Every teen experiences anxiety. A teen might experience anxiety before giving a presentation to her science class, during basketball tryouts and while he asks out a girl for the first time. It's normal to feel anxiety sometimes, but it's not normal to feel overwhelmingly anxious and stressed most of the time. Many teens deal with stress in healthy ways such as by playing sports or hanging out with friends, but some teens have a harder time coping with stress and develop anxiety disorders.
Worry and Obsession
A teen who's suffering from an anxiety disorder will be plagued with constant worry and possible obsession. For example, an adolescent suffering from social anxiety will continuously worry about having to participate in class, meeting new people and working on group projects at school. A teen that has a specific phobia such as heights will worry about encountering heights and obsess over avoiding them.
School Problems
Another sign that a teen suffers from anxiety is school problems. The teen will probably have a decline in grades and have other issues at school. Her parents might receive calls from her teachers stating that they're worried about her decline in performance. According to the Mayo Clinic, three common symptoms of anxiety include trouble concentrating, fatigue and restlessness. These symptoms make it difficult for teens to perform well in school.
Mood Swings and Irritability
If you're a parent of a teenager, you know it's common for them to experience mood swings and express irritability, so this symptom can be hard to recognize in adolscents. Many teens that suffer from overwhelming anxiety are more irritable than their peers and often don't understand their own mood swings. They go from being happy one minute to being irritable the next without a cause.
Nightmares and Trouble Sleeping
Many teens with anxiety disorders have trouble sleeping. They might lie in bed, trying to fall asleep for hours with worried thoughts running through their heads. For example, a teen who suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder might lie in bed wondering if he locked the back door and have to get up to check it 20 times before falling asleep. Also, teens who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder usually experience nightmares, according to Teens Health.
Stomach Problems
A teen who suffers from anxiety due to a life-threatening car crash might get nauseous and have diarrhea thinking about the possibility of having to drive down that road again. Many teens who suffer from anxiety complain of stomach issues, especially when around anxiety triggers.
Other Physical Symptoms
When a teen encounters an anxiety-provoking situation such as the first day at a new school, he'll probably experience some physical symptoms in the moment. He might start sweating and have trouble breathing. His heart will race and he might experience muscle tension.
