There’s a lot to worry about at any age, but maybe especially for teens. Teenagers are still figuring out their identity and self-image. Nearly every aspect of their life is undecided, and having so many options can feel stressful. On top of that, the adolescent brain isn’t fully mature yet, so teens don’t usually have the emotional regulation and executive functioning skills to manage their worries.
So what exactly do teens worry about most, and what can parents do about it? Here are 10 of the most common teenage worries, plus some healthy ways to lighten your teen’s mental load.
Key Takeaways
- Some of the most common teenage worries center around fitting in, grades, relationships, and the future.
- Teens are likely to worry in part because their brains are still in development, causing them to misinterpret social cues and emotions.
- Worry can cause fatigue, headaches, muscle aches, shortness of breath, digestive issues, and sleep problems.
- If a teen’s worries last for several weeks and prevent them from functioning in daily life, they may have an anxiety disorder.
The 10 Common Teenage Worries
Teenagers may worry about different things than their parents, but their worries don’t feel any less upsetting. Ten of the most common things teens worry about are:
1. Grades and Getting Into College
The pressure to do well in school and get into a good college ranks as one of high school students’ top worries. Some parents place unrealistic expectations on their teens, pressuring them to succeed. Other teens place intense pressure on themselves.
Will their GPA and SAT scores be high enough? Are they participating in enough extracurricular activities to make their college application stand out from the crowd? As colleges and universities become increasingly selective, many teens struggle with scholastic worries that can wreak havoc on their physical and mental health.
2. Mental Health
When it comes to mental health concerns, American teenagers have more of them than previous generations did—and for good reason. A Teen National Health Interview survey revealed that 1 in 5 adolescents reports experiencing symptoms of anxiety in the past two weeks. And 17 percent reported experiencing symptoms of depression.
According to a Pew Research Center survey, 70 percent of teens see mental health issues like anxiety and depression as a major problem in adolescence. The positive side of this is that teens are more open today about discussing mental health, leading to a reduction in stigma around psychological conditions and treatment.
3. Fitting In
For most young people, the teenage years are all about fitting in. Belonging to a friend group, team, or club gives teens the much-needed feeling of acceptance. While feeling excluded causes stress, worries about not fitting in are stressful, too. In order to feel included, many teens fall prey to peer pressure.
As a result, they may engage in drug and alcohol use or become sexually active before they’re ready to. In fact, many teens worry how they’ll be perceived if they don’t experiment with underage drinking, illicit substances, or sex.
4. Physical Appearance
With all the physical changes they’re experiencing, it’s no wonder so many teens worry about how they look. Social media exacerbates their concerns. Inundated with mountains of airbrushed, Photoshopped images of perfect bodies, most teens find it hard not to succumb to the comparison trap.
While girls usually worry more about not measuring up, boys grapple with body image issues, too. The resulting insecurity and low self-esteem can be a self-perpetuating cycle that keeps teens in a worry loop.
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5. Romantic Relationships
By age 15, over half of teenagers have dated. The experience of forming, maintaining, and ending romantic relationships can produce a fair amount of worry, just as it can for adults. An analysis of 46,123 adolescent counseling sessions found that romantic relationship concerns were the fifth most common reason young people seek professional help.
Some teens feel worried about initiating romantic relationships. Others might struggle with fears of teen pregnancy. Break-ups present the greatest challenges.
According to the study, the ending of a romantic relationship had the strongest association with mental health, suicide, and self-harm risks among young people between 10 and 18 years old.
6. Bullying
During the teen years, bullying is an unfortunate but common occurrence. The fear of potential bullying can cause teens to worry, and the experience of bullying is even more stressful. Due to social media, bullying is becoming more pervasive.
According to a Pew Research Center survey, nearly half of teens (46 percent) have experienced cyberbullying. Hence, this is the most common type of harassment teens experience. Being called names, being physically threatened, or having false rumors spread about them online can be a significant source of teenage angst.
7. Family Issues
Curfew, chores, bedtimes, grades—all of these can be a source of conflict between parents and teens, who worry about getting in trouble. Some teens worry about disagreements with siblings. And if their parents argue a lot, divorce is a common fear.
Additionally, teens might worry about a parent’s health or unemployment. Parents should never underestimate the amount of worry children can experience as a result of family uncertainty and strife.
8. Failing
Even though they might not admit it, most teens are afraid of failing. Not yet mature enough to realize failure can teach important lessons, many teens worry they won’t bounce back from failure.
They worry about how their parents will respond if they fail a test, don’t make the team, or can’t land the summer job, secure the internship, or get into the college of their choice. In addition, they worry about how their friends and classmates will perceive them if they “fail.”
9. Their Future
As teens move through their high school years, the reality of impending adulthood looms. The notion of leaving the security of home to venture into the world can be anxiety-provoking.
Some teens worry about their ability to succeed at college, choose the best career path, develop financial independence, and create a happy life separate from their family of origin.
10. The World
Teens don’t just worry about their personal futures. They worry about the state of the world in which their futures will unfold. Mass shootings and gun violence can cause some to worry about their personal safety and the safety of others.
Political unrest, war, and racial injustice are cause for concern. And a study in The Lancet found that 59 percent of young people described themselves as either “very” or “extremely” worried about climate change. There’s even a condition known as climate anxiety, which threatens young people’s mental health and well-being.
Why Do Teens Worry So Much?
