What is Anxiety?
Anxiety is best defined as the human body’s natural reaction to stress. It stems from the apprehension or fear about what is to come. For your child, it may be the first day of school or a new place. But if the feelings of anxiety are often and consistent and last for longer than six months and interfere with the quality of your child’s life, they might need professional help. Children are often anxious; even the most well-meaning parents can fall into a debilitating cycle and, not wanting their child to suffer, actually exacerbate the youngster’s anxiety. Irritability, unexplained emotional outbursts, difficulty concentrating, isolation from a peer group, excessive fatigue, changes in eating habits, sleep disturbances, and procrastination in completing tasks assigned are some of the early signs of anxiety observed in teenagers. It is critical to note the early symptoms of anxiety in potentially vulnerable children to intervene early.
No one wants to see a child unhappy. The best way to help kids overcome anxiety isn’t to try to remove stressors that trigger it. It’s to help them learn to manage their anxiety and function, as they usually can. Slowly the anxiety will decrease or fall away over time.
Coping with stress and anxiety entails a variety of emotional, cognitive, and behavioral strategies used by the individual and taking into account the social context and interpersonal relationships. Adolescents most often cope by seeking support, problem-solving and distraction like using Social Media.
Anxiety management is an important life skill, and parents play a critical role in assisting their child in coping and dealing with anxiety. It is essential that adolescents feel safe, secure, and assured by their parents and teachers that feeling anxious is normal. A childs’ concerns and fears should not be dismissed as unworthy; they should be encouraged to speak up without fear of being judged. It is also critical that parents model appropriate behavior because a large portion of learning occurs through indirect observation. The quantity and quality of time spent and being sensitive to the experiences and perceived fears of adolescents make a difference in defining and facilitating healthy communication. Parents can help by being more accepting and honest with their child and not burdening them with set expectations without their input.
So how can you manage a lid with anxiety conditions while maintaining your mental health? Here are five ways to parent while taking care of an anxious child:
- Relaxation techniques like yoga, deep breathing exercises, and meditation are adequate to calm one’s mind and racing thoughts.
- Plan short-term activities and develop distracting and enjoyable hobbies, such as painting, dancing, singing, etc.
- Counseling from an expert can also help detangle and de-clutter the mind in few instances.
- Time management is also a great tool to avoid anxiety. By making a checklist of things to be done and ticking things off can help prioritize tasks.
- Exercising helps to channelize the physical energy and releases happy hormones that result in mood modification.
While these above-listed ways may be effective, one of the most important aspects of healing is the belief that change is possible. Developing empathy and positivity traits goes a long way to manage anxiety in kids
