Anxiety and phobias
Below are descriptions of what anxiety and phobias are and what you may notice in your child if they are suffering from either of them.
Anxiety
Anxiety is a feeling of fear and worry, which is natural and common. We all feel anxious from time to time, particularly when facing new, frightening or uncertain experiences.
But some children and young people worry more than others, and have greater difficulty coping with the inevitable challenges and uncertainty of growing up. This can be due to their natural personalities, or to their early life experiences which have left them unsure that the world is a friendly place. Traumatic life experiences such as divorce or bereavemetn can also lead to anxiety.
Young children can find it hard to describe their feelings, and anxiety may be expressed in their behaviour. They may be afraid of the dark or of going to sleep, they may be clingy, restless or fussy. They may find it hard to separate from their parents, or to settle down at school.
Older children and young people may experience panic attacks, palpitations, fear of leaving home and high stress levels.
Anxiety can be treated with talking therapies and sometimes medication. If you are concerned about a young person's anxiety levels it is best to seek professional help.
Phobias
A phobia is a fear of particular situations or things that are not dangerous and which most people do not find troublesome.
Confronted with the object of their fear – whether dogs, heights, social situations or something else – children and young people can become extremely anxious.
But it is not just the fear itself that causes mental distress among children and young people. Having a serious phobia can lead to feeling worried all the time, feeling tired, palpitations, sweating and breathing heavily. A phobia will lead the sufferer to avoid situations in which they know they will be anxious, but this can actually make the phobia worse.
It can also mean that the young person's life becomes increasingly dominated by avoiding the situation they fear. Sufferers usually know that there is no real danger, they may feel silly about their fear but they are still unable to control it.
When a particular anxiety dominates a child’s or young person’s life, preventing them from taking part in everyday activities and relationships, then it is wise to seek professional help.
Help from YoungMinds
YoungMinds Parents Information Service can offer further advice on anxiety:
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