Please Explain Anxiety to Me

Anxiety is a sense of worry, apprehension or fear.

A certain level of fear is healthy and necessary for human survival. This is how we know when danger is present.  We count on our brains and bodies to activate the necessary hormones that allow us to react appropriately. Do we freeze or hide? Do we run, or do we fight? Unless we are in the midst of a crisis, there is no need for these survival switches to be turned on. Some of us, however, experience this heightened sense of distress, or anxiety, in situations that most people can cope with. When parents and teachers note that a child’s fear or response to a situation prevents them from doing what they want or need to do, they should consider the professional support of a child play therapist as a way of helping children to manage their anxiety.

While a child is in therapy, it is important that all significant adults in the child’s life work collaboratively to help them transfer the skills they learn to cope with anxiety to everyday life.

Here are some additional tips for dealing with an anxious child:

·         Listen and accept your child’s concerns and perceptions, and kindly correct any misinformation

·         Encourage your child not to avoid but to gradually approach fearful situations one step at a time

·         Get to events on time thus avoiding the stress associated with arriving late

·         Explore best case and worst-case scenarios using realistic outcomes

·         Encourage your child to do things on their own and acknowledge their accomplishments

·         Try not to pass on your own fears to your child

·         Set equal expectations for all kids – expecting a child to be anxious will encourage anxiety

·         Set consequences and limits for all kids, don’t let anxiety allow your child to avoid situations that are reasonable to face.