Struggling with Anxiety:
Support for Teens and Young Adults

If you’re searching for information about anxiety, you’re not alone and help is available. YouthLine offers free, confidential peer support for young people up to age 24. You can call 877-968-8491, text “teen2teen” to 839863, chat at theyouthline.org, or email teen2teen@linesforlife.org. You don’t need to be in crisis to reach out. Sometimes you just need someone who gets it.

Struggling with Anxiety Is More Common Than You Think

Part of growing up is experiencing a lot of changes to our mental and physical health that can often be confusing. As your brain and body develop, it’s normal to notice shifts in how you think, feel, and respond to the world around you. Changes in friendships, school pressure, family dynamics, identity, and future plans can bring up feelings of worry, stress, or uncertainty.

Anxiety is a natural emotional response and your body’s way of preparing you for stress, uncertainty, or danger. Almost everyone feels nervous sometimes, especially in situations like tests, performances, interviews, or social events. For teenagers, these experiences can feel even more intense because the brain and body are still developing during adolescence.

Because mental health isn’t always openly talked about, many young people wonder if what they’re feeling is “normal” or if something is wrong with them. Feeling anxious at times does not mean you’re broken or failing. Anxiety is a common response to stress and change, especially during adolescence.

How common Is anxiety in teens?

• Nearly one in three adolescents ages 13-18 will experience an anxiety disorder at some point in their lives.
• Around 20% of teens report symptoms of anxiety, such as excessive worry or feeling on edge.
• Anxiety disorders are among the most common mental health conditions affecting young people.

These numbers show that anxiety is something many teens experience even if it doesn’t always get talked about.

When Anxiety Feels Overwhelming

While some anxiety symptoms can be a normal part of life, it can become harder to manage when it starts interfering with things like sleep, school, relationships, or everyday routine. That’s when support can really help.

Reaching out doesn’t mean you have to have all the answers or be in crisis. Talking with someone, especially someone trained to listen, can help you make sense of what you’re feeling, learning coping tools, and feel less alone.

Unfortunately, many teens don’t ask for help because they worry about being judged, misunderstood, or not taken seriously. But asking for support is a strong and healthy step, not a weakness.

What Is YouthLine?

YouthLine is a free, peer-to-peer help, support, and crisis line for youth up to age 24. When you reach out, you connect with a trained peer volunteer, someone who understands what it’s like to be young and navigating life’s challenges.

No problem is too big or too small. Whether you’re feeling lonely, unmotivated, disconnected, overwhelmed, or just not yourself, YouthLine is here to listen. We’re ready to talk with you about anything you’re going through, including anxiety.

How to Reach YouthLine

• Call: 877-968-8491
• Text: “teen2teen” to 839863
• Chat: theyouthline.org
• Email: teen2teen@linesforlife.org

YouthLine is available for teens and young adults across the United States.

You Deserve Support

If anxiety has been weighing on you, you deserve care, understanding, and connection. Whether you’re dealing with constant stress, racing thoughts, social worries, or just feeling off, you don’t have to carry it alone. YouthLine is here to listen.

National Institute of Mental Health. (2023). Any anxiety disorder.
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/any-anxiety-disorder

Kaiser Family Foundation. (2023). Roughly 1 in 5 adolescents report experiencing symptoms of anxiety or depression.
https://www.kff.org/coronavirus-covid-19/press-release/roughly-1-in-5-adolescents-report-experiencing-symptoms-of-anxiety-or-depression/

World Health Organization. (2023). Adolescent mental health.
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/adolescent-mental-health

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023). Data and statistics on children’s mental health.
https://www.cdc.gov/childrensmentalhealth/data.html

Merikangas, K. R., He, J.-P., Burstein, M., Swanson, S. A., Avenevoli, S., Cui, L., Benjet, C., Georgiades, K., & Swendsen, J. (2010). Lifetime prevalence of mental disorders in U.S. adolescents: Results from the National Comorbidity Survey Replication–Adolescent Supplement (NCS-A). Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 49(10), 980–989. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2010.05.017