Instances of teens getting bullied have been on the rise. These teens may be affected by teen anxiety. Those children who are not able to tolerate bullying may take extreme steps. Due to these bullying incidents, we may have a doubt as to whether bullying causes anxiety in these children or if only anxious children are getting bullied. Experts opine that there are chances of both the things happening. But the fact is those teens who get bullied may develop anxiety and may experience trauma also. Parents of these children should seek professional help to make sure that these teens come out of their anxiety problem.
Experts point out at genetic factors that make a few adolescents susceptible to be affected by teen anxiety. The problem is that when these teens face bullying in their school or college, their anxiety problem may get triggered. So, they have to combat the trauma caused due to bullying and also their anxiety. In fact, their anxiety becomes more intense when they get bullied.
Parents’ role
Acquire knowledge and information
The foremost step parents should take is to acquire as much knowledge about teen anxiety as possible because only if they are well informed, they will be able to help their teens overcome their trauma and anxiety. Parents should know the needs as well as the fears of their teens also. This is for modifying their teaching strategies and disciplining patterns.
You may or may not know the history of the mental health of your family, but once you find the symptoms of teen anxiety in your children, you must consult with a competent professional and get them examined and evaluated.
Modify your parenting strategies and skills
Parents may sometimes not know about the teen anxiety problem of their children. But they will certainly realize this some day or the other. Once they come to know of it, they should be ready to adjust or modify their parenting strategies and skills. Every teen is unique and so, they cannot go by the rule books and adopt the one-size-fit-all ways suggested in the books for disciplining and treating their children.
Cultivating the emotional intelligence of the affected teens
Once you find out that your children are having the problem of teen anxiety, you should start focusing on making them assertive. But these children may not understand or know how to manage emotions. You should gradually cultivate their emotional intelligence so that they learn to overcome the stress that is caused by anxiety-causing situations. The only point you must remember is that you should be patient because you cannot get instant results.
Parents should set an example and teach their teens as to how to show empathy to the feelings of others. If children learn this, it will do a world of good for making them not only compassionate but assertive as well.
Building up confidence in teens
Parents should make children know their strengths because this will make them confident. Once they become confident, they will overcome their fear and become assertive.