Resources for Youth
Anxiety is a normal part of adolescence. Every teenager experiences symptoms including fear, nervousness, and shyness as they grow physically, socially, and mentally. While most of these symptoms are temporary, one in eight adolescents are affected by anxiety disorders lasting greater than 6 months. These disorders are characterized by excessive worry unequal in magnitude to the stressor at hand. Treatment generally involves a combination of psychotherapy and medication.
Select each category below to find resources for anxiety.
Websites
Apps
- Headspace – Meditation and Mindfulness Made Simple
- Live OCD Free – Exposure and Response Prevention for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
- What’s Up? – Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Panic Relief – Tool to deal with panic, stress, and anxiety
- CPT Coach – Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Pacifica – Daily Tools for Stress and Anxiety via CBT and Meditation
- Big White Wall – Supportive Online Community for those with anxiety, depression, and more.
- SAM – Self-Help for Anxiety Management
Media
Books
Non-fiction:
- Mind Over Mood: Change How You Feel by Changing the Way You Think by Dennis Greenberger and Christine A. Padesky
- The Anxiety Workbook for Teens: Activities to Help You Deal with Anxiety and Worry
by Lisa M. Schab - Mindfulness for Teen Anxiety: A Workbook for Overcoming Anxiety at Home, at School, and Everywhere Else
by Christopher Willard - The Anxiety Solution Series: Your Guide to Overcoming Panic, Worry, Compulsions and Fear (9 audio discs) by Ken Goodman
- Conquer Your Fears and Phobias for Teens: How to Build Courage and Stop Fear From Holding You Back by Andrea Umbach
- I Bet I Won’t Fret: A Workbook to Help Children With Generalized Anxiety Disorder by T.A. Sisemore
Fiction:
- The Nature of Jade by Deb Caletti
- The Future of Us by Jay Asher
Hotlines
- Crisis Call Center: 800-273-8255 or text ANSWER to 839863
- National Institute of Mental Health Information Center: 866-615-6464
(8 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST, Monday to Friday) - National Mental Health Association Hotline: 800-273-TALK (8255)
- Freedom From Fear: 718-351-1717