5 Strategies for Calming Teen Anxiety Quickly

Photo of Caucasian male teen wearing a white sweatshirt with his arms folded in front of him standing in front of a white wooden wall with a smile on his face. Photo could represent how much happier he feels since working with an online Christian counselor for kids and teens in Illinois and Florida who specializes in kids and teens with anxiety.

In this fast-paced world we live in, it’s easy for teen anxiety to rear its head and wreak havoc on our teens’ mental well-being. From navigating friendships and school pressures to dealing with heightened emotions, it’s no secret that adolescence can be a rollercoaster ride.

That’s why it’s more important than ever to equip ourselves with effective techniques to soothe those frazzled nerves and bring a sense of peace back into our homes. Let’s take a look at five strategies designed to help calm your teen’s anxiety quickly.

5 Strategies for Calming Teen Anxiety Quickly

Living with anxiety can be painful and unpredictable. For teens especially, it can feel confusing and disorienting. As a parent, you may feel helpless and at a loss for what to do.

Thankfully, there are several techniques you can share with your teen on how to get their anxiety under control and fast.

Breathe deeply

The minute they feel anxiety rising in their body, the first thing to do is stop and gain control of their breath. Deep, slow breathing sends a signal to their brain that everything is safe in their environment.

Controlled breathing is one of the most powerful ways to activate their body’s relaxation response. It will take their mind and body off their “fight or flight” mode and bring it instantly into a calm and relaxed state.

Deep breathing offers a variety of benefits for teens, both physically and mentally. Here’s a breakdown of some key advantages.

Stress reduction – Deep breathing triggers the body’s relaxation response, which helps reduce the production of stress hormones like cortisol.
Improved focus and concentration – Deep breathing increases oxygen flow to the brain, which enhances cognitive function.
Emotional regulation – Adolescence is a time of intense emotions, and deep breathing can help teens regulate their emotional responses.
Better sleep: Deep breathing can promote relaxation and help teens wind down before bedtime, leading to improved sleep quality.

One of my favorite breathing techniques I teach to kids and teens with anxiety is the Box Breath. This breathing technique is commonly used among first responders who go into extremely stressful situations.

Here are the steps for the Box Breath:

Inhale deeply filling your lungs with air for a count of 4.
Hold your breath for a count of 4.
Exhale slowly for a count of 4.
Hold your breath for a count of 4.

Repeat as many times as necessary.

Accept that you’re anxious

It’s important to remember that anxiety is “just a feeling”. And like all feelings, it can go as quickly as it came. Your teen is having an emotional reaction to a string of thoughts. Help them accept their anxiety because trying to pretend it’s not happening will only make matters worse.

Let’s be clear – by accepting their anxiety, they’re not resigning themselves to a life of eternal misery. They’re not throwing in the towel either. They’re simply living a more mindful existence, staying in the moment, and accepting whatever is in the moment with them.

Acceptance of anxiety can be incredibly beneficial for teens in several ways.

Reduced resistance – When teens accept their anxiety rather than resisting or fighting against it, they remove the added layer of stress that comes from struggling against their feelings.
Validation of emotions – Acceptance acknowledges that feeling anxious is a normal and valid human experience, especially during stressful situations or transitions.
Increased self-compassion – Accepting their anxiety encourages teens to treat themselves with kindness and understanding, rather than self-criticism or judgment.
Reduction of avoidance behaviors – When teens accept their anxiety, they are less likely to engage in avoidance behaviors that may provide temporary relief but ultimately perpetuate the cycle of anxiety.

Your emotions can’t kill you

One of the most frightening things about an anxiety or panic attack for anyone is the feeling that you’re having a heart attack. But you aren’t. Your brain can and will play tricks on you trying to get you to believe that you’re in physical danger.

But the truth is, you’re not in physical danger. You’re having an episode based on emotions and it will pass. Remind your teen (and have them remind themselves) of that as many times as you need to.

Knowing that their emotions can’t hurt them can be immensely helpful in managing their anxiety. Here’s how:

Perspective shift – Understanding that their emotions, while intense, are not life-threatening can help teens gain perspective on their situation.
Empowerment – Recognizing that their emotions are not inherently dangerous empowers teens to face them head-on rather than avoiding or suppressing them.
Promotes resilience – Knowing that they can withstand their emotions without being harmed builds resilience in teens.
Normalization of emotions – Recognizing that everyone experiences intense emotions at times and that it’s a normal part of being human can help teens feel less isolated in their struggles.

