Types of anxiety children and teenagers experience

Common types of anxiety in children and teenagers are described below.

A fear or phobia about something specific.

Children are commonly afraid of things like monsters, dogs or water. This is a perfectly normal part of growing up but has the potential to become a phobia (a type of anxiety disorder) when the fear becomes overwhelming and affects your child’s day-to-day life.

Read about phobias

Feeling anxious most of the time for no apparent reason.

While it’s normal for children to frequently have fears and worries, some anxious children may grow up to develop a long-term condition called generalised anxiety disorder when they become a teenager or young adults.
Generalised anxiety disorder causes you to feel anxious about a wide range of situations and issues, rather than one specific event.

People affected by it feel anxious most days and often struggle to remember the last time they felt relaxed.

Separation anxiety
Separation anxiety means a child worrying about not being with their parent or regular carer.

It is common in young children and normally develops at about six months of age. It can make settling into nursery or school or with a childminder very difficult.

Separation anxiety in older children may be a sign that they’re feeling insecure about something – they could be reacting to changes at home, for example.

Social anxiety
Social anxiety is not wanting to go out in public, see friends or take part in activities. Social ‘shyness’ is perfectly normal for some children and teenagers, but it becomes a problem – ‘social anxiety disorder’ – when everyday activities like shopping or speaking on the phone cause intense, overwhelming fear. Children affected by it tend to fear doing or saying something they think will be humiliating.
Social anxiety disorder tends to affect older children who have gone through puberty.

School-based anxiety
Some children become anxious about going to school, schoolwork, friendships, or bullying, especially if they’re changing school or moving up a level.

They may not always share these worries with you, and instead complain of tummy aches or feeling sick. One of the signs is crying or seeming tired in the morning.

This may be a problem that needs tackling if it is significantly affecting their daily life (see below).

Less common anxiety disorders
Post-traumatic stress disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder are other anxiety disorders that can occasionally affect children but are usually seen in adults.