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Caroline Hughes

Waggoner

CCP English

21 March 2021

Why is Anxiety So Common in Teens and Why Has It Increased?

Anxiety is something most of the population has dealt with at some point throughout their

everyday lives. Whether it be from stress, pressure from the outside world, or fear, there are

many different realms that make up the term anxiety. Everyone approaches anxiety differently

and there is a range of severity. It’s not a surprise to many when they’re told that many teens are

facing anxiety. In fact, one in every three teens is dealing with anxiety (McCarthy). This number

has gone up a dramatic amount as the years have increased. This is why it’s important to

understand why anxiety is becoming increasingly common in teens and what factors are involved

with this escalating number.

Prior to today's day in age, teenagers did experience anxiety. However, anxiety in the past

is widely different from today’s version of anxiety. Back then, anxiety wasn’t seen as such a

pressing issue. It wasn’t talked about very much, and it was just waved off. Anxiety was mostly

just correlated with stress, and that people could get over it if they stopped worrying. However,

the idea of anxiety has evolved over time. Today, it is taken much more seriously. In the past,

people didn’t talk about anxiety and what they’re dealing with compared to how it is talked about

today. In today’s world, people are more open to sharing their emotions and what they’re feeling.

Anxiety is becoming an increasingly known topic, especially for teens as mental health is

dramatically affecting this generation. Now, there are more places to branch out for help if one is
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struggling. There are trained and prepared therapists ready to help those dealing with mental

health issues such as anxiety.

In today’s world, teens are constantly on their phones, especially on social media.

Although this is a great way to connect with others, mental health issues have arisen from social

media. Teens often compare their own lives to these unrealistic standards that are seen on apps

such as Instagram and Snapchat. Social media is also a place where teens see what it’s like being

left out. According to a recent New York Times newspaper article, “Another major stressor is

constant surveillance by peers on social media, and the “fear of missing out” it can generate”

(Zraick). Anxiety and social media go hand in hand for several other factors as well, like

communication. Social media is a way to talk to others when one may have trouble saying it in

person. Although this can be helpful at times, it is also harmful and can lead to social anxiety. A

recent article that discusses the comparison between technology and anxiety states that, “Those

with social anxiety may find it difficult to fulfill this social need because of their fear of face-to-

face interactions and may therefore turn to the Internet” (Pierce). This proves that social media

has a major effect on the anxiety a teen may be facing throughout their life and how they

communicate.

Aside from social media, pressure and high expectations among others is another major

factor of why teens are facing anxiety. In general, one wants to please others. It feels good and is

encouraging when people are proud of you. However, there comes a point where individuals

begin to set unrealistic expectations for themselves and cannot achieve them, causing a lot of

unnecessary pressure and stress. In a recent interview with Nadia Ghaffari, who created a

website for teens dealing with mental health, touches on the idea of success and how anxiety

goes along with it. She states, “I think one of the things teens feel most stressed about is
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academic pressure and the idea of becoming “successful.” I’ve spoken to teens all over the

world, and these teens all have the same feelings of stress and pressure to perform well in their

lives” (“Teens and Mental Health - an Interview with Nadia Ghaffari”). She also points out this

idea that society is becoming more competitive as a whole, and it may not be good for teens'

mental health. Nadia adds, “A lot of teens feel as if they are competing with their peers to be the

most “successful”. It’s unhealthy, and I think it’s getting worse as colleges get more selective

and more people are in this race (“Teens and Mental Health - an Interview with Nadia

Ghaffari”). Overall this demonstrates how pressure from others and the idea of perfectionism has

major impacts on a teen facing anxiety.

A lot of times, whether people like to admit it or not there is a lot of anxiety that comes

along with relationships, especially with family. There comes a point where teenagers find it

difficult to truly express how they’re feeling to their family members, especially parents.

Because of this, if a teen is dealing with anxiety, they will sometimes hide it. Nadia Ghaffari

points out that, “Numerous studies show that teenagers are much more comfortable talking to

their friends and peers rather than counselors, parents, or teachers. There is such a real generation

gap, and it feels as if adults don’t fully understand what we (as teens) are going through” (“Teens

and Mental Health - an Interview with Nadia Ghaffari”). This demonstrates how because of

anxiety, there may not be such a strong family relationship if teens don’t want to talk about what

anxiety they may be going through with their parents. Ghaffari also mentions that, “We [teens]

are most comfortable discussing this with people our own age, who may also be experiencing

similar situations” (“Teens and Mental Health - an Interview with Nadia Ghaffari”). This proves

that as anxiety in teens is increasing, it’s vital to have someone to talk to and be able to come to

for advice.
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A more recent explanation as to why so many teens are facing anxiety is because of the

recent pandemic. With all of the restrictions and regulations, it’s tough for teens to get out and do

what makes them happy. Lots of events and plans have been canceled creating a stressful time

for teens who don’t know what’s coming next. A lot of teens have online schooling where they

don’t get the daily face to face interaction with their peers at school. Although this may not seem

like a major issue, it is. For a lot of teens, school is a place for them to share their feelings and

express themselves with others. By not having this, teenagers can easily bottle up their emotions

and stresses without letting any of it go which can cause anxiety. In a recent article by Stanford

Children’s Health, the author points out the idea that, “ Connecting with peers and friends at

school is an important part of development for teenagers. The virtual learning environment can

be isolating in comparison” (Gray). By not having normal interactions with others, teens are left

feeling alone. Because of the recent pandemic, more and more teens are isolated leading to

increased numbers of anxiety.

Overall, there are many factors that can explain why a teen may be facing anxiety, and

why this rate is increasing. Some of the main reasons are because of technology and social

media, pressure from others, relationships, and the recent pandemic. Although there are many

other components that come into play, those are the utmost causers of anxiety.
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Works Cited

Gray, Davia. “Teen Mental Health During Pandemic - Stanford Children's Health Blog.”

Healthier, Happy Lives Blog, 12 Feb. 2021, healthier.stanfordchildrens.org/en/teen-

mental-health-during-pandemic/. Accessed 5 March 2021.

McCarthy, Claire. “Anxiety in Teens Is Rising: What's Going On?” HealthyChildren.org,

www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/emotional-

problems/Pages/Anxiety-Disorders.aspx. Accessed 4 March 2021.

Pierce, Tamyra. “Social Anxiety and Technology: Face-to-Face Communication versus

Technological Communication among Teens.” Computers in Human Behavior, vol. 25,

no. 6, 2009, pp. 1367–1372., doi:10.1016/j.chb.2009.06.003. Accessed 4 March 2021.

“Teens and Mental Health - an Interview with Nadia Ghaffari, Age 16, Founder of

TeenzTalk.org.” More, 23 Nov. 2017, more-love.org/2016/11/16/teens-and-mental-

health-an-interview-with-nadia-ghaffari-age-16-founder-of-teenztalk-org/. Accessed 4

March 2021.

Zraick, Karen. “Teenagers Say Depression and Anxiety Are Major Issues Among Their

Peers.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 20 Feb. 2019,

www.nytimes.com/2019/02/20/health/teenage-depression-statistics.html. Accessed 4

March 2021.