Severe Anxiety in Teenager: How To Get Them Help

The word anxiety gets thrown around a lot. “I’m anxious about flying”, “I’m having anxiety about my test coming up”. But an anxiety disorder is so much more than just being anxious. Feeling anxiety from time to time is a very normal human emotion. When anxiety occurs frequently, there may be a problem. Here at Adolescent Wellness Academy,  we feel it’s important to educate parents on the signs of mental illness to look out for in their teens. Today we’ll talk about what anxiety is, how anxiety presents itself in teenagers, and how we can help your teen today.

What Is Anxiety?

There is occasional anxiety that is expected to be part of almost everyone’s life. Your teen can feel anxious before dance practice or competition or feel anxious before they give a speech in front of the class. This usually isn’t something that causes concern. This type of anxiety is a normal reaction to uncomfortable situations.  When it comes to anxiety disorders, they are not just a temporary worry or fear, but much more than that. Anxiety disorders can interfere with day-to-day activities. Anxiety disorders display excessive anxiety or worry most days for at least 6 months. The worry can be about work, health, social interactions, and everyday life circumstances. The worry can also be unprovoked, sometimes people with anxiety disorders feel anxious about nothing in particular.  Some of the symptoms of an anxiety disorder include:
  • Feeling restless and irritable
  • Having problems concentrating and mind going blank
  • Being easily fatigued
  • Muscle tension
  • Having difficulty sleeping, falling asleep, or feeling restlessness
Some of the different risk factors that are both genetic and environmental include:
  • Traits of shyness or behavioral inhibition in childhood
  • Exposure to stressful/negative life circumstances/events in early childhood or even adulthood
  • Family history of anxiety or other mental illnesses
  • Physical health conditions such as problems with caffeine and other substances/medications, heart arrhythmias, thyroid problems, etc. 

How Does Anxiety Present Itself in Teenagers?

Anxiety disorders can and will vary from teenager to teenager. Symptoms of anxiety disorders in teenagers can include excessive worrying, feelings of restlessness, and a tendency to be excessively wary/vigilant. Even after the threat is gone, teenagers may still have feelings of continual nervousness or extreme stress. They may even experience physical symptoms such as cramps, flushing, sweating, hyperventilating, and trembling. Anxiety may also look like school avoidance or reluctance to leave home. If your teen is struggling with severe anxiety, they may also resist social activities and be prone to independent activity. 

How To Treat Severe Anxiety in a Teenager

Treatment of anxiety disorders in teenagers usually focuses on reducing the symptoms of anxiety, relieving distress, preventing complications that are associated with the disorder, and minimize the effects of anxiety on the teenager’s social life, school, life, and developmental progress.  Some of the treatments used for anxiety in teenagers are:
  • Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy: This type of approach helps teenagers to examine their anxiety, anticipate the situations that are likely to occur, and understand its effects. 
  • Other therapies such as long-term psychotherapy and family therapy.
  • Medications: This is when symptoms are severe and maybe a combination of both medication and therapy. 
As a parent, it may be helpful if your teenager is willing to talk about their fears and anxieties. When they do this, listen carefully and respectfully without discounting their feelings.  It may also be important to help them trace back their anxiety to specific situations and experiences that can help reduce the overwhelming nature of their feelings. Helping your teenagers walk through their anxiety while validating their feelings is crucial to helping them heal. 

Teen Mental Health Treatment in South Florida – AWA

At Adolescent Wellness Academy, a teen mental health treatment center located in South Florida, we understand the complexities and challenges of guiding our loved ones, especially adolescents, towards recovery from mental health challenges.

Recognizing the delicate nature of this journey, we are committed to offering compassionate, specialized care even in situations where individuals may be hesitant to seek help.

We are dedicated to providing a supportive environment that fosters healing and growth through our tailored programs:

  • Day Therapeutic Program: A structured daytime treatment offering therapeutic support and education that integrates seamlessly with the adolescent’s daily life.
  • After-School Program: An innovative approach that provides therapeutic activities and supports post-school hours, allowing teens to continue their education while receiving the care they need.

When you join our therapy or afterschool programs, you enter a caring and non-judgmental community. This support network involves teens, their families, peers, and our team.

Our team of clinicians, alumni, and other parents are here to offer invaluable assistance. Parent Support Groups (PSG) and assessments ensure that the support is tailored to each family’s needs. Contact us today for more information about teen mental health at 1-866-548-8677 or visit our locations in Miami-Dade and Broward.

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Dr. Maria Angelica Mejia – Clinical Director (Davie)

Dr. Maria Angelica Mejia’s therapeutic approach is rooted in empathy, resilience-building, and collaboration. As the Clinical Director for Adolescent Wellness Academy, she is dedicated to supporting high-risk teens in navigating trauma, emotional distress, and life’s challenges with a holistic and trauma-informed lens. Dr. Mejia specializes in working with adolescents facing issues such as suicide risk, self-harm, anxiety, depression, and family conflict, utilizing techniques like CBT, DBT, mindfulness, and strength-based therapy. With extensive experience in community mental health, private practice, and clinical supervision, Dr. Mejia has a proven track record of empowering teens to overcome obstacles and thrive. She holds a PhD in Marriage and Family Therapy bringing a depth of knowledge and compassion to her leadership role.

