What is anxiety?
Anxiety is our normal reaction to something we feel is dangerous or threatening. When a person experiences exaggerated fear, we are talking about an anxiety disorder. But how can we help reduce anxiety in children?
What is the concern?
Anxiety is a basic emotion. We have all experienced this feeling at least once. Do you remember the day you had to take your last college exam? Or the day you interviewed for the job you wanted so badly? You know what anxiety is, right?
Around the age of two or three, kids start to have fears that might make them worry: Is a monster living under my bed? What happens if my parents die? What if a thief enters the house?
Likewise, riding a bike and being afraid of falling can generate anxiety. The problem arises when these feelings are so strong and so excessive that they turn into a disorder.
Symptoms of anxiety in children:
For those children who are overly fearful and fail to deal with their fears, anxiety can become an (unwanted) companion on their way.
Let's look at possible symptoms of anxiety in children:
- Frequent headaches or stomach pains without a medical cause.
- Muscle tension, tremors, and excessive sweating.
- Sleep difficulties: Either sleep problems (insomnia) or difficulty sleeping.
- Excessive sensitivity and anxiety evident through habitual crying.
- Anger for no apparent reason.
- Excessive fear of making mistakes.
- Bad mood.
- panic attacks
- Phobias and exaggerated fears: the child feels extreme fear, for example towards an animal or a natural phenomenon, such as a tornado.
- Frequent anxiety and nervousness.
- The child does not want to go to school or eat there, much less use the toilet.
- Seek ongoing parental consent.
- He feels he can't do things he's never tried before.
As you can see, these symptoms can overlap with other issues like bullying for example. If you think your child may be suffering from anxiety, don't hesitate to see a doctor. He will be able to make a diagnosis better than anyone else.
Anxiety disorders:
Anxiety can turn into a disorder. Here are the most common:
Phobia:
The child feels an intense, irrational fear of an object, animal, or situation. For example, bedbugs or doctor visits.
Fear of separation:
The child is afraid of being separated from his parents.
Social anxiety:
A young man gets anxious when he has to go to a place where there are a lot of people, such as a college or mall.
Panic disorder:
The child sweats, feels dizzy and shakes. He also has difficulty breathing and feels his heart beating rapidly in the face of a situation in which he generates intense fear.
General concern:
The child worries about everything around him.
Tips for preventing anxiety in children:
- Help the child face his fears Your first reaction as a parent will likely be to avoid activities that cause your child anxiety. However, your child must face his fears, otherwise you will only avoid the problem and thus prolong his anxiety over time.
- Set an example Children watch their parents to assess how they should act in different situations. Show them that you can control your emotions, even in situations that make you anxious. Be the mirror your children see themselves in.
- Talk to the child If you know that your child will have to deal with a situation that causes anxiety for him, discuss it with him first. In fact, it is not the same thing to face fear without realizing it as to do it knowingly. Knowing in advance what will happen can help reduce anxiety in children.
- Show support and love to reduce anxiety in children Parental support and love are unconditional... Make it clear to your child! There is nothing more important to your child than knowing that you will always be there for him, no matter what.
- Show your feelings to reduce anxiety in children To reduce anxiety, it is necessary to show empathy. In other words, listening to children without judging them. In order for your children to trust you, you can open your heart and tell us what is going on there. Sharing your feelings with them will make them more likely to do the same to you.
- Correcting the child's actions Do not hesitate to correct his actions, without describing them as a way of being. Remember that it is necessary to be able to talk about everyone's actions, including criticizing them if they are wrong, but without associating anxiety with a child's personality trait.
- Seek professional help If your child's distress is too severe to lead a normal life, don't wait any longer before going to the doctor. The psychologist will also help the child face his fears and try to find out their origin.
Finally, anxiety in children is more common than you might think. Like us, they sometimes feel threatened by their surroundings. Uncertainty breeds fear, we all know that. The important thing is that you learn to deal with this fear and not let it take advantage of you.
