{"id":2020,"date":"2025-10-28T16:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-10-28T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/psylyon6.com\/?p=2020"},"modified":"2025-10-31T16:25:52","modified_gmt":"2025-10-31T15:25:52","slug":"traitement-troubles-anxieux-adolescence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/psylyon6.com\/en\/traitement-troubles-anxieux-adolescence\/","title":{"rendered":"Treating Anxiety Disorders in a Teenager"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Jeune\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
Coline, 13 years old, is seeking therapy for a phobia known as emetophobia (fear of vomiting). <\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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Adolescence<\/b> is a time of profound change, where emotions intertwine with the challenges of daily life. When anxiety<\/b> takes over, it can invade every moment \u2014 affecting the connection to the body<\/b>, to the family<\/b>, and to oneself.<\/p>

Brief systemic therapy<\/b>, combined with Ericksonian hypnosis<\/b>, offers a path toward change that is both concrete<\/b>, compassionate<\/b>, and non-pathologizing<\/b>.\n\nThrough the story of Coline - a pseudonym used to preserve confidentiality<\/i> - this article explores how systemic therapy<\/b> can help defuse fear<\/b>, restore confidence, and soothe family interactions<\/b> often caught in the spiral of mutual anxiety.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Understanding Brief Systemic Therapy<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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La Brief systemic therapy<\/strong><\/a> is rooted in an interactional approach<\/b> : a person\u2019s behavior is never isolated but takes meaning within a relational system<\/b> (in this case, the family and school). The issue lies not only in the symptom<\/b>, but in the attempted solutions<\/b> implemented by the patient and their environment.\n
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Rather than searching for causes, this therapy aims to modify current<\/b> interactions that maintain suffering.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The Model: Changing Interactions Instead of Seeking Causes <\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The system<\/b> is viewed as a dynamic relationship between the individual and their environment, governed by mechanisms of perception and reaction<\/b>.<\/p>

The process often includes task prescriptions<\/b> at the end of sessions, designed to gradually break the vicious cycles<\/b> that generate suffering, relieve emotional overload<\/b>, and introduce new ways of interacting.\n
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Instead of analyzing the symptoms to provoke change, the therapist encourages the patient to experiment with new behaviors<\/b> or ways of being<\/b>, in order to better understand the symptom and what is at play in relationships.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Coline\u2019s Story: When Fear Takes Control <\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Coline, age 13, came to therapy for a form of emetophobia<\/b> (fear of vomiting). She had been living abroad with her family for three years.\n
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Symptoms<\/b> : food restriction, obsessive fear of vomiting, significant weight loss, anxiety attacks with hyperventilation. Her parents, understandably very worried, multiplied reassurance attempts<\/b> and encouraged Coline to eat.<\/p>

Our sessions revealed:<\/p>

\u2192\u00a0 From Coline\u2019s side<\/b> : struggle against fear (\u201cI must not vomit\u201d), avoidance behaviors<\/b>, intrusive thoughts, emotional overwhelm.<\/p>

\u2192 From the parents\u2019 side<\/b> : overinvolvement (\u201ceat so you don\u2019t get sick\u201d), constant monitoring, overprotection<\/b>.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Understanding Family Vicious Circles <\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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These patterns fueled negative interaction loops<\/strong> :<\/p>

the more Coline tried to control her fear, the stronger it became; the more her parents insisted, the more the symptom intensified<\/strong>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The First Prescriptions: Facing and Letting Go <\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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From the very first session, two main therapeutic directions<\/strong> were introduced :<\/p>

  1. Facing vs. Avoiding<\/strong> : Coline was invited to deliberately confront her fear (\u201cMr. Vomit\u201d) each day to reduce its obsessive grip.<\/li>
  2. Letting Go vs. Controlling<\/strong> : The parents became co-therapists<\/strong> and were instructed to stop all questions or comments about food, in order to defuse the interactional loop<\/strong>.<\/li><\/ol>

    These paradoxical prescriptions<\/strong> shifted the system :<\/p>

    fear ceased to be an enemy to fight, \nand the family stepped out of the controlling role.<\/p><\/blockquote>

    In later sessions, new loops appeared :<\/p>

    the more Coline tried to control her emotions, the more she lost control; the more she sought help, the less confident she felt.<\/p><\/blockquote>

    The symptom then evolved : from nausea to a broader difficulty expressing emotions<\/strong>.<\/p>

    The therapy then focused on expressing her inner distress : a writing task<\/strong> designed to bring the pain into words and release it.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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    The Contribution of Ericksonian Hypnosis<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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    Several sessions helped build a strong therapeutic alliance<\/strong>. Ericksonian hypnosis<\/strong>, introduced later in therapy, served as an accelerator of change<\/strong>.
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    \nIt helped Coline to :<\/p>

    • Reconnect with her body<\/strong> and sensations,<\/li>
    • Access inner resources<\/strong> through metaphors,<\/li>
    • Defuse anxiety triggers<\/strong> and rebuild bodily confidence<\/strong>.<\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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      Lasting Changes for Coline and Her Family <\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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      Within a few months, the progress was clear: Coline resumed normal meals, diversified her diet, regained her weight, emotional balance, and began expressing herself more freely.

      The follow-up ended with a consolidation phase<\/b> involving her parents, to prevent relapse and foster positive relational loops<\/b>.<\/p>

      Coline\u2019s story illustrates how brief therapy<\/b> and hypnosis<\/b> can be powerful tools for treating anxiety disorders.\n\nWhen faced with the challenges of a new environment, symptoms can sometimes overwhelm an entire family system. But by intervening on present interactions<\/b>, modifying attempted solutions, and mobilizing systemic resources<\/b>, rapid and lasting change<\/b> becomes possible.<\/p>

      This approach \u2014 both pragmatic and deeply human<\/b> \u2014 does more than \u201ctreat\u201d a disorder :<\/p>

      it gives the patient back their freedom to act<\/b> and the sense of agency over their own life.<\/p><\/blockquote>

      \u00a0<\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      Coline, 13 ans, consulte pour une phobie de type \u00e9m\u00e9tophobie (peur de vomir). L\u2019adolescence est une p\u00e9riode de profonds changements, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2021,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"postBodyCss":"","postBodyMargin":[],"postBodyPadding":[],"postBodyBackground":{"backgroundType":"classic","gradient":""},"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[22,20,19,18],"class_list":["post-2020","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-non-classe","tag-adolescence","tag-emetophobie","tag-peur-de-vomir","tag-troubles-axieux"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/psylyon6.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2020","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/psylyon6.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/psylyon6.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/psylyon6.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/psylyon6.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2020"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"https:\/\/psylyon6.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2020\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2044,"href":"https:\/\/psylyon6.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2020\/revisions\/2044"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/psylyon6.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2021"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/psylyon6.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2020"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/psylyon6.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2020"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/psylyon6.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2020"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}