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I ET Y X N
While it might seem like anxiety, as a medical condition is something new, it has been around since the beginning of time and now with the added pressure of COVID-19 and new routines being piled onto their little shoulder’s, children are displaying more symptoms of general anxiety disorder. But what is it and how can you help?
What is anxiety? Anxiety presents itself a number of different ways and when someone is suffering from general anxiety disorder, it is a lot more than just the normal amount of anxiety one can feel when doing something stressful. Feeling anxious has an evolutionary purpose, it helps activate the fight or flight response which we needed when it was likely we’d be eaten by sabre tooth tigers, these days, it isn’t something our bodies really need to stay alive. However, people who have an over active fight or flight response that perceives threats where there often aren’t any, which causes problems for them, especially when it starts to interfere with everyday life.
Are there any symptoms? Some common symptoms of general anxiety disorder include: insomnia, heart palpitations, irritability, poor memory, muscle tension, unexplained uneasiness, poor concentration, cold, sweaty and in some cases, panic attacks, which present themselves in a variety of ways. Anxiety isn’t an easy condition to treat, as it is difficult for doctors to measure it, however, it can be treated and it is important to believe and support your child when you notice these symptoms. If left to grow, anxiety can lead to poor school performance, depression, physical illness and more.
What causes anxiety? It could be a product of genetics; it can be triggered by a stressful or traumatic event. It can manifest over time from a combination of factors. Feeling anxious is normal in certain situations, younger children might feel anxious when separated from their parents, but it is important to keep an eye on these feelings and make sure they don’t start affecting their performance at school or relationships with other children. Adolescent anxiety is often triggered by academic pressures, again, make sure this doesn’t manifest itself into something more negative resulting in panic attacks and poor attendance.
What can I do? Although you should maintain the same expectations for your child as you did before, you should make sure you are able to adjust them to help manage their anxiety. Plan ahead to help minimise their exposure to stressful situations. When they are experiencing anxiety, listen and empathise with your child, it is important to validate how they are feeling and not try to belittle them, even if you don’t quite understand what is happening in their heads. You can ask for advice from your child’s school and from your GP or speak to a professional organisation to help them manage their anxiety. When waiting for an appointment or as a general rule, you can encourage them to get adequate sleep, use mindfulness techniques, exercise regularly and eat well to help them keep their anxiety under check.
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