Anxiety is a Car Alarm

Anxiety is like an alarm that goes off to let us know that something MAY or MAY NOT be wrong.

A good analogy is to compare anxiety to a car alarm (or a smoke detector). Sometimes when alarms go off something has actually gone wrong. Most of the time, though, it's a false alarm. It sensed something because it is ultra sensitive, but when you examine what happened there is not a big problem that needs to be solved.

SOME PEOPLE HAVE MORE SENSITIVE ALARMS THAN OTHERS. THERE ARE A VARIETY OF REASONS FOR THIS AND IT IS OK!


Many teens struggle with stress and anxiety (especially younger teens) because their brains haven't fully developed. Their alarms are more sensitive and go off more frequently because they don't have the calming influence of a fully developed prefrontal cortex. Plus, they have a lot of important decisions to make as they get older and that can cause a lot of stress, as well. 

This alarm is the Sympathetic Nervous system, sometimes known as the "fight or flight" response. This system facilitates communication between the body and the brain, alerting us to danger. It also sets off some physical changes like an increased heart rate, changes in breathing, increased muscle tension, etc. These are designed to help you protect yourself.
 

Those changes aren't necessary, though, when you don't need to protect yourself from anything. So, the first step when you feel anxious is always to check and see if it's a false alarm. Is there something you need to do to protect yourself (physically, emotionally, mentally)? Is there an action you need to take?

If not, thank it for warning you and allow the chemicals set off in your body to slowly dissipate. It will take some time if the attack was a strong one so be patient with yourself. Do some deep breathing, go on a walk, drink water, listen to some music, and relax for a few minutes.
 

The next time your teen is feeling anxious, teach them about this analogy and help them access their "thinking" brain. What are they actually anxious about? What set off the alarm? Is there an action your teen can take to lessen this anxiety (ie talk to a teacher or set a boundary with a peer)? Or is the alarm a false alarm and your teen just needs some time and space to relax? 

This analogy has helped both me and my teen. I hope it helps you as well!