Is it teen angst or something worse? Given the ups and downs of teenage emotions, it can be hard for a parent to know whether a teen’s difficult phase is due to teenage angst or depression. In fact, 40 percent of parents have a hard time distinguishing between mood swings and teen depression, according to a national poll conducted by the Mott Children’s Hospital.
Therefore, it’s helpful for parents to understand the differences between teen angst and depression, as well as the differences between angst and anxiety. Moreover, there are simple yet powerful approaches for dealing with teen angst.
Is it teen angst or something worse? Given the ups and downs of teenage emotions, it can be hard for a parent to know whether a teen’s difficult phase is due to teenage angst or depression. In fact, 40 percent of parents have a hard time distinguishing between mood swings and teen depression, according to a national poll conducted by the Mott Children’s Hospital.
Therefore, it’s helpful for parents to understand the differences between teen angst and depression, as well as the differences between angst and anxiety. Moreover, there are simple yet powerful approaches for dealing with teen angst.
What Is Teen Angst?
Unlike depression or anxiety, which are diagnosable mental health disorders, there is no medical definition for teen angst. Angst is defined as feelings of worry or dread. Since teen angst is brought about by feelings of insecurity, worrying, or apprehension, it’s not unusual for teens to experience this feeling. Given the physical changes and emotional turbulence that characterize the experience of being a teenager, angst is a common reaction to many situations—whether it’s a math test, a sports event, or a challenging friendship.
Indeed, teen angst can be part of the process of evolving and maturing into a healthy adult. Although it can be very uncomfortable to experience tension, frustration, or fear, learning how to deal with teen angst can actually help young people get better at navigating and regulating their emotions. And that’s more likely to happen when parents understand what teens are going through and support them in processing their feelings.
Depression vs. Teenage Angst: What’s the Difference?
The main difference between angst and depression is that teen depression, unlike emotional angst, is a potentially life-threatening mental health condition. Mental health professionals highlight the importance of not downplaying behaviors that might be symptoms of depression in teenagers.
Another difference between angst and depression: When left untreated, adolescent depression can continue into adulthood and give rise to co-occurring disorders. According to a study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, 75 percent of individuals who experience a depressive episode during adolescence later struggle with depression, other mood disorders, and/or substance use disorder as adults.
Given these statistics, it’s important to learn how to recognize depression in teenagers and how to tell the difference between angst and depression. Parents do not need to sound the alarm every time a teenager has a mood swing, but they do need to pay close attention to what’s happening over time. “Child angst” is also something to watch for—signs of intense and volatile emotions in younger children, typically between ages 10 and 12, as hormonal changes begin to ramp up.
Teen Angst vs. Anxiety: What’s the Difference?
The main difference between angst and anxiety is that angst is not as persistent, intense, or wide-ranging as anxiety. However, telling the difference between angst and anxiety disorders can be challenging for parents. Angst, worry, and anxiety all seem like different words for the same thing—a recent survey found that one-third of parents of teens think worry and anxiety are interchangeable. That is true to some extent—angst, anxiety, and worry all refer to fearful uncertainty about something in the future.
However, anxiety is more than a general feeling of worry and apprehension. There are many different forms of anxiety, and there are specific anxiety signs and symptoms that go beyond emotional angst. Anxiety often involves constant worrying, irrational fears, and self-judgment. Or it may manifest as social anxiety or phobias, which are technically types of anxiety disorders.
A mental health assessment can help clarify the difference between angst and anxiety in teenagers. Parents who are concerned about whether the issue is something worse than emotional angst should seek such an assessment as soon as possible. Research shows that 50 percent of all lifetime mental illnesses begin by the age of 14. The quicker anxiety is diagnosed, the quicker it can be treated and healing can begin.
How to Recognize Depression or Anxiety in Teenagers vs. Emotional Angst
To distinguish between teenage angst and a mental health disorder, or when assessing “child angst,” mental health professionals examine three critical areas of concern:
Intensity or severity of the problematic feelings and behaviors: Is the intensity of the symptoms interfering with a teen’s everyday life, including family life, social activities, and school? Gauging the intensity and the severity of the issue helps parents distinguish between a passing condition and a mood disorder.
Duration (length of time) of these experiences when they occur: Are the moodiness and difficult emotions ongoing, or does it only crop up now and then? In other words, are the symptoms chronic and consistent, or are they unusual? When they do arise, how long do they last—days? Weeks?
The domains, or situations, within which the behavior and emotions occur: Often, a teenager shows symptoms of teen angst around authority figures like parents or teachers. But then the symptoms disappear when they’re with their friends. However, teen depression makes itself known in nearly all situations and circumstances. Thus, if the symptoms arise in several domains, such as at home, at school, and with friends, this indicates a greater likelihood of a mental health condition.
Assessing whether a teen’s emotional angst passes quickly and how acute it is, as well as how many domains it encompasses, provides important information about what they are experiencing.
How to Deal with Teenage Angst
Dealing with teen angst isn’t easy, but it’s important for teens to know that their parents are there for them even when their behavior is difficult to navigate. Parents need to be there to help teens ride the waves of emotional angst that often threaten to overwhelm them during these turbulent years.
Here are links to resources in our extensive library that offer evidence-based approaches for how to deal with teenage angst.
- Offer unconditional love.
- Encourage unplugging and offline connection: Learn how to help teens create a more balanced relationship with their devices.
- Practice ongoing communication: Get tips for talking to your teen.
- Do mental health temperature checks: Here are 10 questions to ask a teen to gauge how they’re doing.
- Support their emotional regulation.
Treatment for Depression or Anxiety in Teenagers
If emotional angst has progressed to the point that a teen has ongoing, intense symptoms, the best course of action is to access professional help and make sure the teen has a comprehensive mental health assessment. Early diagnosis and treatment of depression and any co-occurring disorders improve treatment outcomes. Hence, the sooner parents learn to distinguish whether their child is suffering from teenage angst or depression, the sooner that child can be on the road to recovery.
At Newport Academy, we support teens to build self-knowledge, coping skills, and better emotional regulation. Teens who come to Newport also work with individual and family therapists to heal the depression, anxiety, trauma, or other mental health issues that is manifesting as emotional angst. Contact us today to learn more.
Sources:
JAMA Pediatr. 2019;173(4):389–391.
Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2005 Jun;62(6):593–602.
Mott Poll Report