Helping with Teenage Anxiety in Manchester

Anxiety is on the increase. What is much more worryingly is that is sky rocketing in teenagers and young adults.

I work with teenage clients ranging from age 12 to 18 years . It is sadly the case that I am finding more and more that the number of clients I’m seeing from the younger age bracket is increasing. So many more concerned parents are contacting me with concerns about the metal wellbeing of their young ones. This is causing me obviously great worry. A lot of the time, they are trying hypnotherapy as a last resort, mainly because of the misconceptions and myths of what people believe hypnotherapy is.

It is almost the case that a lot of the issues have commenced due to Covid and everything that has gone with it. The self-isolation has played a big part in this increase in how children and young adults are feeling. However this is only part of it and things like other factors, such as, lack of self-confidence and a feeling of less self-worth originating from social media, and peer pressure has escalated the levels of anxiety and overwhelm. So many of the children have being finding it difficult to attend lessons and are persistently absent from the classroom.

In a lot of the cases this is being misunderstood by the schools and many are believed to be playing truant rather than their issues being addressed. The problem is they often want to go to school and even get ready, put their uniforms on but then cannot leave the house physically as they have debilitating levels of anxiety, preventing them from doing what they want to do. It really is terribly upsetting to know so many youngsters are going through this.

When does anxiety become a problem?

We all need a little anxiety as this is our natural defence mechanism, giving us the fight or flight response. It only becomes a problem for a child when it affects them in carrying out their ordinary life. For some children, exams or driving tests bring on heightened anxiety which can be deemed as normal. Luckily therapies such as hypnotherapy are available, which help to reduce these feelings.

The problem arises when children can’t even manage to get to school due to their anxiety. A child’s mental and emotional wellbeing can be extremely damaged if they are suffering from severe anxiety which affects their self-esteem and confidence. They may become withdrawn and avoid situations that make them feel anxious.

Signs to look out for

• Physical symptoms such as stomach pain, nausea or headaches.
• Panic attacks.
• Trouble sleeping or waking during the night.
• Wetting the bed.
• Bad dreams.
• Lack of concentration.
• Outbursts of anger.
• Avoidance of everyday activities such as seeing friends or going to school.
• Threats of self-harm.

There can be lots of different triggers for anxiety, especially in children. It could be a change of circumstances, for example, a house move, starting a new school, or parents separating or divorcing. The important message is to talk to them about their anxiety and worries. Reassure them you understand how they feel and address their worries so that you can find solutions together.

How to help children with anxiety


By talking to your child you can teach them to recognise when they are beginning to feel anxious. It’s important to encourage them to manage this themselves and to ask for help when they need it. Try where possible to stick to regular daily routines as your child will find this reassuring. I know it is easier said than done but try not to be overprotective or anxious yourself as they will pick up on this, which could escalate the situation.

As a clinical hypnotherapist, I see every day the benefits and worth of this type of therapy especially in children and young adults. Unlike other therapies, it isn’t necessary to talk and I find that this is helpful for children and young adults as ordinarily, some find it hard to express their feelings and emotions.

I am pleased to say that more and more parents are looking for therapy to help their children. Working with your child using hypnotherapy has the ability to get to the root cause of any problems or issues. Whilst your subconscious mind is receptive in a relaxed state, positive suggestions can be made, together with clever little coping tools and techniques which these children and young adults can use throughout their life taking them into adulthood.

Working 1 to 1 with specially designed techniques to help teenagers and young adults therapy can get them back in a much better place. If you would like to know more then get in touch and have a chat.