help teens build resilience and work through underlying issues contributing to their anxiety. By fostering a supportive environment and employing various therapeutic modalities, Newport aims to empower teen boys to manage their anxiety effectively and thrive in their emotional and social lives.
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Understanding Anxiety in Teenage Males
Anxiety in teen boys may not always look like you might think. While signs of anxiety in teen girls are typically easier to identify since girls tend to be more emotionally expressive, signs of anxiety in teen boys may look like anger, isolation, and a fixation on self-image or certain behaviors. Moreover, it can also sometimes be masked beneath behavioral issues, typical hormonal changes, or other mental health conditions.
According to the most recent National Survey of Children’s Health, 12 percent of teen boys struggle with anxiety disorders. For all adolescents, the rate of diagnosed anxiety rose 61 percent between 2016 and 2023. The COVID-19 pandemic contributed to an overall increase in anxious feelings, and today’s teens are trying to cope with a number of stressors in their personal lives and in the world.
Types of Anxiety
Anxiety conditions vary in types of symptoms and degrees of severity. They can traditionally be defined as the following:
- Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). GAD is the most common form of anxiety. Symptoms may include constant worrying, restlessness, trouble sleeping, upset stomach, sweating, headaches, fatigue, and irritability.
- Agoraphobia. This involves a fear of situations where a person may feel embarrassed, helpless, or trapped; it may develop after the onset of panic attacks, and those struggling with this condition often do not want to go out of their homes.
- Specific phobias. A phobia is an irrational, extreme fear of a person, place, or thing; examples of phobias include fear of spiders, fear of enclosed spaces (claustrophobia), fear of storms, or fear of heights.
- Separation anxiety. While separation anxiety is a common phase that young children go through, it can occasionally be seen in older children, manifesting as the extreme fear of being separated from a parent or caregiver.
- Social anxiety disorder. This condition involves the fear of interaction with others. People with social anxiety disorder are afraid of situations that may cause them to feel self-conscious, humiliated, or judged.
- Panic disorder. A person with this panic disorder will experience frequent panic attacks, which involve the intense feeling of dread or terror, a racing heart, and adrenaline rushes. Not everyone who has panic attacks has panic disorder.
However, other conditions may be grouped alongside anxiety disorders, such as:
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This condition, brought on by a traumatic event or accumulated trauma, can include symptoms such as restlessness, mood swings, nightmares, intrusive thoughts, anxiety, depression, and chronic pain.
- Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). OCD is characterized by intrusive thoughts or images and repetitive behaviors or compulsions used to combat those thoughts. It may include excessive fixation on certain thoughts or ideas, phobias, anxiety, nightmares, and depression.
Teenage boys may view showing emotion as a sign of weakness, which makes them less likely to communicate their fears or distress to others. When they’re dealing with anxiety, they may become increasingly irritable, cut themselves off from relationships, or overcompensate by engaging in risk-taking behaviors. Additionally, they may become obsessed with details related to their social image and respond to certain situations in extreme or irrational ways.
How Anxiety Can Be Masked by Other Conditions
Anxiety often co-occurs with other conditions, which can make signs of anxiety in teenage males more difficult to spot. For teen boys with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), 25 to 50 percent will also struggle with an anxiety disorder. An inability to focus, concentrate, and make decisions combined with restlessness and constant activity can be a sign that anxiety is lurking under the surface.
Depression is another mental health condition that often shows up alongside anxiety. Both of these conditions affect your ability to sleep and feel a sense of peace. Anxiety can emerge first, leading to depression; or vice versa. Sometimes they appear together. Genetics, environment, personality, and experiences all have a hand in the development of anxiety and depression. They can perpetuate each other and cause teen males to isolate or act out, so it’s important to get screened for both.
Occasional feelings of anxiety or depression are a common response to the stress of life, but when those feelings become pervasive, constant, or life-disrupting, they can develop into mental health conditions that require intervention and treatment.
The Difference in Anxiety Between Teen Boys and Girls
Anxiety may look different in teen boys versus teen girls. Here’s a look at both.