Kimberly Geller

Kimberly Geller - Primary Therapist (Davie)

Kimberly is a compassionate and dedicated therapist with a Master’s degree in Social Work from Florida International University. Kimberly creates a nurturing and secure environment where clients can freely explore their emotions and embark on their journey toward healing and growth. Kimberly specializes in client-centered approaches that helps tailor her therapeutic methods to meet unique needs and goals. By fostering a collaborative therapeutic relationship, she empowers clients to develop effective coping skills and achieve meaningful progress in their mental health journey. Kimberly ensures that each person she works with feels understood and valued throughout their therapeutic process.

Zainub Fatta - Therapist (Davie)

Zainub holds a Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Nova Southeastern University and has extensive experience treating a wide range of mental health issues in adults, teens, and children. She specializes in treating diverse mental health struggles such as anxiety, depression, trauma, bipolar disorder, social anxiety, anger management, etc. She also has a lot of experience treating addiction and substance abuse problems within various treatment centers. Zainub views mental health from a systemic perspective, emphasizing the significance of how one’s environment and childhood impacts them, which is why she also specializes in family therapy and couples therapy, when it comes to achieving holistic well-being. Passionate about empowering individuals to find their voice, she considers it a privilege to listen to their vulnerable stories and provide the support they need. Her therapeutic approach focuses on uplifting clients by building their confidence and challenging them to break old, negative patterns of thinking and behavior.

Krystine Garay

Krystine Garay – Licensed Mental Health Counselor

Krystine Garay is a licensed mental health counselor, marriage family therapist, and certified telehealth practitioner. Raised in Miami, Florida, and a member of the Hispanic community, she provides services in both English and Spanish. With five years of experience, she has worked with children, adolescents, and adults, focusing on domestic violence, substance abuse, family conflicts, co-occurring disorders, and mental health issues.
Krystine holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Florida International University and a master’s degree with dual specializations in mental health and marriage and family counseling from Barry University. She is pursuing a doctorate in clinical psychology with a concentration in health psychology from Carlos Albizu University.
Her clinical experience includes rotations at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, where she assisted children with co-occurring disorders using mindfulness exercises, cognitive-behavioral strategies, and dialectical-behavioral techniques.
Krystine believes in the power of personal growth and progress, and she is dedicated to fostering positive change in her clients’ lives.

Dr. Jacqueline Pablos – Clinical Director

Vulnerability and connection are at the heart of Dr. Pablos’ therapeutic approach. As the
Clinical Director for Adolescent Wellness Academy, she aims to create a safe space for
clients to embrace their emotions and express their needs in healthier ways. Dr. Pablos
specializes in treating depression, anxiety, body image issues, bullying, eating
disorders, and self-harm behaviors using techniques like CBT, DBT, mindfulness, and
ACT.
With extensive training in hospitals and counseling centers, Dr. Pablos has a strong
background in helping teens and adults with co-occurring mental and physical health
disorders. She holds a Doctoral Degree in Clinical Psychology, with specialized training
at institutions like Florida International University, Jackson Memorial Hospital,
Clementine Monte Nido, and Nicklaus Children’s Hospital.

Kimberly

Kimberly Carlesi – Therapist (Miami)

Kimberly, a dedicated therapist with a Master’s Degree in Clinical Mental Health
Counseling from Florida International University, specializes in supporting individuals
with eating disorders, trauma, and substance abuse. She creates a safe, nurturing
environment for her clients’ healing journeys, drawing from diverse therapeutic
modalities like cognitive-behavioral therapy and dialectical behavior therapy. With a
focus on trust and collaboration, Kimberly empowers clients through personalized
interventions, fostering self-awareness and resilience.

Alyssa Mencucci – Therapist (Miami)

Alyssa is a dedicated master’s level clinician specializing in providing compassionate
therapy for adolescents and children facing severe mental health challenges. With a
deep understanding of the developmental stages and psychological needs of
adolescents and children, Alyssa offers expertise in addressing trauma-related issues,
guiding individuals through the complexities of grief, managing anxiety and depression,
navigating personality disorders, and supporting those dealing with PTSD. Alyssa uses
evidence-based techniques such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, DBT, play therapy,
and trauma-focused interventions to create a safe and nurturing environment for
healing. Alyssa believes in a client-centered approach, tailoring therapy to meet the
unique needs and circumstances of each individual. She creates a safe and nurturing
environment where adolescents and children can explore their emotions, develop
coping skills, and embark on a journey of healing and growth.