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An astounding number of young people in the modern world now suffer from anxiety. The condition is a common mental disorder, which can feel crippling and damaging to your child. As a parent, you must remember that the anxiety itself cannot hurt your child. Understanding a child who suffers from anxiety is the first step to helping them cope with the problem. Your child is not going to stop being anxious overnight. What they can do, though, is find ways in which to manage their feelings. As their guardian, it is your duty to help your child through this difficult time. Knowing where to start is tricky. If your child has come to you with the problem then, the first step is to talk to them. If they have not then, you may need to approach them about the issue. Once you have a flow of dialogue going, there are a few things you can try that might help. Here is how to help an anxious child.
Don’t Allow Your Child To Avoid Anxiety
Often when children are anxious they seek to avoid the things that stress them out. That is a natural reaction to stress and anxiety. What you must never do is allow your children to avoid their demons. It might sound a little harsh, but allowing your child to skip out on social situations that make them uncomfortable will do no good. It will only reinforce the notion that it is okay to avoid problems. Support your child, but make sure they face their fears.
Ensure That Your Home Environment Is Comfortable
Much of a child’s security comes from their home life. If your child is comfortable in his or her home environment, he or she will be less anxious in their day to day life. Make your child’s room into a ‘safe area’ for your child. Redecorate the room to suit your child’s tastes. Buy solid, silvercross furniture and furnish with soft, plush items to make the room cosy. Talk to your child about how they’d like the room to look and ensure that they like it. Making sure that your child feels safe within their bedroom is the first step to them feeling safe in the outside world.
Talk To Your Child About Their Worries
When was the last time you sat down and spoke to your child about how they are feeling? Sometimes when we are anxious all we need is to talk about our fears and worries. Don’t make this experience too intense for your child. The last thing your child wants is for you to interrogate them about their anxiety. Instead, approach the subject with sensitivity. Ask your child if they would like to talk and tell them that they can tell you anything. Your child might not want to chat straight away, but they may come to you later with their problems.
Tell Your Child That How They Feel Is Normal
One of the main worries that people have when they are anxious is that they are somehow the odd one out. Your child may feel as though they are the only one in the world who feels anxious. It is vital that you assure your child that that’s not the case. Tell your child that how they are feeling is normal but that they should take positive steps to fight it. Let them know that they are not alone.
Write Down Positive Thoughts Together
Anxiety is all about negative thoughts and the control they have over us. A great way to begin combating anxiety is to acknowledge your positive thoughts. You can help your child with this activity by sitting down with them to do it. The two of you should think about all the positive things you can. Each time one of you have a positive thought you should write it down. When you have a long enough list fold up the paper and give it to your child to keep. Research has shown that carrying a positive thought in note form around with you makes you remember it more often.
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