Anxiety is common in every age group. We all get anxious every now and then but anxiety disorder in children is not that common. While doctors and experts are raising concerns about depression, stress and several other mental disorders in children, anxiety disorder in children has become a burgeoning problem. Like adults, children and young ones become worried and anxious but if the anxiety lasts longer, affecting his/her normal day to day activities, then it’s time you should consult your child’s pediatrician.
Your kid’s doctor will certainly
give you some strategies or treatment options to help your kid cope up with
anxiety. Today Sound Health Solution has brought you 7 Ways to Help Children
Cope Up With Anxiety. But before we begin, let’s find out some of the common
signs and symptoms of anxiety in children.
Anxiety Disorder involves several
other disorders such as panic disorders, social anxiety disorder, phobias,
generalized anxiety disorder, anxiety accompanied with stress and so on. Hence,
depending upon the type of anxiety disorder, a child suffers similar symptoms.
Nevertheless, all anxiety
disorders share some common symptoms and a child might suffer from symptoms
like
·
Nausea
·
Panic, fear and uneasiness
·
Restlessness
·
Irritable, tearful
·
Clingy all the time
·
Wetting the bed
·
Nightmares
·
Shortness of breath
·
Heart Palpitations
·
Dry Mouth
·
Dizziness
·
Sore Muscles
·
Depression
But what causes a child to go anxious?
Growing up, every kid suffers
specific fears and worries such as fear about the dark or monsters under the
bed or fear of dogs and so on. These type of anxiety among children and
adolescents is perfectly normal. However, in some cases, some children go
through overwhelming sense of anxiety and fear. Some even experience serious
panic attacks which make them difficult to attend to normal daily activities.
Experts, however, claim that anxiety stem from a child’s background,
environmental stress, changes in your brain and other psychological problems.
7 Ways to Help Children Cope Up with Anxiety
Coping up with anxiety since
early age is essential because severe anxiety can scar a child’s mental and
emotional wellbeing, affecting their self-esteem, confidence and beliefs in the
long run. So here are 7 ways or strategies that might help your child cope up
with anxiety.
1.
Deep
Breathing Exercises
Anxiety in
children is mainly accompanied by shortness in breath, headache and nausea.
Hence it’s important to teach your children deep breathing exercises. Start by
allowing your child to take deep breaths, closing the eyes and imagining their
favorite things or things that they love to do. Thinking about their favorite
color or ice cream they love can help slow their fast pacing heart and relax
their muscles.
2.
Create A
Relaxing Room
There are
several anxiety triggers and factors that can make your child go anxious. A
dark corridor or death in the family are some of the examples. With that being
said, it’s best to create a relaxation center or a room in your home where you
can put games or activities that your child finds relaxing. You may include
music, coloring books, fidget toys, sandbox, doll house, clay, story books,
stuffed animals, games and so on.
3.
Write and
Tear
Anxiety is also
associated with fearful feeling and thoughts, that a child cannot explain and
the thoughts start to eat off their brains. Writing about such thoughts help
children to learn to express their feelings. Therefore, one of the best
techniques to help your children cope up with anxiety is MAKING YOUR CHILD
WRITE ABOUT THEIR WORRIES. She/he can also draw them, read or show it to other
family members. Also, teach them to tear up the paper and throw away in the
bin. That way your kids can learn to express as well as let go of the anxious
feelings.
4.
Keeping A
Journal
Writing
and tearing off papers every day might not sound feasible for your child.
Therefore, it’s better if you teach them to keep a worry journal. A worry
journal where your child shares everything that gets them scared and stressded
can aid you as well as your child to see and keep a record of their
improvement. Writing the worries of the day followed by one positive
thought helps break the cycle of negative thinking that can exacerbate anxiety.
5.
Thought
Stoppers
A child’s brain
is more creative and imaginative than an adult’s brain. So, when these scary,
anxious thoughts attack their brains, it’s important that they have the power
to talk back to these thoughts. Have your child practice saying “That thought
or the feeling is not true and it doesn’t exist.” Also have them practice
saying “You’re not in charge of me, I’m in charge of my emotions!” This will
definitely make them feel empowered and they can cope up with the anxiety
disorders sooner.
6.
Preparing
Them Before-hand
Teach your child
to identify the triggers of anxiety and the signs of anxiety in themselves.
Also make them aware of the consequences of an anxiety attack. If your child is
anxious because of distressing events like separation or moving from the house,
prepare your child by talking them before-hand about what is about to happen
and why. Encourage your child to find ways themselves to manage the anxiety
attacks.
7.
Therapy
If the anxiety
persists and becomes serious, it’s better to take your child to a professional
therapist. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is widely known therapy that is
recommended by the experts to treat behavioral disorders. This helps your child
to learn to change their distorted thinking and dysfunctional behavior. Children and adolescents with anxiety struggle with cognitive
distortions that increase their anxious feelings. Helping children learn to
identify their triggers, understand how anxiety affects their behaviors, and
how to replace their distorted thoughts using cognitive reframing teaches them
to manage their symptoms
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