Anxiety is a psychological and physiological state that is linked to several cognitive, physical, and behavioral elements and creates a feeling of discomfort, hesitation, or exaggerated fear regarding things that may seem normal. This is a type of disorder that appears in children starting from the age of three, as the child begins to ask some questions that may arouse his anxiety in a way. Exaggerated, such as: Does a monster live under my bed? What happens if my parents die? What if a thief enters the house?
Below we will give you some tips and guidelines for dealing with children's exaggerated fear and avoiding the development of this feeling into serious psychological disorders.
Symptoms of anxiety in children
We call on parents to pay attention to the symptoms that appear in children who suffer from excessive fear, which we will discuss below:
- Headaches or stomach pain that appear without a clear medical cause.
- Excessive sweating and shivering.
- Insomnia and intermittent sleep.
- Severe sensitivity, crying, and bad mood.
- Excessive fear of making mistakes.
- Panic attacks.
- Exaggerated phobias and fears such as fear of animals or natural phenomena.
- Fear of not being accepted and loved.
- Not wanting to go to school and eat.
- He feels that he cannot do things that he has never tried.
- The desire to always accompany the parents.
Tips to help children overcome fear
1. Help the child face his fears
Parents must be courageous, and instead of avoiding the matter that frightens the child, they must be careful to confront it in a smooth manner, and this will help him overcome anxiety.
2. Be a good example for your children
Show your child how capable you are of controlling your emotions in difficult situations. Be the mirror in which your children look at themselves!
3. Communication with children
Talk to your child in advance when you know they will be faced with a situation that is worrying for them because knowing what will happen in advance can help reduce anxiety in children.
4. Show compassion
It is important that we listen to our children and show them our sympathy without issuing any prejudgments, to gain their trust and encourage them to share with us their emotions and everything they are going through.
5. Show support and love to reduce anxiety in children
Show your unconditional support and love. It is important for the child to feel that you are always there for him, and be sure to support him in every step he takes to get rid of his anxiety, no matter how small, and be sure to correct his mistakes without hurtful criticism.
6. Consult a doctor
If all of the previous methods do not work, do not hesitate to consult a psychologist to help the child overcome his fears and try to discover their origin.
