Why Are More American Teenagers Than Ever Suffering From Severe Anxiety?

You’ll have to read through three fourths of the article to get there, but then, bingo, there’s the part about Klonopin being part of the treatment.

Pretty scary that these kids may be conquering one demon without knowing that they may be launching a new, and far worse, affliction.

  Americans Teenagers / Severe Anxiety

This was interesting, Leslie. I do wonder how many of these kids are put on ADs and benzos. I saw that Jillian was prescribed K and Prozac. But they didn't mention about any of the others, what they took. I think social media is creating a lot of problems, but what can be done about it? Especially it hits those in middle school and high school. By the time college comes around, they feel much better, as Jake did. I'm glad that alternative methods are used to calm people down, especially meditation. And I suppose the exposure therapy is good. I would have crumbled had I been a teen growing up today! I had little help from my parents. I dreaded school.

K is such a heavy drug with potential long-term cognitive problems. It's too bad that Jillian was started on the drug so young.

You’ll have to read through three fourths of the article to get there, but then, bingo, there’s the part about Klonopin being part of the treatment.

 

Pretty scary that these kids may be conquering one demon without knowing that they may be launching a new, and far worse, affliction.

 

  Americans Teenagers / Severe Anxiety

Im seriously starting to get that strange sixth sense "that theres a predator nearby" feeling every time I see someone mention anxiety rising and then I see a casual flippant reference at the end to oh yeah they put me on xanax or clonazpam for it. Like this is nothing to do with the story. Its really creepy how many vulnerable people are just walking blindly into this nightmare

It really is scary.

I hoped to read to the end and find that the great and effective therapies that are offered were really doing the job, because they really can work.

Then when I saw the Klonopin reference, ugh - felt as though I just been handed the Queen of Spades after it was too late for a moon shot.

My only hope is that most of the kids are making it without the drugs.

Very scary.  Very sad.

I think it would be an excellent idea to implement mandatory mindfulness-based meditation classes to school curriculum, starting from a young age.  Teach kids how to manage anxiety, stress and other emotions using mindfulness.

As a retired public school teacher in Central Florida, TOO MUCH ACADEMIC PRESSURE AND TESTING forced on children at way too young of an age. My grandson (gifted, now 5th grade) was TESTED by state in pre-kindergarten at 4 years of age and the mandatory testing has only increased as he has advanced in grade levels.

I taught at-risk students, and it doesn't matter socio-economic status, IQ, disability, etc., etc. ALL STUDENTS forced to be tested and the pressure is unbelievable for the students, parents and the teachers. Especially here in Florida. Teacher pay is determined by students' scores.

Too much testing, not enough discipline, and as someone else posted, no classes to teach coping skills.  But there are special classes to improve test-taking.

SHAME, SHAME on Education System of USA: only my opinion as retired teacher.

I haven't read the article yet.

Pooh 

Very scary.  Very sad.

I think it would be an excellent idea to implement mandatory mindfulness-based meditation classes to school curriculum, starting from a young age.  Teach kids how to manage anxiety, stress and other emotions using mindfulness.

I'm all for that. I think it ought to be mandatory, like any other course.

Not only in America

I agree 100% with pooh49. Too much testing, school, pressure, structured activities. They have less sleep and free time than adults and they would need much more Crazy system where the means (testing) becomes an end!

As a retired public school teacher in Central Florida, TOO MUCH ACADEMIC PRESSURE AND TESTING forced on children at way too young of an age.

Teacher pay is determined by students' scores.

My only hope is that most of the kids are making it without the drugs.

Agree.

I have two daughters, 12 and 13. The 13 year old is always on her phone while the 12 year old isn't. Their personalities are starkly different. The 13 year old has a harder time concentrating and suffers from occasional fears of going to school, anxiety about other student opinions. The 12 year old doesn't have any of these problems.

I'm lucky at this point that things haven't gotten too bad, but I fear how things may evolve in the future.

Not only in America

I agree 100% with pooh49. Too much testing, school, pressure, structured activities. They have less sleep and free time than adults and they would need much more Crazy system where the means (testing) becomes an end

The teenagers in the US are victims of artificial/mechanical lifestyle and inefficient education system.  Long hours does not equal academic achievement.  The teachers are bad too.  I've seen it first hand, no substance, no pedagogical training whatever.  They have no business teaching.  Also, these so called tests are designed by a bunch of idiots that haven't got a clue as to what substantive education entails.  The US lags severely in secondary education behind most European countries and Japan.  Why?  The idiots here can't teach.  The kids in those countries don't spend nowhere near as much time at school and yet are achieved academically. Obviously this grand social experiment here is failing.  Bunch of idiots and superficial educational system.