- Children with Anxiety -

     I am currently studying Early Childhood Education and one of my assignments this week was to write an informative article on a current event. I have the lovely honor of experiencing the ups and downs of Anxiety, it's something I deal with on a daily bases and makes normal situations like grocery shopping and traveling stressful. I basically become difficult and a pain in the ass at times, but I'm lucky to have a Husband with amazing patience.

     I was a little shocked with the statistics I found when it comes to Children with Anxiety. Thought I would share the article I wrote for my class with all of you. Anxiety is more common with Americans than you probably think! Unless you have Anxiety yourself you will never fully understand how much it can hinder someones life. I also found that children can develop deployment related Anxiety. Knowledge is bliss people! So, here you go....

Children with Anxiety

     In the United States alone there are forty million people who suffer from some type of Anxiety disorder – that’s nearly 18 percent of the population. To help put this in perspective, if you were to pass a hundred people on the street, about fifteen of them will have suffer from some type of Anxiety disorder.  You most likely brush shoulders with Anxiety sufferer’s everyday without even realizing it; Anxiety is often a disorder that people suffer with alone. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, twenty five percent of Anxiety sufferers are children – that’s one in eight children who are affected. 

     Every child goes through phases of Anxiety because it is a normal part of childhood. Phases are temporary and usually harmless but children who suffer from an Anxiety disorder will experience fear, shyness, and nervousness and will start to avoid people, places and activities. This disorder often co-occurs with depression, stress, and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), sleeping disorders, and eating disorders. Research has shown that children with Anxiety, who go untreated, are more likely to engage in substance abuse, perform poorly in school and are afraid to participate in social experiences.

     Anxiety is caused by thinking distortions that tend to cause unnecessary worry, fear and panic in children. Though treatment for disorders is individualized, standard approaches like, therapy and medication, have been proven to be effective. Helping your child recognizing some of the thinking distortions can help them eliminate some Anxiety. Here are a few of the most common thinking distortions children have:

• Jumping to Conclusions: This is when a child makes an assumption based on little or no evidence. For example, if a child is afraid of dogs and he/she sees one tied up outside of a store or house, they may assume it will bite them even though there is no sign of the dog being vicious. 

•  Highlighting the Negative: This is when a child only sees the negative in his or her situation and ignores the positive things completely. For example, a child may only focus on the shots they missed, while playing baseball, even though their team won the game.

• Extreme Thinking: This is when a child uses the words “never,” “always” and “forever”. The child thinks their situation is permanent, that the outcome of the situation will be bad, scary or stressful. This can increase a child’s Anxiety.

     There are many ways a parent or caregiver can help manage a child’s Anxiety. You should pay attention to the child’s feelings and remain calm when the child becomes anxious in situations. Praise and recognize all the child’s small accomplishments and do not punish their lack of progress! Try to be flexible and keep a normal routine but make sure to allow extra time when needed for more difficult situations. According to Lynn Siqueland, PhD - who has specialized in treating children with Anxiety disorders for 15 years - it is okay to let your child experience some Anxiety. Your child needs to know that Anxiety is not dangerous but something they can cope with.

Work Cited

1. Nicoletti, Chris. "Anxiety in Children Causes 5 Common Thinking Distortions." Positive Psychology. Mental Health News Organization, 30 Aug. 2012. Web. 05 Sept. 2012. <http://mentalhealthnews.org/anxiety-in-children-causes-5-common-thinking-distortions/842395/>.
2. "Facts & Statistics | Anxiety and Depression Association of America, ADAA." Facts & Statistics | Anxiety and Depression Association of America, ADAA. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Sept. 2012. <http://www.adaa.org/about-adaa/press-room/facts-statistics>.
3. "Parenting Tips for Anxious Kids." Parenting Tips for Anxious Kids. The Children's Center for OCD and Anxiety, 2008. Web. 05 Sept. 2012. <http://www.worrywisekids.org/parents/parenting_child.html>