Understanding Launch Anxiety in Teens: Causes and Coping
Understanding Launch Anxiety in Teens: Causes and Coping Mechanisms
Adolescence is a critical phase of life, characterized by an absolute myriad of physical, emotional, and social changes. As teenagers transition from high school age to college, work, or independent living, many experience anxiety, stress, and fear of the unknown. For homeschoolers and public-schoolers alike, this stage of development can be full of self-doubt and fear that they won't know enough to be a successful adult.
Launch Anxiety
Launch anxiety, also known as separation anxiety, is a common experience among teens, often triggered by the stress of transitioning from childhood to adulthood. In this blog, I will explore the causes of launch anxiety in teens and provide coping mechanisms to help them navigate this challenging phase of life.
Causes of Launch Anxiety
1. Fear of Failure:
Many teens experience anxiety about the unknown, including the fear of failure. They worry that they may not be able to cope with the responsibilities and challenges that come with transitioning into adulthood, such as choosing a career or finding a place to live. They often feel like other teens got handed the rules-of-adulting, and they somehow missed that day!
2. Fear of Separation:
Teens may also experience anxiety about leaving their families and friends, which can cause feelings of loneliness and isolation. They may worry that they won't be able to form new relationships and that they will be disconnected from their support system. They might be worried about this even as they pull away from you - it's complex, complicated, and confusing.
3. High Expectations:
Parents, teachers, and peers often have high expectations for teens, which can lead to added pressure and anxiety. Teens may worry about meeting the expectations of others and may struggle to find their own identity. The fact that we have preschools that are sold as college prep does NOT help this fact. The pressure is real, and these kids are the casualties.
Coping Mechanisms for Launch Anxiety
1. Communication:
Teens should be encouraged to communicate with their parents, friends, and mental health professionals about their fears and anxieties. This can help to alleviate feelings of isolation and provide support during the transition to adulthood. Communication only works if you've got the good credit built from your kids - where they know you support them, trust them, and are open to their ideas.
2. Planning and Preparation:
Encouraging teens to plan and prepare for their transition can help to alleviate anxiety. This may include researching colleges, visiting potential job sites, and practicing independent living skills. Anxiety's purpose really is to help us prepare - but sometimes the sheer amount of knowledge to acquire is overwhelming.
3. Game play and skill generalization.
Instead of thinking of their games as a waste of time, remember that that's often an area where they feel competent. Take those experiences and help them see where else they can utilize their personal strengths. Bonus if you play with them.
Launch anxiety is a common experience among teens, and it can be challenging for both the teens and their families. By understanding the causes of launch anxiety and providing coping mechanisms to alleviate anxiety, parents and mental health professionals can help teens to navigate this challenging phase of life. Encouraging communication, planning and preparation, and game play and skills generalization techniques can help teens to develop coping mechanisms and find the support they need to thrive during the transition to adulthood.
Check out my webinar, Parenting Teens Through Launch Anxiety for 30 minutes of therapist-led ideas and help with implementation.
Roya Dedeaux is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with a focus on using creative tools like art, writing, and recreation as a way to help teens and their families who don't quite fit the mold.
Roya’s first book, Connect with Courage: practical ways to release fear and find joy in the places your kids take you is the result of her background in Recreation and Leisure Studies and Marriage and Family Therapy and is the base of her Connect with Courage Parenting Course.
She loves running her private practice, creating art prompts for her
two online art groups, and running games and challenges in the
free Recreate Parenting Facebook community! When she's not doing that, she loves to make messes with her three wild & wonderful kids where they live and play hard in Southern California.
Connect With Courage
