Summertime Anxiety in Teens: Tips and Ideas for Support
Summer is an exciting time for teens — it often means a break from schoolwork and the constant responsibilities of the academic year, providing a sudden surplus of time for new activities and adventures.
This change of pace, however, can be disruptive for some teens’ mental health. With the summer months comes a rise in social pressures (such as parties or other activities) as well as the societal expectation that teens must make the most of their summer. Mainstream media tends to portray summertime as full of excitement, friendship, and even romantic relationships. For older teens, the rising pressure of college might also lead to anxieties or uncertainty.
Regardless of how the summer months are impacting your teen, they’re not alone. Dealing with anxiety alongside the change in weather is far more common than you might expect. Keep reading for our tips and advice on how to manage summertime stress.
How Summertime Impacts Teen Mental Health
Lack of Structure and Routine
The school year is busy. Its rigid schedule for your teen means a clear understanding of what’s to come. Even on tough days, school encourages productivity, learning, and social interaction.
Summertime disrupts this routine. While the lack of structure might provide more opportunities for fun and spontaneity, it can also create a sense of aimlessness or isolation. Without a set schedule each day, some teens find it challenging to tap into a sense of purpose or motivation.
The lack of routine can lead to:
Poor sleep hygiene, including trouble sleeping or waking at consistent times
Feeling aimless or disconnected from goals or identity
Spending long stretches of time online or alone
Social Pressure and FOMO
Summer often brings new social invitations and interactions — think pool parties, group trips, or late-night hangs. These moments can be exciting for teens, but may also bring about a sense of overwhelm for some.
Your teen might be feeling:
Pressure to be socially available or always “on” to keep up with others
Anxious about being left out or not invited to certain groups or parties
Nervous about navigating changing friend dynamics
Diminished self-esteem due to comparison
Physical Environment Changes
The heat of summer and longer daylight hours can have a surprising impact on your teen’s emotional well-being. In fact, research finds that elevated temperatures can disrupt sleep patterns, increase irritability and agitation, and exacerbate any pre-existing anxiety or depression. If your teen experiences sensory sensitivities or a low tolerance for high temperatures, this seasonal shift might cause more stress.
Body Image Pressures
Depending on where you live, the summer usually means swimsuits, shorts, and more skin. For many teens — especially teens socialized as girls or those navigating gender identity — this can bring up intense body image concerns.
It’s common for teens to compare themselves to peers or idealized images online or on social media. This can lead to experiences of shame, self-consciousness, or avoidance of social situations. Other times, it may manifest as food-related anxiety or compulsive social media scrolling to see how they stack up to other peers or celebrities.
Body image is a tender and critical area of development. If you’re feeling concerned about your teen’s emotional and physical well-being, therapy can be an effective way to offer support.
What You Can Do: Supporting Your Teen with Summer Anxiety
Step 1: Encourage gentle structure
Encourage a flexible routine that keeps your teen grounded, without feeling overwhelmed or rigid. In IFS, we refer to the notion of a core Self — a calm, curious, and compassionate presence inside. Reconnecting with the energy of the Self might include mindfulness or gentle moments, creative expression (like music, art, creative writing, or journaling), or spending time in nature. Encouraging moments where your teen can breathe and just exist are powerful ways to navigate anxiety.
Step 2: Check in without pressure or expectations
The academic year is filled with enough pressure and expectations. Ask your teen open-ended questions, like “What’s something you enjoyed this week?” or “What’s something you’re excited about working on?”
Remember: listen to what your teen shares. Your job is to serve as an empathetic listener, not a fixer (unless they ask for help problem-solving).
Step 3: Consider how Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy can support your teen
Instead of trying to get rid of your teen’s anxiety or worry, invite your teen to get curious about it. IFS teaches us that anxiety is a protective part trying to keep us safe from something deeper — like rejection, failure, or overwhelm.
Even naming the part (like “my overwhelmed part” or “my pressure-to-be-perfect part” can help your teen create space between themselves and the feeling itself.
Similarly, some teens might feel conflicted, saying things like, “I want to go out with my friends, but I also want to stay in and read.” This type of inner conflict is completely normal. Helping your teen identify what parts of them are in conflict builds inner clarity and reduces any guilt, shame, or anxiety.
Step 4: Know when to call in for support
Sometimes, a teen’s internal system might be too overwhelmed to recalibrate without help. If anxiety is preventing your child from enjoying life, or they’re isolating more than usual, it might be a good time to work with a family therapist trained in IFS.
At Introspective Family Wellness, we work with teens and families to build a relationship with their inner system, heal the protective and exiled parts, and ultimately, restore internal harmony and strengthen family connections. Our Teen Support Groups are also a powerful way for teens to build a helpful emotional toolkit and connect with peers, all under the guidance and care of a trained therapist.
Remember: you and your family aren’t alone. Summertime anxiety is far more common than most people realize. If you’re noticing changes in your teen, trust your instinct. Schedule a free consultation with a member of our team.