children anxiety

Some degree of anxiety in children is normal. Everyone knows how hard it is to grow up, although some of us forget it from time to time. Think of all the stresses of childhood. You have to get used to everything for the first time. Even the most normal social situations can appear stressful to a little kid, and then there is the worry of school, homework, gradually increasing responsibilities, and all the rest of it. Nonetheless, when children anxiety becomes too serious, it takes a good parent to spot it. A little bit of childhood anxiety can be okay, but too much can be downright crippling.

Sometimes, a potentially serious psychiatric condition is mistaken for normal children anxiety. A common one is obsessive compulsive disorder, or OCD. Childhood OCD is on the rise for reasons that people don't really understand, and if your child has this crippling condition, it is crucial that you treat him or her right away. Obsessive compulsive disorder is one of the hardest things to deal with. It makes every activity a struggle, and every event a moment for worry. It can involve obsessive handwashing, counting the cracks when you walk, or any other kind of repetitive behavior that becomes an obsession.

Of course, sometimes children anxiety has more routine and down-to-earth causes. Some children are just anxious. There is no simple reason for this, but there are ways to help. Don't just assume that kids are tough and that everything is going to be okay. Talk to your kid. If he or she has a lot of worries, make him or her know that you are there to help. Sometimes, however, parental help is not enough. My sister, for example, had serious problems with children anxiety when she was growing up. Eventually, she had to go to a psychiatrist. It took years of therapy, but it did make her better to get some treatment.

In my case, children anxiety was secondary to another condition. You see, I had attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, otherwise known as ADHD. This made it difficult for me to sit still, accomplish basic tasks, and behave well in classes. Although exercise and proper diet helped a little bit, they were not enough. I worried all the time, and felt like a failure on a daily basis. I did not end up getting any counseling, and as a result I had a lot of trouble growing up. A little bit of help might have gone a long way.