10 Symptoms of Anxiety in Young Adults
As a therapist specializing in working with adolescents, it’s easy for me to spot symptoms of anxiety in young adults. As the parent of a young adult suffering from anxiety, spotting their condition might be a bit more difficult.
Anxiety sometimes progresses over time, or can be so deeply embedded that you might assume, “It’s not a problem, this is just the way my child has always been!”
However, if your adolescent changes their behavior, or displays a few new, concerning habits, you might start to wonder if they’re dealing with an anxiety disorder.
I’m here to help today by sharing 10 of the top symptoms of anxiety in young adults so that you can recognize them if and when your child displays them and get them the help they may need.
Catastrophizing
One of the cornerstones of anxiety is assuming the worst will happen. Anxiety tricks adolescents into believing the worst will happen. If there is even the smallest chance something bad can happen, they will focus and obsess on that small chance.
I recommend doing your best to not tell an adolescent with anxiety to simply “stop worrying about,” because, as with most things in life, there is always a small chance something can go wrong. Their mind will argue that there is a tiny chance, and they are unable to stop focusing on that chance.
2. Irritability and on edge
Due to the overwhelming stressors and fears inside their mind, adolescents are likely exhausted, nervous, and even angry about the constant battle they are facing internally. They may seem grumpy, or even lash out at loved ones over seemingly small issues. Their body is stuck in the fight-or-flight response, and their nervous system is on overdrive.
3. Difficulty sleeping
It is very common for adolescents struggling with anxiety to have difficulty “turning off their brain” to sleep. Some kids may struggle to initially fall asleep, while others may fall asleep easily, but wake up in the middle of the night and become unable to fall back to sleep due to overactive thoughts.
4. Not wanting to go to school
School can be very difficult for kids dealing with anxiety. Some kids fear specific aspects of school that make them not want to go. They may try to avoid school by saying they are sick. If they go to school, they may feel miserable the entire time they are there and request that parents pick them up.
Skipping school could be one of many symptoms of anxiety in young adults
Certain adolescents feel overwhelmed by the pressures to get good grades and fear making mistakes or disappointing parents, while other kids may fear the vast amount of social pressures and social interactions. School can also be difficult for kids, as the nature of school is often that kids are required to sit at a desk for eight hours a day with little distraction for their thoughts or ability to use their typical coping skills. Typical coping skills might include listening to music, talking to a loved one, doing something physical, playing games, watching a funny video, or going outside. This can be prime time for kids to ruminate on their thoughts and fears.
5. Obsessing on one particular fear/thought/outcome
Anxiety can cause adolescents to have general anxiety about nearly everything, but many adolescents focus on a few very specific fears or worst case scenarios that their brain gets stuck on.
For example, a child may obsess about a loved one dying, getting into a car accident, throwing up, or a certain kid at school being mean to them. Some obsessions are pretty “general” while others can be extremely specific and seemingly strange.
6. Physical symptoms
It is extremely common for the body to manifest anxiety through physical symptoms. It is important to remember that oftentimes these symptoms are incredibly real, and a child is not making them up. Anxiety causes a lack of oxygen to our body and an increase in blood pressure. It can cause heart palpitations, headaches, numbness in limbs, stomach issues, body aches, and fatigue.
7. Loss of interest in activities
Adolescents dealing with anxiety may be so exhausted and overwhelmed by their anxiety that they prefer to stay home and isolate themselves from others. Certain obsessive thoughts and fears may also contribute to kids not wanting to go to places they previously had no issues with, including school, crowds, doctors, and other seemingly non-threatening places.
8. Decrease in focus or grades
Sometimes adolescents experiencing anxiety become so overwhelmed by their negative thoughts that they become unable to focus. Motivation that once existed for schoolwork can dissipate or disappear.
Focus in school requires mental concentration on a certain subject, and kids who are overwhelmed by ruminating thoughts may have difficulty even pausing their worries for long enough time to focus on school work. And again, sitting in a seat for seven hours a day can cause anxiety to spike, as kids are unable to use regular coping skills or switch activities as a strategy that normally helps them “change the channel in their brain” and focus on other things besides their anxiety.
9. Social Isolation
Anxiety commonly causes social anxiety in adolescents, and the fear of problems that may arise in social settings can cause kids to want to avoid these situations, even with close friends.
Watch out for your teen self-isolating—it’s one of many symptoms of anxiety in young adults
Anxiety also causes fatigue and a decrease in motivation, so adolescents may feel less energy to socialize.
10. Negative self talk
Since anxiety distorts adolescents' thinking and compels them to focus on negatives, adolescents are often riddled with negative self-talk.
For example, “I’m not good enough,” “I’m not smart enough,” “My friends don’t like me,” “I’m a disappointment,” “I’m unattractive,” and so on.
While it's true that adolescents not experiencing high levels of anxiety may also have a significant amount of negative self-talk, it’s very common in adolescents who are.
It’s difficult to watch a young adult you care about experience intense anxiety.
If you recognize these symptoms in your adolescence and think counseling might be a good solution, I’m here to help. Contact me to get started now.
