Overwhelmed Teens: Anxiety & Avoidance

When I’m fine isn't fine.

Teenagers today are under the spotlight of academic pressure, social comparison and constant digital stimulation all while their brains are still developing the skills needed to manage stress.

When teens seem disengaged, irritable, unmotivated or stuck to their phones, it can look like laziness or defiance, but it can also mean overwhelm.

In this session, we’ll talk about how anxiety and pressure show up in real life, not always as tears or panic, but as avoidance, procrastination, shutdown, perfectionism or “I don’t care.” We’ll discuss why motivation drops when anxiety rises, how the nervous system shifts into fight, flight or freeze, and why some teens react more outwardly and others who withdraw.

What We’ll Cover

• How overwhelm might look like in teenagers
• Anxiety disguised as defiance, laziness or disengagement
• The nervous system under pressure: fight, flight, freeze and shutdown
• Why motivation drops when stress rises
• The hidden role of perfectionism and comparison
• Calm authority versus bossiness or control
• Small, practical shifts at home that reduce overload while keeping expectations in place

Takeaways for Parents

Parents will leave with:

• An understanding of the difference between “won’t” and “can’t cope”
• Tools to spot early signs of overwhelm before burnout develops
• Practical suggestions to lower emotional intensity without giving in/up
• Increased confidence in holding boundaries calmly and constructively