Hypnotherapy for teenage anxiety
The teenage years offer their own unique challenges. Their mind and bodies are changing at a great pace and they’re being asked to make important decisions without all the tools and resources necessary. Our brains don’t fully develop until we are in our mid to late twenties. Because of this, it’s possible for a teenager’s mind to feel like a giant revolving door of worry. The worry steps in the open door with them. Then instead of allowing them to step out, it keeps them trapped going round and round. The never-ending revolutions continue, stopping occasionally to let more worry in to join them.
Thankfully using hypnotherapy for teenage anxiety can help to safely and quickly stop this revolving door and bring back a sense of calmness and control.
I help and support teenagers using online hypnotherapy in order to reduce the overwhelm that they so often feel. By providing them with practical ways to reframe their thoughts they can quickly and safely stop anxiety in its tracks. This enables them to look forward to their future.
What is anxiety?
Anxiety is a natural human reaction involving both the mind and body. It’s a warning system to say that we’re currently experiencing stress. In certain circumstances such as running away from danger, anxiety can be lifesaving. It can also make you more focused and alert. So a small amount of anxiety can be beneficial before an exam or performance. However, it can often become overwhelming and have a devastating effect on the enjoyment of life.
Anxiety is created by our thoughts surrounding an event or situation. If we feel we are facing a situation where we are not going to be able to cope, then we create anxiety.
Why do we create anxiety?
Throughout our evolution, we’ve had to cope with the threat of constantly being under attack. Our brain became very good at looking out for threats and when it thought that we were under attack it began our stress response.
Our bodies were flooded with stress hormones which increased our alertness and increased our heart rate and breathing rate. Anxiety is a response to a threat that was necessary for our survival. In our modern lives, a build-up of stress hormones can often make us feel like we’re on edge. This makes it difficult to switch off and relax. Our lives are not in danger but we still generate the same response as if it was.
Unfortunately, the part of our brain that starts the stress response can often get things wrong. It’s constantly looking out for danger but often mistakes seemingly innocent events, situations or objects as threats. The things a teenager’s brain regards as a threat may be vastly different to adults This might include; problems within friendship groups, disordered eating, social media, concerns over grades, college courses and changes to their appearance.
It is very easy for teenagers to become overwhelmed and for even seemingly small things to be viewed as major issues. This is clearly distressing for both the teenager and their parent, especially if they are not sure how to help. Thankfully these thoughts and emotions need not be permanent. Working together we use methods and techniques which enable thinking to come from the rational, logical part of the brain. This helps to reduce the feelings of overwhelm that anxiety often creates.
Types of anxiety
I have successfully helped many people find freedom from all different types of anxiety. By working together we can overcome any type of anxiety no matter how long it has been an unwelcome part of your family’s life.
Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD). GAD is one of the most common anxiety disorders amongst teenagers. It is marked by intense, unrealistic and uncontrollable anxieties usually connected to a number of objects, ideas and events. A teenager with GAD is likely to worry about how others perceive them and have negative feelings about the future.
Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD). Teenagers with SAD experience intense fear or discomfort in social situations, to such an extent that they may try to avoid social contact as much as possible. Excessive blushing, shaking, stammering, sweating, rapid speech and nausea often accompany SAD.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Teenagers with OCD may experience intrusive thoughts and images and follow compulsive rituals in response to these thoughts. OCD is a very debilitating condition and can have a very damaging effect on mental health and wellbeing if not successfully addressed.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). PTSD whilst more common in adults can also affect teenagers. PTSD forms as a result of experiencing a perceived traumatic event. For more information on PTSD please use the following link
Panic Disorder. Panic attacks often happen for no apparent reason. Symptoms usually include a racing heartbeat, feeling faint, sweating, chest pain, churning stomach and feeling nauseous. Panic disorder occurs when there is a regular occurrence of panic attacks.
Performance Anxiety concerns the fear about one’s ability to perform a specific task. Teenagers suffering from performance anxiety often worry about failing before the task has even begun. The anxiety may be related to performing in front of others or being concerned about their own performance in an important exam.
How Solution Focused Hypnotherapy for teenage anxiety can help
Solution Focused Hypnotherapy is based on scientific research as to how the brain works, this makes it particularly effective when dealing with all types of anxiety disorders. The methods used replicate the way our brain works when it’s functioning well, with little anxiety present. No matter what disorder may be present hypnotherapy for teenage anxiety can help by changing the area of the brain that controls thinking.
During the therapy sessions, I help to develop specific areas of the brain which encourage positive thinking as opposed to negative introspection. By focusing more attention on the positive parts of our life we can naturally lower anxiety levels. In addition, hypnosis is used to help calm down the more emotional parts of the brain. This helps anxiety sufferers to reach a place of calmness and control. Teenagers’ brains have an amazing ability to quickly change and build new positive pathways. In a short period of time, it is possible for their racing thoughts to be stopped and replaced with more positive ones. In effect, we are able to stop and then padlock shut the revolving door of worry.
Some teenagers and children may be wary of hypnotherapy. Please be assured I have never used hypnosis for entertainment. I am a fully qualified and insured hypnotherapist, not a stage hypnotist. I use hypnotherapy to help calm minds and allow the subconscious mind to be open to helpful suggestions benefiting mental health and wellbeing. I’m not able to control minds, they will only take in and act on the information they deem to be helpful.
I am fully insured and DBS checked. I have been a teacher for over 16 years and as a result I am vastly experienced in helping children and teenagers to realise their potential.
If you are a parent and interested in what happens during the hypnotherapy sessions, I and am more than happy for you to sit alongside your child at any part of the therapy process.
How can I find out more about hypnotherapy for teenage anxiety?
If you would like to find out more about how we can use hypnotherapy online in order to find relief from the debilitating effects of anxiety, then please get in touch using my email link. I’d love to help make positive change happen.
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