Anxiety Disorders: What Parents Should Know
Anxiety disorders are not new! They have been around for many, many years. What distinguishes today from a hundred years ago is our level of understanding. An individual who suffered from an obsessive-compulsive disorder in decades past was probably considered crazy. Not today. Fortunately, not only do we possess understanding, but we can offer help to people with anxiety disorders.
Although it may seem difficult to imagine or believe, today anxiety disorders are the most commonly diagnosed psychiatric illnesses in young people. About 13% of all children and adolescents ages 9 to17 experience some kind of anxiety disorder. As with many psychiatric issues, the prevalence of anxiety is higher in girls than boys.
It is important for everyone, especially parents, to know what an anxiety disorder is and what it is not. If a girl is anxious about standing up in front of the class and giving a speech, or a teen gets a case of "butterflies" before a big exam, this is not a disorder. This is simply the basic nervousness we've all come to expect under certain situations. However, if a child is so anxious about interacting with her peers that she is unable to attend school, or she absolutely refuses to leave home or go to a shopping mall because it is too terrifying, this should be considered a red flag. In other words, it is a matter of degree. When anxiety graduates from a feeling of mild discomfort to complete irrational panic and when the fear is so great that the child begins avoiding people and situations and her functioning is impaired, something is definitely wrong.
Above all, it is critical for a parent to understand that anxiety disorders are very real. This is often difficult for parents to accept simply because anxiety disorders cannot be seen. A wound is immediately apparent; a broken bone shows up on an x-ray; diabetes is detected through blood and urine testing. But when a child or adolescent suffers from an anxiety disorder, we can only rely on her behaviors and her self-report as evidence of what she is experiencing internally. Extreme anxiety, and all of its accompanying manifestations-increased heart rate, sweating, hyperventilation, abdominal distress-is very real to the person who is suffering.
So, what is a parent to do if a child begins exhibiting anxious behavior? In situations such as social anxiety, the best course of action is to encourage the child or teen to try and face the fear. Say the child is fretful about going to a party given by a peer; her fear is so great, she decides not to attend. Talking with her in advance and providing encouragement may help her to gain enough confidence and actually go to the party. If she attends and manages to overcome her fears, she may feel strong and successful.
In contrast, rescuing a child and allowing her to escape only reinforces the avoidance behavior. The end result is that when the next potentially frightening event occurs, instead of attending and risking uncomfortable feelings, she will opt to stay home.
Building confidence through encouragement is certainly the first step. However, if the feeling of extreme anxiety persists, professional help is usually needed. A parent must find a good outpatient therapist for the child or teen; and indeed, intensive treatment may be in the child's future. Not only are anxiety disorders very real, they rarely disappear altogether. Often, this is a condition that people have for life. Fortunately, with therapy, especially in the form of Exposure With Response Prevention (ERP) treatment, children and adolescents can learn how to effectively manage their anxiety so it does not destroy their ability to achieve a positive quality of life.
If you have a child, or know of an adolescent girl who is struggling with anxiety, please get help. If left untreated, anxiety can evolve into a crippling illness; but with treatment she can go on to live a healthy and productive life. For additional information or to find out about Remuda's Anxiety Disorders Program, call 1-800-445-1900 today.
