ANXIETY IN CHILDREN: HOW TO HELP

Movies, videos and other “cool” content on social media has a powerful influence on children - both teenagers and younger ones. Add to this living with the restrictions of the pandemic and you may notice that your happy-go-lucky child has become more anxious. So how can you cope with this?

When people are anxious or afraid, they act in ways that are unpredictable. Children especially tend to act out their fears and insecurities because they are not emotionally mature enough to make sense of, or handle their anxieties in the same way as adults. Kids act out feelings in the same way as actors play a role in movies, but they act them out through behaviours instead of dialogue, because they can’t hold their emotions in.

Some children show hostility or aggression, because they can’t handle the often severe agitation that anxiety triggers. Some become more depressed and others exhibit more attention-seeking behaviour.

Parents can often read their child’s behaviour and look for clues as to what the problem might be, so they can provide a solution. At the same time, children need to be taught the skills to identify, articulate and manage personal and social situations that make them anxious or afraid. If your child demonstrates behaviours that you think are triggered by anxiety, it is important to try to teach them the skills they need to manage it in a healthy way instead of acting it out behaviourally, hiding from the problem, or avoiding the emotions that come with anxiety.

So how do you help your child overcome anxiety? Here are some strategies for parents to try:

Role play with younger kids