Teen Anxiety: One in Six Lives With It
Teen girls nearly double boys in severe symptoms, and almost two-thirds of severe cases also meet criteria for depression.
Anxiety in teens is not a secret flaw. An analysis by the University of Connecticut, reported by La Opinión, found that one in six young people ages 12 to 20 has moderate or severe symptoms.
What the survey revealed
Behind the number is a study published in JAMA Pediatrics and based on the 2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. It was the first year that survey measured anxiety, said Greg Rhee, who led the research and teaches public health at the University of Connecticut. That makes it possible to track trends over time, detect new inequalities and see if access to treatment improves, he told ABC News.
In the group with severe anxiety, about two-thirds also met criteria for severe depression, and about a third reported substance abuse. Nearly half of them mentioned suicidal thoughts. And girls were nearly twice as likely as boys to show severe symptoms.
«Your worth does not depend on your grades, your productivity or how much you endure without complaining.»
What it looks like from the inside
Feeling butterflies before an exam, a move or a conflict with friends can be normal. The American Academy of Pediatrics says the issue is concerning when symptoms interfere with everyday activities.
The signs are not always dramatic: irritability, trouble concentrating, fears that return, extreme shyness, isolation, falling grades and refusing to go to school. Specialists also link excessive social media use to more anxiety and more loneliness.
Naming what you feel helps. Not to self-diagnose in front of the mirror, but to talk about it without shame and ask for help with clear words.
A place where you don't have to perform
Your worth does not depend on your grades, your productivity or how much you endure without complaining. You were created in the image of God (see Genesis 1:27), and that is not measured by a GPA. Anxiety is not a lack of faith.
Peter writes: "casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you" (1 Peter 5:7, ESV). And Jesus invites: "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28, ESV). He does not ask you to arrive with everything solved.
Every young person in that survey is a person with a name, not a number on a chart. If your home or your church has become a place where only performance counts, something needs to change: family and the Christian community are called to be rest, not a constant evaluation.
Seeking help is not weakness or a lack of spirituality. Praying and receiving therapy can walk together; one does not replace the other.
Today you can take a small, concrete step: tell someone you trust. An adult, a health professional or your pastor. If the situation overwhelms you, go to your country's emergency services; at findahelpline.com you can find the helpline for your area. Who would you text today with a message that starts with "I need to talk"?
