Rates of anxiety among young people in America have steadily increased over the
past fifty to seventy years. Today, five to eight times as many high school and college
students meet the criteria for diagnosis of major depression and/or an anxiety disorder.
As many as 20 percent of children between the ages of 5 and 16 experience some
type of anxiety, compared to the 5 percent of kids worldwide with attention deficit/
hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Anxiety
Anxiety in children can often be ignored with the assumption that the child will grow
out of it. “In a way, it’s really a silent epidemic,” Mark Riddle, M.D., director of the
Johns Hopkins Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, says. “Most of the time
adults aren’t bothered by it in their children until it’s severe and disruptive enough for
professional help—if even then.”
Childhood anxiety is a good predictor of depression and anxiety later in life. So, while it
may seem minor in kids, anxiety can stunt a child’s growth and lead to bigger problems
if left untreated. Social anxiety, for example, is the No. 1 nonacademic reason for
dropping out of high school. Repeated and long-term panic attacks—a severe form
of anxiety—may morph into phobias such as fear of leaving the home or going into
crowded places.
Anxiety Disorders Defined
The most common anxiety disorders in children are:
Separation anxiety—marked stress when separated or anticipating separation
from a parent or loved one. Physical complaints such as stomachaches
commonly accompany this disorder.
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Social phobia—intense, persistent fear of being watched, judged and laughed at
by others, and of doing things that would embarrass or humiliate oneself. These
children are usually excessively self-conscious and perceived as shy.
·
Generalized anxiety disorder—exaggerated worry and tension about everyday
problems. Children with this disorder live with a sense of dread and frequently
seek reassurance.
Solutions
The good news is that childhood anxiety is treatable and even reversible with cognitive
behavior therapy/ exposure and response prevention (ERP) as well as parenting
interventions. The trick is to identify the early signs and symptoms and take steps toaddress them. For parents, the first step might be to look into their own histories.
Research shows a strong connection between parent and child anxiety. If a parent
tends toward anxiety or has been treated for it, the children are more likely to have the
same tendencies.
So how do you know if your child is suffering and what can you do about it? Watch your
kids for those behaviors that you may be already familiar with. Understand that for some
children with anxiety disorders, reassurance won’t help. Other things to look for include
unreasonable fears that don’t go away; physical symptoms that include heart
palpitations, sweating, chills, stomachaches and headaches; and children who
consistently avoid certain situations or become upset at having to endure them. Parents
can help first by not accommodating the fears or avoidance.
“Pay attention to the anxiety,” says child and adolescent psychiatrist John Walkup,
M.D. “But don’t play into the avoidance yourself and don’t use that and
overprotectiveness as strategies.”
As Walkup explains, “It’s counterproductive and undermines a child’s capacity to cope,
tolerate and learn about the world—generating even more anxiety. Instead, children,
like adults, must face their fears.
“We can’t underexpose our kids,” Walkup says. “Without forcing it, we need to let them
feel the challenge of new or difficult situations” and feel more in control of their lives.
Furthermore, parents need to be fearless themselves. “We live in a safer world than
ever, but parents are more afraid for their children than they’ve ever been,” Walkup
says. Anxious parents transmit that fear to their kids, whether they realize it or not.
Rise of Anxiety in the 21st Century
A study which analyzed children and college students from 1960 to 2002 reveals a
dramatic shift in their sense of personal control. In the 1960's, 80% of young people felt
that they personally had ownership of their lives; in 2002, less than 20% felt this sense
of autonomy. During the same 42 year time span, a similar trend is revealed in the rise
of depression and anxiety in this age group. According to the author Peter Gray, PhD,
Professor of Psychology at Boston College, "when people believe that they have little or
no control over their fate they become anxious." Perhaps our today’s children have
been schooled towards helplessness.
Childhood Anxiety: When to Get Help
It may be difficult for parents to decide when to seek professional help for childhood
anxiety. Here are some questions to ask:
·
Is my child’s behavior disproportionate to a specific situation?
Have the physical symptoms of anxiety (stomachaches and headaches,
restlessness, fatigue, etc.) persisted for longer than six months?
Does anxiety impair my child’s life (i.e., stops him or her from going places and/or
doing things)?
Avoidance in particular is a red flag. Parents shouldn’t try to accommodate the
behavior, but need to help their children manage and face their anxiety. Staying
attuned to our children’s psychological needs can be as important to their development
as recognizing the symptoms of colic or the common cold. As children go through life,
they are deeply affected by its lessons: learning about loss or death, academic and
physical challenges, defeat, and pain caused by the shortcomings of their parents or
adult influences. The more we recognize what hurts them, the better able we are to
respond to them with sensitivity and understanding. By helping our children make sense
of their early life experiences, we are enabling them to cope in their adult lives.
For more information about anxiety or to schedule a consultation, please visit:
www.DrBenjie.com or call (917) 864-6274. Dr. Stern, specializes in the treatment of
anxiety, depression, and OCD in children and adolescents. Offices located in Brooklyn
and in Lawrence. Dr. Stern is the school psychologist in Magen David Yeshivah, an
adjunct college professor, has developed school prosocial anti-bullying programs, and
has written, lectured and conducted workshops on a wide variety of child psychology
topics.