All children will experience anxiety occasionally. This is completely normal because anxiety is a natural reaction built in as a protective mechanism against perceived danger. It is one of the ways that human beings react to perceive danger, and a certain amount of anxiety is necessary so that humans can anticipate threats to their safety. However, some children may experience anxiety more than what is healthy. Excessive worry and anxiety can impact the way your child experiences life, therapy can help.

When a Child Has Anxiety

Children with anxiety often dwell on “what ifs” about countless things. These worries can center on a family member’s health or when they will return home after they leave. They may worry about family pets as well. Excessive worry can attach to any loved one or situation. 

Anxiety may cause children to suffer from headaches, stomachaches, and other physical symptoms. Symptoms of anxiety are often experienced physically which can lead to many physical complaints and concerns. If is difficult for most to express worries and concerns, it can be even more difficult for children, leading them to often express their anxiety through their physical health. 

Some children suffer from other forms of anxiety. For example, if they suffer from a form of anxiety classified as obsessive compulsive disorder, you will see that they are obsessed by certain things and processes. They will experience a strong compulsion to repeat actions as a means of resolving anxiety, and they may be noticeably upset when certain objects are misplaced.

Anxiety can manifest in other children as a phobia, an intense fear of objects or situations that are not necessarily dangerous. Common fears include fear of heights, specific animals, closed spaces, and activities such as flying in a plane or riding a boat.

In some cases, anxiety symptoms will manifest as fear or withdrawal from social situations. There are children who will figuratively shrink from the very thought of having to socialize with others. In some cases, their anxiety is so intense they will suffer from panic attacks.

Helping Your Child Overcome Anxiety

Anxiety symptoms can lead to discomfort constantly and unnecessarily, and as a parent, you may think that your only recourse is to keep providing reassurance that everything will be alright. However, you can begin to feel helpless and frustrated when faced with an unending need for such reassurance. Don’t wait until you are at your wits’ end before you seek the support your child needs.

Call Carolina Counseling Services – Southern Pines Office contracts with highly qualified licensed counselors and therapists that know how to treat anxiety. There are many evidenced based approaches, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Find the therapist and approach that is right for your child with CCS. Call today to schedule your first appointment. Online counseling and in person sessions are available.

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• Raising an Anxious Child: Finding the Help that Matters
• Understanding Teen Anxiety and Fear to Better Help them