Anxiety Should be taken Seriously

Eight percent of teenagers ages thirteen through eighteen are reported to have an anxiety disorder, but only eighteen percent of these teens are receiving mental health care. “What is Anxiety Disorder?” National Institute of Mental Health. U.S Department of Human and Health Services. N.P web. 8 Jan 2014. (http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/anxiety-disorders/index.shtml) This shows
that the disorder may not be taken seriously enough, and the person affected may not think they have a legitimate disorder. Teenagers with anxiety may feel like their problems are being belittled. Anxiety disorders in teenagers should be taken seriously and parents, teachers, and peers should do everything they can to help someone who is struggling with this disorder.

Some people may say that anxiety disorders are not serious enough to need attention. Teenagers that have anxiety may not be taken seriously because people assume they are just stressed about homework and other issues. It’s true that it is easy to get stressed out as a teen, because you have so much going on.The difference between “normal” anxiety and an actual anxiety disorder is that an actual disorder affects someone at all times, not just stressful moments where everyone would feel anxious, like before a test. There are many different types of anxiety, and all of them can affect someone majorly. Panic attacks are common in people who have an anxiety disorder, and these attacks can make it extremely difficult to focus in school.

It’s critical that teachers be understanding and supportive of students that have anxiety disorders. It may appear as if a student is lazy or unmotivated, when in reality they are just too anxious to focus on their work. Teachers may just assume that the student just doesn’t want to do their work, when in reality they are struggling with their mental health. Students with anxiety may be too shy to speak up and say that they are having trouble getting work done. I have known students that have felt too anxious to show up to school everyday. They were then stuck in an endless cycle of coming back to school and being bombarded with a heavy amount of work, so that they became even more anxious around school. That being said, it is important that students and teachers alike are well educated about anxiety.

Without being educated about anxiety, people may not realize that they actually have anxiety.This may prevent them from getting the help that they need. Anxiety is a disorder that affects many people in the world, and it’s importance should not be diminished.