How Anxiety Affects Focus and Learning—And What Parents Can Do to Help

Photo of Caucasian male teen studying and doing his homework at a desk with an open laptop in front of him, an open book on the table in front of him, while wearing a headset around his neck. Photo could represent how much better the teen's focus has become since working with his child therapist in Chicago, Helena Madsen at Briefly Counseling who specializes in working with kids and teens with anxiety.

Anxiety is a normal part of life. Everyone experiences worry or nervousness from time to time. But when anxiety becomes persistent, it can interfere with daily activities—especially for kids and teens. One of the biggest ways anxiety affects young people is in the disruption of focus and learning.

If your child struggles with anxiety, you may have noticed that schoolwork feels harder than it should be, homework takes longer than expected, or they seem easily distracted. In this blog post, I’ll explore how anxiety impacts focus and learning, along with concrete strategies you can use to support your kids.

How Anxiety Disrupts Focus and Learning

There are multiple ways anxiety can disrupt focus and learning. Let’s look at the top four.

1. The brain on anxiety: fight, flight, or freeze mode

Anxiety triggers the body’s stress response, often referred to as “fight, flight, or freeze.” This is a survival mechanism designed to protect us from danger. When a child or teen feels anxious, their brain perceives a threat—even if no real danger exists.

For example, a child who dreads speaking in front of the class may experience a surge of adrenaline, rapid heartbeat, and racing thoughts. Their brain is focused on escaping the situation rather than listening to the teacher. This heightened state of alertness makes it difficult to concentrate on learning.

2. Constant worry creates mental overload

When kids and teens are anxious, their minds are often preoccupied with “what-ifs.”

What if I fail the test?
What if I embarrass myself?
What if my teacher calls on me and I don’t know the answer?

This ongoing mental chatter takes up valuable brainpower, leaving less capacity for focusing on schoolwork. Even simple tasks like reading a chapter in a book or solving a math problem can feel overwhelming when a child’s mind is flooded with anxious thoughts.

3. Avoidance of challenging tasks

Many anxious kids and teens develop avoidance behaviors. If something makes them uncomfortable, they may try to escape it altogether. This might look like: Photo of Asian school aged boy lying in bed looking scared with the blue covers pulled up to under his eyes. Photo could represent school refusal due to social or test anxiety and the need for child therapy in Chicago at Briefly Counseling.

Procrastinating on assignments because they fear making mistakes.
Avoiding participation in class because they’re afraid of being wrong.
Refusing to go to school due to social anxiety or test anxiety.

Avoidance may provide short-term relief, but in the long run, it reinforces anxiety and makes learning even harder.

4. Physical symptoms interfere with learning

Anxiety doesn’t just exist in the mind—it also affects the body. Many kids experience:

Stomachaches or headaches.
Muscle tension or restlessness.
Fatigue from poor sleep caused by worry.

When a child doesn’t feel well physically, their ability to concentrate and learn naturally declines.

What Parents Can Do to Help their Child with Focus and Learning

There are a number of things you can do to help your child with focus and learning in spite of anxiety.

Recognize and validate their anxiety

Before trying to “fix” the problem, acknowledge your child’s feelings. Saying, “You don’t need to be anxious” or “Just focus!” may feel dismissive. Instead, try statements like:

“I can see that you’re feeling anxious about this assignment. That makes sense—new things can feel overwhelming.”
“It sounds like you’re really worried about the test. Want to talk about it?”

Validation helps kids feel understood and less alone in their struggles.

Teach anxiety-reduction techniques

Equipping your child with coping skills can make a big difference. Some techniques include:

Deep breathing: Try the “4-7-8” method—inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 7, exhale for 8.
Progressive muscle relaxation: Have them tense and relax different muscle groups to release tension.
Mindfulness and grounding techniques: Encourage them to focus on their senses (e.g., “What are five things you can see right now?”) to stay present.

Break tasks into smaller steps

Photo of Caucasian school aged boy wearing classes and sitting in class writing in his workbook. Photo could represent how is he focusing better by breaking school work into smaller and more manageable pieces as suggested by his Christian counselor in Chicago, Helena Madsen at Briefly Counseling who works with kids and teens with anxiety. Anxious kids often feel overwhelmed by large tasks. Breaking schoolwork into smaller, manageable pieces can help. Instead of saying, “Write your essay tonight,” try:

Brainstorm ideas for 10 minutes.
Write the introduction.
Take a short break.
Write one paragraph.

This approach makes tasks feel less intimidating and reduces procrastination.

Create a predictable routine

Anxiety thrives on uncertainty. Establishing a daily homework and study routine helps kids feel more in control. A structured schedule might include:

A designated homework space.
Set start and break times.
A wind-down routine before bed to improve sleep.

Predictability reduces stress and makes focusing easier.

Address avoidance gently

If your child avoids schoolwork due to anxiety, help them face challenges gradually. For instance:

If they won’t start their homework, sit with them for the first few minutes.
If they fear speaking in class, have them practice answering questions at home before volunteering at school.
If they dread tests, teach them test-taking strategies and relaxation techniques.

The goal is to help them build confidence, not force them into uncomfortable situations too quickly.

Encourage a growth mindset

Many anxious kids struggle with perfectionism. They believe they must get everything right or they’ve failed. Help them shift their mindset by: Photo of smiling Caucasian school aged girl as she sits at a table with a pencil in her right hand and writing in the open journal in front of her on the table. Photo could represent how much better her mindset has become about homework since working with a Christian counselor in Chicago who specializes in kids and teens with anxiety.

Praising effort over outcomes: “I love how hard you worked on this!”
Normalizing mistakes: “Everyone makes errors—that’s how we learn.”
Encouraging resilience: “You didn’t get the grade you wanted, but what can you do differently next time?”

A growth mindset reduces fear of failure and helps kids engage more fully in learning.

Consider Professional Support

If your child’s anxiety is significantly impacting their ability to focus and learn, therapy can be a great option. Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) is particularly effective for anxiety and helps kids develop tools to manage their thoughts and emotions. An experienced child therapist who specializes in anxiety can also work with you, the parent to develop strategies that support your child’s learning.

A Final Note on Focus and Learning

Anxiety can make focusing and learning feel like an uphill battle for kids and teens. But with the right strategies and support, they can develop the skills needed to manage their worries and thrive in school. By validating their experiences, teaching coping skills, and fostering a growth mindset, parents can play an important role in helping their children build resilience and confidence.

If your child’s anxiety is making school a struggle, know that you are not alone—and help is available. Small changes can lead to big improvements, and with patience and encouragement, your child can learn to navigate challenges with greater ease.

Begin Child Therapy in Chicago, Illinois and Florida for Anxious Kids and Teens!

Photo of smiling Caucasian school aged girl as she sits at a table in her room engaging with someone on the open laptop in front of her. Photo could represent how much better she feels since receiving online sessions with her child therapist in Chicago, Helena Madsen at Briefly Counseling, who specializes in kids and teens with anxiety. If your child or teen is struggling with anxiety, there is hope! Anxiety is highly treatable and child therapy for 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 child therapist in Chicago, IL and FL, I love providing counseling for anxiety. To start your child’s counseling journey, call me at 224-236-2296 or complete my Contact Form to schedule a FREE 20-minute consultation.

Helena Madsen, MA, LCPC is the founder of Briefly Counseling, PLLC. I specialize in providing online 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.

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.