Understanding Anxiety in Children & Adolescents
Posted on October 04, 2016 by Vasudha Jha, One of Thousands of Relationship Coaches on Noomii.
Is your child more anxious than others. Is it affecting their life, social skills and growth. Read more about types of anxiety issues to seek help.
Anxiety is a tense emotional state that happens when we cannot predict the outcome of any particular situation. When a child consistently underestimates his/her ability to cope and exaggerates the risks, anxiety takes the form of a disorder. Anxiety can harm children causing physical symptoms, under achieving in academics, lost school days and even affect their social skills.
Some of the common anxiety disorders are:
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD): characterized by disproportionate and persistent worrying about most areas of life – typically children worry about their safety, health and future, and even that of their family members. If such worry is excessive, and occurs rather frequently, continues for more than 6 months and the child finds it difficult to bring it under control, the child needs expert support and intervention. Such children also have increased risks of problems in adolescence and as adults.
Fear of Social Interaction: characterized by an inability and distress about interacting with others. Children with social phobias do not like to interact with others and also have high anxiety about school, with the result that they want to avoid situations where they may need to interact with others. This can give rise to associated long-term issues such as decreased social skills, depression, isolation and loneliness.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD): estimated to occur in about 1% of children and adolescents, and frequently under-diagnosed. OCD is characterized by: (a) Obsessions, which are frequently reoccurring thoughts, images or urges that the child experiences as distressing and intrusive; and (b) Compulsions, which are repetitive behaviors which are typically done in order to neutralize or lessen the anxiety and distress associated with an obsession. Common childhood obsessions include fears of germs, fears of harming self or others, urge to buy, and sexual ideas. Obsessions and compulsions often change and vary over time.
Panic Disorders: characterized by recurrent panic attacks (intense anxiety reactions with both physical symptoms such as dizziness, chest pains, nausea, chills or sweating; and psychological symptoms such as fear of losing control, going crazy or dying, or unreal feelings). In addition, the recurrent anxiety of having a panic attack creates panic disorders. These anxiety attacks occur in situations where there is no real danger. The vast majority of children and adolescents with PD also have other anxiety disorders and/or depressive disorders.
Specific Phobias (SD): extreme fears that persist over time, causing distress. These intense fears that are excessive and unreasonable are different from normal fears that wane over time. These are onset at a younger age than other anxiety disorders and are more of a result of learning and environment.
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PSTD): often triggered by an exposure to a life-threatening event or trauma. Children often re-experience these events through recurring flashbacks, nightmares or thoughts of that event, giving rise to irritability, inability to concentrate, sleep disturbances and outbursts of aggression. Children and adolescents with PTSD have repeatedly been found to be at high risk for the development of other psychiatric problems.
Identifying symptoms of anxiety in Children:
Childhood has its fair share of fears and worries, but when a child is unable to effectively manage them, the worries become problems. Managing a frightening situation or concern in a healthy manner shows responsiveness to suggestions, asking questions and reassurance with the responses they receive. The child with problematic anxiety exhibits unreasonable fear may even regress when given suggestions for change. Symptoms often increase in intensity and generalize to more situations, taking on a life of their own. The same holds true for adolescents.
Children suffering from anxiety show multiple symptoms. Some children appear visibly stressed and frequently verbalize their worries and concerns. Some children keep their anxiety to themselves and worry silently. These children often appear tense and preoccupied. Some children may present as angry and irritable, as they are frustrated by the limitations resulting from their anxiety. Often, anxious children present with vague physical complaints, stomach aches and headaches being the most common. These complaints typically occur prior to an anxiety causing situation, i.e., the child who often feels ill in the morning before school, but has no complaints at others times.
Role of the Family:
Family concerns such as marital discord, unemployment, divorce etc. can trigger anxiety in children. Often parents prone to anxiety themselves unconsciously reinforce such behaviour and may inadvertently model and reinforce less adaptive ways of coping. In other situations, parents can teach children to be more realistic in their thinking and help them through such fears. It is important for parents to understand these fears and create limits and a structure for children to protect them from the stresses of life. It is important to not allow children to make choices that will intensify their anxiety. Parents are the best resources in helping children manage stress and address it, to help them make choices that will move them away from undue stress. Recognizing and resolving situations that cause anxiety can also help everyone concerned and raise children with healthy coping mechanisms.
