Have you ever noticed that many adults tend to blame our anxiety on social media? Instead, they might not recognize the stress we are put through that causes our anxiety. Many parents want their kids to get into a good college and university, yet some don’t understand how difficult it can be for students. Anxiety in teens does not only come from social media, as there are various other factors that can contribute to anxiety in teenagers. Personal issues, stress about school, relationships, and internal conflicts can be other factors to teenagers’ anxiety.

What are some major factors that cause teens to stress out today? For seniors, some of the biggest problems are graduation requirements, applying for colleges, perfect attendance or making up assignments to have sufficient grades. For some, it may be extremely hard to focus in school because of one’s anxiety. Every year, over 1.2 million students drop out of high school in the United States alone.

Jasmine asked, “Do you think your anxiety made a difference in your social life?”Senior Destiny Clark answered, “Yes, even though I come off as a social butterfly it’s hard. My anxiety sometimes prevents me from making friends.” Jasmine asked, “Do you think it would be different if you hadn’t been a senior?” Senior Destiny Clark said, “Yeah, I would know I have another year of high school.” Jasmine agreed, saying “It’s like the last round of Mario Kart, where you have to speed it up.” Destiny agreed “That’s exactly how it feels.”. “Do you think that you missed out on opportunities due to your  anxiety?” Destiny answered, “Definitely yes.”

What are some of the reasons students drop out? For some, it may be lack of motivation. Some students might not be able to handle all the anxiety and pressure. In school alone, many might say that there is no one reaching out to help those who are struggling. Anxiety is a nervous disorder characterized by a state of excessive uneasiness and apprehension. Anxiety can be caused by mental conditions and other factors. Approximately 1 in 5 youth aged 13–18 (21.4%) experiences a severe mental disorder at some point during their life.  

Adults tend to blame social media on teenage anxiety. Some might say it is easier to get on social media with today’s technology, access to a smartphone is becoming more because social media it is easy to access because teenagers carry their phone. More friends on social media do not mean students are more social in real life. Comparing our lives with others is mentally unhealthy and can affect your mental health.

In today’s society teens need to be aware of what is causing stress, as well as how to resolve it. Finding methods to relax and balance their lives is key. Social-emotional strategies like Yoga and meditation are always a good idea to look into if you are dealing with stress, but you are not sure what to do about it.