Anxiety is common among teens. A teenager's normal response to stress can help them deal with tense or overwhelming situations. 

Teenagers often experience apprehension and uneasiness when it comes to things like public speaking, final exams, important athletic competitions, or even going out on a date. Additionally, they may experience an increase in heartbeat or excessive sweating. The brain processes anxiety feelings in this way.

In some teens, anxiety goes beyond these typical symptoms and negatively impacts their friendships, family relationships, and participation in extracurricular activities.  People who experience feelings of anxiety that interfere with normal daily living are likely to have an anxiety disorder.

1. Emotional Changes To Watch Out For In Teens

Teenagers with anxiety tend to experience pervasive worries, while others experience subtle changes in their emotions, such as:

• Feeling “keyed up”

• Feeling on edge

• Irritability

• Difficulty concentrating

• Restlessness

• Unexplained outbursts

2. Physical Signs

Anxiety can impact friendships negatively. You might want to think twice if your once-social teen suddenly avoids favourite activities or no longer makes plans with friends. Your child might notice the following:

• Avoiding social interactions with usual friends

• Avoiding extracurricular activities

• Isolating from peer group

• Spending more time alone

3. Panic Attack

Anxiety disorders are often accompanied by physical complaints similar to those experienced by teenagers. Keep an eye out for patterns. The occasional headache shouldn't cause concern, but frequent headaches should be taken seriously.

Here are some common psychosomatic complaints to watch out for:

• Frequent headaches, including migraines

• Gastrointestinal problems

• Unexplained aches and pains

• Excessive fatigue

• Complaints of not feeling well with no apparent medical cause

• Changes in eating habits.

4. Sleep Disturbance

To promote optimal health, teens between the ages of 13 and 18 should get 8 to 10 hours of sleep each night. Screens should also be turned off 30 minutes before bedtime, and electronics should be removed from bedrooms.

Teens' sleep habits can be affected by homework demands, changes in brain structure, extracurricular activities, and screen time. Therefore, it can be difficult to determine whether fatigue is caused by anxiety or by a hectic schedule. 

Be aware of these red flags:

• Difficulty falling asleep

• Difficulty staying asleep

• Frequent nightmares

• Not feeling refreshed after sleep
  

5. Poor School Performance

Untreated anxiety can affect everything from sleep patterns to eating habits to physical ailments, so it is no surprise that poor academic performance can also be associated with it. Teenagers with anxiety difficulties may be unable to keep up with their homework due to school avoidance, illnesses related to their anxiety, and persistent worries.

Keep an eye out for these changes in your teen:

• A significant jump in grades (usually downwards)

• Frequently missed assignments

• Describes feeling overwhelmed by the workload

• Procrastinates on, or has difficulty concentrating on, homework assignments more than usual