Signs and Symptoms of Anxiety in Teen Girls
In teen girls, anxiety may be more obvious or expressed, with signs that include the following:
- Constant worrying
- Frequent crying or emotional outbursts
- Aversion to certain people, places, or things
- Irrational fears
- Severe mood swings
- Panic attacks
- Extreme self-consciousness
- Stomach aches and pains
- Headaches or migraines
Teen girls may also become quieter and seek isolation, so it’s important to check on your teen if she has a sudden change in behavior.
Signs and Symptoms of Anxiety in Teen Boys
When it comes to male anxiety symptoms, teen boys tend to express themselves more in nonverbal ways, and their emotions can skew toward anger, even if they feel fear or sadness.
Signs of anxiety in teen boys may overlap with those of teen girls, but could also include:
- Constant irritability or angry outbursts
- Overreacting to certain situations in extreme or irrational ways
- Restlessness
- Obsessing over certain things, such as social image
- Increased isolation/cutting off relationships
- An increase in risk-taking behaviors
- Substance use
- Compulsive or repetitive behaviors
- Sudden changes in communication or emotion
- Paranoia
Moreover, male anxiety may also include panic attacks. However, teen boys may be less likely to talk about any panic episodes and may try to cope through isolation, activities, or substance use before asking for help.
What Causes Anxiety in Teens?
What causes teens to experience anxiety or develop an anxiety disorder? While having anxiety is normal on occasion, a number of factors can influence its development into a full disorder, which includes genetics, personal experiences (including trauma or Adverse Childhood Experiences), family history, personality, and environment. Some teens are more likely to develop anxiety than others, but not everyone who is predisposed will end up with an anxiety condition.
Anxiety usually stems from a combination of stressors. Here are some common causes of anxiety in teen boys:
- Academic pressure
- Family discord/instability
- Bullying/cyberbullying
- Social comparison
- Overprotective or overly critical parent(s)
- Substance use
- Personality traits such as perfectionism, low-self-esteem, or highly sensitive
Coping Strategies for Teenage Anxiety
How can you help a teenage boy with anxiety? Here are some healthy coping activities that can relieve anxiety:
- Being physically active
- Playing on a sports team
- Engaging in hobbies
- Yoga
- Meditation and deep breathing exercises
- Journaling
- Seeing a counselor
- Spending time in nature
In fact, The Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing says that “nature exposure can have a significant protective role on mental health.” Getting outside and into areas with greenery, such as taking walks or hikes, fishing, or gardening can provide a real mental boost.
When should you worry about your teenage son? If your teen boy’s anxiety is life-disrupting on a regular basis, exploring treatment options with a mental health professional is a positive next step. A licensed counselor or treatment team can help determine the root causes of anxiety so it can be resolved. In situations where medication may be helpful, they can prescribe what’s necessary and monitor your teen’s progress.
Newport Academy’s Approach to Teen Anxiety Treatment
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a proven approach that can help adolescent boys work through negative thoughts and choose their responses. CBT can reduce your teen’s experience of anxiety and give them a sense of agency that reduces their feelings of helplessness.
Trauma may be the underlying cause of anxiety, and our clinical experts utilize a variety of evidence-based treatment modalities to help your teen resolve trauma and build resiliency. These include, EMDR, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and experiential therapies, such as art, music, or Adventure Therapy.
If you’re ready to help your teen overcome anxiety, get in touch with us today.
Frequently Asked Questions
Signs of anxiety in boys may include constant irritability, restlessness, sleep problems, headaches, fatigue, isolation, and extreme avoidance of certain people, places, or things.
Anxiety usually stems from a combination of stressors. The pressure to perform academically and socially can play a significant role in teen anxiety. Other factors can also influence its development into a full disorder, which includes genetics, personal experiences (including trauma or Adverse Childhood Experiences), family history, personality, and environment.
There are a number of biological, psychological, and environmental factors that can cause anxiety in teens. Stress at school academically or socially, past trauma, and a family history of anxiety are all common causes.
Sources:
National Survey of Children’s Health, 2024
J Child Adolesc Psychiatr Nurs. 2024 Dec 30;38(1)
Clin Pediatr (Phila). 2023 Jan;62(1):39-46
