Talking to Teens: Addressing Anxiety and Fear in Adolescents
Youth

Talking to Teens: Addressing Anxiety and Fear in Adolescents

Adolescence is already a time of upheaval. Add collective trauma, and the result is a generation grappling with adult fears in still-developing minds.

August 10, 20241 min read

Adolescence is already a time of upheaval. Add collective trauma, and the result is a generation grappling with adult fears in still-developing minds.

Mental Health First Aid Israel offers specialized training for those who work with teens. Key principles include: respecting their need for autonomy while providing safety, listening more than advising, and normalizing emotional struggle without minimizing it.

Teens often communicate distress through behavior—withdrawing, acting out, taking risks. Adults trained in MHFA learn to read these signals and respond with curiosity rather than control.

"Tell me what's going on for you" opens more doors than "You need to calm down."

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