Is your child having difficulty sleeping at night? Are they afraid to be alone or have crying spells? Your child may be excessively worrying or be more irritable with their friends or family. These are all signs that your child may have anxiety and may need help.
One of the most important tools is to identify why your child is struggling, and know how to help them cope. Sometimes, when we think of depression and anxiety, our focus is placed on adults. Children can struggle with intense anxiety, and often this can go unrecognized and untreated. The good news is that there are many effective treatment options for children and teens that can help them regain normal daily functioning, social skills, and a healthier mind.
How to support your child and their mental health
As a parent, you may be holding onto feelings of guilt surrounding the difficulties your child is having. It’s important to know that anxiety can affect any child, from any background, and does not mean you have done something wrong as a parent. The coronavirus has presented extra cause for anxiety among young people this year, and should also be kept in mind.
Sudden changes in routine, the uncertainty of the future, hearing scary projections on the news, and seeing other people feel anxious and stressed can all be additional causes of extra stress and anxiety for your child.
The best steps you can take are to make sure you’re monitoring the signs your child is giving, getting them the help they need, and supporting them in a healthy, balanced way as they go through treatment. Ways of doing this can include:
- Encouraging them to speak about their feelings
- Allowing them to have a creative outlet for their emotions (art, music, writing, etc)
- Listening to their needs
- Being patient when their emotions are heightened and intense
- Sending them to a professional child therapist
- Understanding their triggers, and trying to monitor when they experience exposure
- Finding ways that help them sleep better such as a night light, audiobook, or podcast playing in the background
- Make them feel safe
As a parent, you may read this and not understand how this can translate into your child’s day-to-day life. If you need help, reach out today.
Identifying the signs — anxiety symptoms in children
If your child or teen is struggling with anxiety they may have the following symptoms:
- demonstrating excessive worry about bad things happening
- difficulty sleeping at night
- trouble focusing and concentrating
- not wanting to eat properly
- irritability with peers or family
- complaining of an upset stomach, using the toilet often, and feeling unwell
- always crying
- not wanting to be alone
How therapy can help
Many children and teens may know that they worry more than other people, but they may not understand that anxiety is treatable. Additionally, they may not talk about how they feel with you. Older children may worry that others will think they are childish, or they may feel that their parents wouldn’t understand. Younger children may not know how to articulate their fears.
“Being a worrier”, and having anxiety is not a personality trait that we can’t do anything about. In therapy, your child will learn how to communicate their concerns, rebuild their relationship with rational thinking, and ultimately, begin to live a more comfortable life.
Have your child assessed. Reach out for help today
If your child is often sad, irritated, or anxious and it seems to be more than normal daily ups and downs, it is important to look deeper and give them the help they need. For all parents, it is important to familiarize yourself with the signs and symptoms of childhood and teen anxiety. Jennifer Willemsen, MA, LMFT, is here to help.
Reach out today by phone or by filling out a contact form.