Question your thoughts

When anxiety begins to attack, your mind begins to throw out all kinds of outlandish ideas at you, hoping some of them stick. These thoughts are intended to keep the panic going.

Before your teen takes any of these thoughts as reality and truth, teach them to question these thoughts. For instance, if their mind throws out random thoughts like, “I’m a bad friend. I’m definitely going to screw this up. I probably failed my test. And I’ll no doubt play poorly in the band concert and maybe even get kicked out of band which means I won’t get a band scholarship in college, and on and on and on…”

Help them to question these ideas. Are they TRULY a bad friend? Most likely not. Are they really going to screw up? Probably not. Play poorly? Well, maybe but get kicked out of band? Chances are slim.

Always encourage them to question their thoughts. They will usually find the majority aren’t very realistic or probable.

Here are some added benefits of questioning their thoughts:

Promotes rational thinking – Helps teens to approach situations with logic and reason rather than being driven solely by emotions.
Reduces catastrophizing – By questioning the validity of their worst case scenarios, teens can challenge their tendency to catastrophize and recognize that the situation may not be as terrible as they initially believed.
Increases self-awareness – Questioning their thoughts requires teens to reflect on their thinking patterns and beliefs, which increases self-awareness.
Shifts focus from fear to reality – Helps anxious teens shift their focus from the fear-driven narrative of their anxiety to the reality of the situation.

Visualize

Encourage your teen to envision someplace serene that makes them feel peaceful and calm. Maybe this is their grandfather’s old house or a lake they’ve visited before. Maybe it’s that fantastic beachfront condo from your family’s last vacation. Just have them picture it in their mind’s eye and really put themselves there.

Have them see it, smell it, feel it. Experience how calming it feels to be in this space that is perfectly comforting and safe.

Encourage them to use these techniques the next time they experience anxiety or a panic attack. Visualization can help them feel much calmer sooner.

This technique can be effective for anxious teens in several ways.

Distraction – Visualizing a calming scene or scenario can serve as a distraction from the anxious thoughts and feelings that are overwhelming them in the moment.
Relaxation response – Visualizing calming and peaceful scenes can trigger the body’s relaxation response, leading to a reduction in physiological symptoms of anxiety such as rapid heartbeat, shallow breathing, and muscle tension.
Positive associations – Over time, repeatedly visualizing calming scenes can help rewire the brain to associate relaxation and tranquility with stressful situations.
Accessible anywhere – Visualizing requires no special equipment or resources and can be done anytime, anywhere. This makes it a convenient and accessible technique for anxious teens to use whenever they need to calm down quickly, whether they’re at home, school, or out in public.

In conclusion, helping your teen navigate through moments of anxiety can foster a stronger bond and equip them with valuable coping skills for life. By incorporating these five strategies into your toolkit—breathing deeply, accepting that you’re anxious, remembering that your emotions can’t kill you, questioning your thoughts, and visualization —you’re empowering your teen to conquer anxiety and thrive amidst life’s challenges. Good job parents!

Begin Online Therapy for Teen Anxiety in Illinois and now Florida!

If your child or teen is struggling with anxiety, there is hope! Anxiety is highly treatable and online anxiety treatment at Briefly Counseling can help.

Using Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, I help kids and teens reduce their anxiety and build resilience so they can become a happier, more confident version of themselves.

And kids love being able to receive counseling from the comfort and privacy of their own home. Studies have consistently proven that online therapy delivers equal results to in-office counseling.

As an experienced and caring therapist, I love providing counseling for anxiety. To start your child’s counseling journey, call me at 224-236-2296 or email Helena@BrieflyCounseling.com to schedule a FREE 20-minute consultation.

Helena Madsen, MA, LCPC is the founder of Briefly Counseling. I specialize in providing online short-term anxiety treatment for kids and teens ages 7 – 18 as well as Christian counseling.

Whether you’re on the North Shore, in Naperville, Chicago, Champaign, Barrington, Libertyville, Glenview, or downstate Illinois, I can help.

And effective 2024, I am now licensed in Florida! For parents in Jacksonville, Pensacola, Destin, Crestview, Coral Gables, Weston, Parkland, Naples, Marco Island, and Pinecrest, I have immediate openings.

Schedule your appointment or consultation today. I look forward to working with your child to quickly and effectively help them in activating their strengths, resources, and resilience, in order to live with confidence and hope.