Helping Your Teen Overcome Social Anxiety
Adolescence is a period of exploration, self-discovery, and connection. However, for some teens, these years also come with mental health struggles that can overshadow their other experiences. Anxiety is one of the most common struggles young people face, particularly social anxiety. Social anxiety – a fear of being judged, humiliated, or rejected – goes beyond shyness or occasional nervousness. It’s an intense, persistent fear that can interfere with daily life, relationships, and overall well-being.
At Carino & Co, we specialize in teen anxiety treatment for young people and their families. We’ve seen firsthand how social anxiety can hold adolescents back. But we’ve also seen how transformative therapy can be in helping teens regain confidence, build connections, and live more fulfilling lives. Understanding social anxiety can help you understand how to support your chid and seek help when you need it.
What Is Social Anxiety?
Social anxiety isn’t the same as being shy around people or feeling nervous before meeting someone new. While occasional shyness or nervousness is natural, social anxiety involves an overwhelming fear of being scrutinized and judged in social situations. It often leads to overwhelm, and people who experience social anxiety tend to self-isolate and avoid social situations rather than face this distress.
Teen years are a crucial time for personal growth, learning life skills, and feeling into one’s identity. Social anxiety, if left unaddressed, can limit opportunities, damage self-esteem, and lead to big complications and difficulties in your teen’s relationships with themselves and others down the road.
When social anxiety becomes so intense that it disrupts everyday life, it may meet the criteria for social anxiety disorder. According to the DSM-5, social anxiety disorder includes:
Persistent fear or anxiety about everyday social situations
Avoidance of many social situations, or enduring them with extreme distress
Fear that’s out of proportion to the situation
Significant impairment in daily life, which aren’t caused by another condition or medications
Symptoms that at least six months
Social anxiety disorder is one of the most common types of anxiety and among the top struggles teens face, but help is available. Teens – and their families – don’t have to face it alone.
Recognizing Signs of Social Anxiety in Teens
Social anxiety can look different for everyone, but some common signs in teens include:
Intense fear of socializing, performing, or being watched
Worrying excessively about embarrassing themselves, even when that’s an unlikely outcome
Negative self-talk and low self-esteem
Avoiding eye contact or social interactions
Physical symptoms like sweating, shaking, or nausea in social settings
Difficulty participating in class, meeting new people, or attending social events
The human brain reacts strongly to anxiety, and teens experiencing social anxiety often avoid social situations altogether because of how scary and terrible they can feel. These avoidance behaviors are normal, but they have a huge impact on friendships, school life, self-esteem, and extracurricular activities. For example, a teen might skip school because of a presentation or avoid joining an interesting club because it means being in a group of new people.
Is It Shyness or Social Anxiety?
It’s natural for teens to feel self-conscious at times, but when social anxiety disrupts their ability to enjoy life or engage with others, it’s time to take a closer look. To distinguish between shyness and social anxiety, ask yourself:
Does my teen avoid situations they previously enjoyed?
Are they reluctant to attend school or social gatherings or to make new friends?
Have they stopped engaging with things that involve being around others?
Is their anxiety affecting their grades, friendships, or family relationships?
Recognizing these patterns early can make a huge difference in helping teens access the support they need.
What Causes Social Anxiety?
The roots of social anxiety, just like any other mental health condition, are often multi-faceted. Research suggests a combination of genetic, environmental, and psychological factors may contribute. Some potential causes include:
Genetic predisposition to anxiety
Experiences of bullying, teasing, or rejection
Parenting styles, such as being overly critical or controlling
Stressful life changes or trauma
The exact causes vary and may be complex. Therapy can help uncover and address the underlying contributors to a teen’s social anxiety – and help your teen find ways to cope and re-engage with the world.
How Therapy Can Help Teens with Social Anxiety
Social anxiety doesn’t have to shrink your teen’s life down. Teen anxiety therapy offers powerful tools to help them overcome their fears and build resilience. At Carino & Co, our skilled therapists are dedicated to:
Understanding your teen fully, getting to know them as the complex and nuanced humans that they are
Creating a safe space for teens to express their thoughts and feelings
Exploring the root causes of their anxiety
Teaching practical coping strategies for managing anxiety
Slowly rebuilding confidence through things like skills training and role-playing
We’ll use multiple styles of compassionate therapy methods to help your teen overcome their fears, including:
Mindfulness and anxiety reduction techniques
Cognitive behavior therapy
Safe exposure techniques to encourage your teen to take baby steps toward engaging in social situations
Therapy can empower teens to navigate social challenges, embrace their strengths, and build meaningful relationships.
We also offer family therapy to strengthen parent-child relationships. It helps teens and parents get on the same page about difficult issues, improve communication, and work together to foster trust, support, and authentic connection.
Curious about working together? Reach out to set up a free consultation today. Let’s help your teen build a healthier, more empowered life.
MEET THE AUTHOR
Justine Carino
Justine is a licensed mental health counselor with a private practice in White Plains, NY. She helps teenagers, young adults and families struggling with anxiety, depression, family conflict and relationship issues. Justine is also the host of the podcast Thoughts From the Couch.
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