Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health disorder in the United States, and anywhere from one in 10 to one in 13 people suffer from anxiety, with about 8 percent of children and teenagers experiencing anxiety disorder. One of the biggest causes of anxiety in teenagers is school.

School anxiety triggers may include feeling overwhelmed by the demands of schoolwork, feeling a lack of support for the subjects that the teen is struggling with, being bullied by peers and struggling with making or keeping friends.

Parents may have a hard time discerning whether a teen is truly having a problem with school. They wonder if the mood swings, anger, or refusal to go to school are just classic teenage traits. The signs a teenager is facing anxiety include school refusal, physical symptoms (headaches, stomach aches and nausea), a change in eating habits and increased anger.

The teenage years have been known to cause stress and anxiety for a long time now. The main thing to do to help with it is to see a doctor. Most times a doctor will do some scanning and tests and then send you to a mental health specialist.

If you or anyone you know us struggling with anxiety, do not be afraid to reach out for help.