But when anxiety takes over and begins to hinder our daily lives and development, it may be a sign of an anxiety disorder. Unfortunately, anxiety is a bit of a common disease in today's society, and children and adolescents are no exception. In this article, we will take a closer look at the symptoms of anxiety in children and adolescents, and how to treat this widespread disorder.
What happens when the feeling of anxiety becomes a daily burden for children?
For some children and young people, anxiety can become a real challenge. It can negatively affect their well-being, development and daily life. When children experience anxiety in situations that are not dangerous, it may indicate that their anxiety has become a disorder. In an anxiety disorder, the fear of certain situations is so intense that the thought of being exposed to the feared situation can trigger a number of physical and psychological symptoms.
Children with anxiety may experience symptoms such as stomach aches, heart palpitations, shaking, sweating, dizziness, and nausea. They may also feel panicky, cry, become angry, or withdraw emotionally. These symptoms can affect their schoolwork, social life, and overall well-being. As a parent, it can be difficult to watch your child suffer from anxiety. It is important to remember that anxiety is treatable and help is available.
People with anxiety often tend to avoid the situations they fear. This can lead to avoidance and safety behaviors, where they spend a lot of time worrying about the situation or preparing for something terrible to happen. It is important to identify these behavioral patterns and work on them in therapy.
Symptoms of anxiety in children:
- Stomach ache
- Heart palpitations
- The tremor
- Sweating
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Feeling of panic
- Cry
- Anger
- Isolation
If you find that your child has one or more of the above symptoms, they may benefit from being followed in a psychotherapeutic process by a psychologist.
Treatment of children with anxiety
At Bemerk Psychology Clinic, we treat children and adolescents with anxiety based on a psychotherapeutic approach. This often involves cognitive behavioral therapy, or newer versions of this method where we assess that it will benefit your child. This form of therapy has proven to be very effective in treating anxiety. The therapy focuses on examining thought patterns and behavioral patterns that can maintain anxiety. Through this method, we help children learn to deal with these patterns in a different way than being controlled by them. When the anxious thoughts/emotions and resulting behavior are examined and worked on, the child will be able to choose their own behavior to a greater extent and not be subject to their anxiety to the same extent.
Remember that anxiety is treatable and there is help available. Psychologists with experience treating children with anxiety will be able to work with the child and teach them new ways of looking at their anxiety. We work towards ultimately achieving greater freedom from anxiety for your child and for your family as a whole.