Anxiety in Children
Why are our children becoming increasingly anxious?
Imagination in childhood is at its highest, and many of us only wish to go back and recapture a fragment of our imaginative minds at our earliest developmental stages (see Childhood Developmental Psychology). But for kids with an anxiety disorder, the combination of wild imaginations and anxiety (see Anxiety) causes equally wild and uncontrollable amounts of fear.
Mental Health Resource Links
WorryWiseKids.org states that anxiety is America’s number one mental health problem, and the website estimates that 13% of today’s children and adolescents have an anxiety disorder (see Adolescence Developmental Psychology). It also states that the statistic is a conservative estimate, meaning that many more children suffer with anxiety that is known or acknowledged.
WorryWiseKids.org states that worry and anxiety are a natural part of childhood, from starting new schools or moving to new neighborhoods, or to nightmares and imagining monsters in closets, darkened rooms, or under beds. Very young children on Halloween become distressed at the scarier, gore-themed costumes. Witches, demons and goblins send many retreating back to the security of their parents’ arms.
All of these situations are normal, and each developmental stage comes with a new set of “fear” challenges to overcome. Worry and fear are also important protective devices to keep children from engaging in dangerous situations.
Normal worry turns troublesome when it starts affecting a child’s functioning, keeping a child from participating in normal activities such as making friendships, participating in sports, performing well at school - or even going to school.
WorryWiseKids.org states “anxiety is considered a disorder not based on what a child is worrying about, but rather how that worry is impacting a child’s functioning.”
Since mental health professionals believe that generalized anxiety disorder usually starts in childhood, parents should be aware of pervasive anxiety and worry in their children lasting for several weeks or months.
Symptoms of anxiety in children
The following “anxiety” symptoms to watch for in children and adolescents were compiled from the WorryWiseKids.org and MayoClinic.com websites:
- Perfectionism and constant self-critical examination
- Several physical ailments, such as stomach pains, headaches, muscle and joint pains
- Constant worry over performance at school or sporting events
- Concerns over being on time
- Worry about natural disasters taking place
- Avoidance behaviors, such avoiding school, social events and sports events
- Lack of self-confidence
- Constant striving or searching for approval
- Difficulty sleeping alone, falling or staying asleep, and frequent nightmares
- Parents having to excessively coax child to do normal, everyday activities such as bathing, eating, and homework
Seeking help from mental health professionals to teach healthy coping techniques and anxiety management skills is critical for a child’s wellbeing, and future success.
Learn how you can become a mental health counselor by contacting schools offering mental health counseling degree programs near you.