Children and Anxiety

By Ai Qin Lee

During the first day of school, there is a high probability that a developing child would experience a small amount of anxiety. As the child starts a new journey in his or her life, the child would develop a sense of independency, which can cause fear and anxiety. And when the child reached the adolescence stage, the child will encounter a new dilemma, finding his or her identity and sexuality.

A child with anxiety disorder is usually vulnerable to a lot of mental, physical and psychological disorders such as stress and depression. The anxiety disorder of a child develops due to many factors, including: genetics, environment, history and the child's psychological profile.

One factor that contributes to anxiety disorder is the idea that the child will be separated from his or her mother. The separation causes fear of being alone and fear of meeting strangers which in turn develop into anxiety. Children with these emotional and behavioral symptoms more often cling to parents and unwilling to be separated from their parents.

As children come to age, most of them become self-conscious and have self-doubt and worries. Maybe, the reason is due to environment and social factors. Evoking a new journey and finding the right social network in which they belong can sometimes be scary for children.

Slowly, the anxiety will eat up the life of a child and starts dominating him or her. During this time, the child would cry and whine constantly without knowing why. The child will also lose focus and appetite. The child emotion at this point is too hard to control.

In extreme cases, children with anxiety disorder would feel they are having a heart attack and are dying or going insane. Frequently, these children develop nightmares and become irritable due to lack of sleep. Their stubbornness and anger will reach to a point that it is not tolerable.

After the anxiety attack, there is high probability that the child will make a barrier against his or her family and peers. Poor academic performance and loss interest will soon follow.

Consultation to a qualified mental health professional is highly recommended if the anxiety disorder dictates the decision of a child. The child should be diagnosed to assure that he or she really has anxiety disorder. - 32513

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