One reason teens are more susceptible to worry is that their brains aren’t fully mature. The pre-frontal cortex, the area of the brain that controls reasoning, is still in development. Teens are therefore more likely to act on impulse. They’re also more likely to misread and misinterpret social cues and emotions. And they don’t have the coping skills they need to handle the emotional impact of worrying.
Moreover, the average teenager spends eight hours a day on electronic devices. Interacting online has become the norm among Gen Z. Because of this, a teen’s ability to pick up on facial expressions and body language is less developed. And that can lead to more misunderstandings and worry.
Furthermore, on social media, teens can see what their friends are doing almost all the time. Because most people post their victories and vacations, it’s easy for teens to compare themselves to their peers. Thus, they worry they aren’t attractive, intelligent, accomplished, or popular enough.
Health Effects of Worry
When you worry about the future, you activate the fight-or-flight response. To meet what feels like a threat, your body jumps into action. Your muscles tense up. And your heart rate increases as well as your respiratory rate. But worry doesn’t allow you a release. It keeps you stuck in fight-or-flight.
Chronic worry and stress can lead to a variety of health problems. Sleep patterns can be disrupted. The digestive system works less efficiently. Your body releases stress hormones like cortisol. As a result, you can experience fatigue, difficulty concentrating, headaches, muscle aches, and shortness of breath.
On the mental health side, worrying can lead to difficulties with executive functioning skills like planning and problem-solving. Excessive worrying can cause some teens to experience depression or self-medicate with drug use. Worrying may even lead to suicidal thoughts.
Typical Teen Worry or an Anxiety Disorder?
It’s normal for teenagers to have worries about school, relationships, and their future. Most of the time, worries come and go. Teens might be anxious about an upcoming test or a first date, but the anxiety disappears once the event has passed.
For other teens, worries don’t go away. They persist and even escalate, which is a sign of anxiety. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, almost one-third of US adolescents has some type of anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health issue among teens and young adults today.
Warning Signs of an Anxiety Disorder
How do you know if your teen’s worries are just a normal part of adolescence or an anxiety disorder? Here are some key signs of anxiety disorders:
- Intense worry or panic that goes on for weeks, months, or longer, interfering with the ability to enjoy and function in daily life
- Physical symptoms like sweating, stomachaches, headaches, nausea, shortness of breath, fatigue, diarrhea, or difficulty sleeping
- Checking and re-checking homework to an excessive extent, which could be a sign of obsessive-compulsive disorder
- Social withdrawal
- Sudden mood changes
- Irritability
- Experimenting with drugs
How to Help Teens Worry Less
Unfortunately, it’s impossible to ensure your teen moves through adolescence worry-free. But parents can help to ease their teen’s worries. Consider these helpful tips:
Be a Role Model
The way you manage stress sends a powerful message. If you’re easily worried and agitated, don’t be surprised if your teen is, too. To calm your own fears, get enough exercise, adequate rest, and talk to your partner or a therapist when you’re feeling anxious.
Demonstrate Confidence in Your Teen
Your teen is more influenced by your words than they let on. Make sure they know that you have faith in their abilities—not just to do well in school, but to cope with stress. Praise them when you see them redirect their worried thoughts in a more positive direction.
Be Loving
Teens whose parents make a effort to let them know they’re loved are less apt to succumb to needless worry. Be affectionate. Give them a hug. Put your arm around them, especially if you sense they’re anxious and need support. Tell them how proud you are of them. And don’t be afraid to say, “I love you.”
Encourage Positive Thinking
Remind your teen that what they focus on expands. Thus, focusing on fear and worry multiplies stress. Suggest instead that they make a habit of noticing what’s going well in their lives. Ask them to tell you three things each day that went well and their role in each.
Ask Open-Ended Questions … and Listen
Most teens don’t share their innermost feelings with ease. If they’re closed off, step into their world. Inquire about one of their classes, extracurricular activities, hobbies, or friends. Rather than ask questions with a “yes” or “no” answer, ask open-ended questions like, “What’s new in English class?” or “How’s soccer practice going?” The more you ask and give them the gift of your non-judgmental attention, the more likely they are to open up about how they’re feeling.
Offer Healthy Coping Strategies
Help your teen come up with ways to de-stress when they’re plagued by worries around things they can’t control. Suggest healthy ways to cope with worry, like journaling, meditation, playing a sport, or engaging in a hobby they love. If you sense they might be suffering from an anxiety disorder, suggest they consider talking to a mental health professional.
Teen Anxiety Treatment at Newport Academy
At Newport Academy, we take an integrated approach to treating mental health conditions. We help teens and families get to the root of teenage anxiety, in order to create sustainable healing. And we give teens healthy coping strategies for managing worries and stress.
Our clinical model addresses the many layers of a teenager’s well-being—physical, psychological, emotional, relational, and educational. Through modalities including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Attachment-Based Family Therapy, and experiential therapies, we help adolescents process trauma and heal fractures in the family system. As teens come to understand their triggers and learn to regulate their emotions, they begin to thrive and enjoy life again.
Contact us today to learn more about our clinical model and our outpatient and residential locations nationwide.
Sources
KFF / February 2024
Pew Research Center / December 2022
The Lancet. 2021 Dec; 5 (12): E863-E873.
Pew Research Center / February 20, 2019
Behav Sci (Basel). 2016 May; 6(2): 9.
