Adolescent mental health: understand the differences between stress and anxiety

Being a parent of a adolescent It's a journey full of challenges, and the need for guidance has never been more crucial.

With the increasing pressure that young people face today, it is essential to identify the difference between common teenage stress and possible anxiety.

Navigating the teenage years can be extremely stressful for young people, leaving many parents to question: Is it just the stress of age or a deeper problem?

How to recognize anxiety in teenagers: signs and statistics

In the United States, teenage anxiety has become rampant. Recent studies indicate that around 32% of them have been diagnosed with some type of anxiety disorder.

Given this alarming statistic, chances are you know, or even care about, a young person facing related challenges.

But what exactly is anxiety? According to experts, it is the brain's response to stress, generated by the perception of imminent danger.

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Such danger may be linked to a real physical threat or the anticipation of future events, leading the individual to feel anxiety about situations that have not yet occurred.

Interestingly, anxiety can manifest itself even without an apparent trigger or specific thoughts.

The human brain, in its incessant search for security, has the ability to record moments of stress and prepare for similar situations in the future.

The more frequently the brain accesses this “stress memory”, the more quickly and intensely this response will be activated on subsequent occasions.

For all these reasons, it is essential that parents, educators and health professionals are aware of these signs to provide the necessary support to teenagers in this emotional challenge.

The challenge of brain growth

Understanding anxiety in teenagers requires a deeper look at how the brain works. The amygdala, a brain structure similar in shape to an almond, is at the epicenter of fear generation.

It integrates the limbic system, responsible for managing emotions, memories and survival instincts. Therefore, it was designed to prioritize situations of danger, injury or fear.

However, if this structure becomes overactive, it can trigger excessive levels of anxiety. When it perceives a threat, the amygdala activates the release of adrenaline and other hormones, triggering the “fight or flight” response. This process sends blood to the limbs, allowing a quick reaction, whether for defense or escape.

Although this is an essential biological response, when activated without the presence of a real danger — as in anticipatory anxiety — the accumulated energy can remain in the body, resulting in a continuous feeling in anxiety.