Anxiety and High-Performing Teens: The Pressures of Perfectionism

We've all met them: the high-achieving teen who seems to have it all together. They are first in their class, very popular with peers, captain of a sports team, and carry all this weight with ease. However, below the surface, this student may suffer from crippling anxiety. Navigating a minefield of academic expectations, self-imposed pressure, and societal demands has put a significant toll on their emotional and mental health.

Join us as we discuss the prevalence of anxiety in high-performing teens and the leading root causes. We also reveal what teachers and parents need to know about how to identify anxiety within this subset of teens and strategies on how to help them manage the pressures effectively. 

Prevalence and Stats

Around 11.6 percent of teens were diagnosed with anxiety in 2012, and during the COVID-19 pandemic, those numbers almost doubled, resulting in 20.5 percent of teens worldwide dealing with symptoms of anxiety. However, one group of students commonly overlooked when it comes to stress and anxiety is high-performing teens. This group tends to look like they have it "all together" regarding grades and social status. And because they are discounted - they rarely receive the help they need. 

Root Causes of Anxiety in High-Performing Teens

Pinpointing the root causes of anxiety in high-performing teens is complicated. The triggers can be diverse — ranging from the pursuit of high grades to the desire to be "perfect" in every aspect of their academic and social lives. Typically, experts have found that anxiety often stems from similar sources, including: 

• family dynamics 
• academic stress 
• social pressures and fitting in
• puberty and body image issues
• changes in teen brain circuits can increase stress levels, affecting the regulation of moods and behavior.
  

However, because high-achieving students are so good at masking their feelings - most parents and teachers have no clue how badly these teens are suffering. And if this anxiety is not treated early in high school, it will spill over into college. In a 2022 National College Health Assessment, more than one in three students reported being diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. 

High Achieving Culture & Toxic Positivity

One of the top causes of anxiety in high-achieving students is that college admissions have become markedly more competitive over the past few decades. These teens face intense pressure to excel across multiple disciplines, even to have a shot at being accepted into top-level universities. This high-achieving culture has students competing in a grueling grind that pushes them to incredible and unhealthy limits.

According to The Stanford Daily, high-achieving students have also been conditioned to connect their self-worth and value with achievement and "being the best." This need makes them dependent on external validation and vulnerable to anxiety when they fall short of perfection. These teens also feel pressure to over-perform and worry that they may not be on par with their peers. This cycle of competition results in feelings of anxiety and failure.

High-achieving teens are also taught that because they are academically and socially successful - they should be highly optimistic. They also see their social media feeds brimming with messages like "good vibes only," promoting a happy mindset no matter how difficult a person's experience is. All of this "toxic positivity" teaches teens that negative emotions are unacceptable — causing teens to feel more anxious than ever. So, how can teachers and parents help these high-achieving students? It starts with recognizing the signs of anxiety. 

Identifying the Signs

Anxiety among high school students can affect school performance, relationships, and family life, so it's essential to identify the signs of this mental health problem before it's too late. According to the Child Mind Institute, the common signs of anxiety in teens include:

• extreme sensitivity to criticism
• withdrawal from social activity
• drop in grades 
• substance use
  

However, in high-achieving students, anxiety can manifest differently. These students can have high-functioning anxiety, a subclinical term used to describe teens who experience elevated levels of internal anxiety but come across as successful and high-performing. Their anxiety mostly lives within their minds and does not show itself through avoidance or other typical negative behaviors. On the outside, these students look confident and are often at the 'top' of their class. Common symptoms can include:

• overthinking and overanalyzing
• dwelling on past mistakes and excessive worry
• insomnia and fatigue
• intense fear of failure
• difficulty saying no or expressing emotions
• nervous habits and tics, like nail biting or leg bouncing
  

Managing Anxiety

High school students say that stress and anxiety are the most significant obstacles to learning. At the same time, they also report struggling to get the support they need from their schools. So, how can teachers and parents help? Below are practical and effective strategies to help teens manage their anxiety.

Creating a Village

One of the first steps in managing anxiety among high-performing teens is to cultivate a supportive village. This support involves open communication among teachers, school counselors, parents, and teens. It's vital to foster an environment where teens feel comfortable discussing their anxieties without fear of judgment or backlash.

Setting Realistic Expectations

Setting realistic expectations that align with a teen's individual abilities and interests is vital for managing anxiety. Overburdening them with unrealistic goals or toxic positivity can exacerbate their stress levels. Instead, a collaborative approach that encourages personal growth while valuing balance is important.

Promoting Self-Care

Teens need to understand and practice self-care, which can be an effective tool against anxiety. Encouraging regular sleep patterns, healthy eating habits, and physical exercise are critical components. Stress and anxiety create a fight-or-flight response in the body and mind. Promoting stress relief activities like deep breathing, gentle yoga, and meditation can help their nervous system shift into a rest-and-relax state, naturally decreasing their anxiety.

Seeking Professional Help

Finally, it's crucial to seek professional help when a teen's anxiety becomes unmanageable. Mental health professionals can provide various tools and strategies, from talk therapy, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), to medication, if needed, to help teens cope and live with their anxiety.

Going Forward

High-performing teens face unique challenges that require a balanced approach to support them while they navigate through a complex emotional landscape. This process involves parents, schools, and communities cooperating to create environments that foster open communication and healthy lifestyle habits. By understanding the nuances of their anxieties and taking active steps to promote their mental health, teachers and parents can empower teens to flourish and find inner peace.