Common Public Health Issues and How They Can Be Prevented

Social anxiety is an extreme fear of social situations such as attending parties or giving speeches in class. Teens with social anxiety may fear being humiliated or judged by peers. These individuals may struggle to form friendships and have high rates of school absences or poor grades.

Causes of anxietyExternal link:open_in_new conditions such as social anxiety include:

To address teenage anxiety, public health workers might seek to increase awareness of crisis hotlines, peer support groups, and counseling resources. They might also work with schools to improve access to on-campus or virtual counseling services. Connecting teens with preventive healthcare services and conducting mental health screenings are also key.

Phobias range from a fear of spiders to anxiety induced by small spaces. People with phobias typically avoid triggering objects or situations. They may experience intense fear or panic attacks when encountering triggers.

Symptoms of phobias often start during childhood, with the average onset age of 7, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA).

Types of phobias include:

Cognitive behavioral therapy and exposure therapy — the guided effort to confront fear-inducing activities — can be effective methods of treating phobias. Family therapy can work to improve communication skills and help build support resources in the home. In addition to therapy and medication, teens can use some self-treatment techniques to curb the effects of phobias.

Some examples of these techniques include: