Anxiety

What is anxiety?

Anxiety is something we all experience at some point in our lives. It is a normal response to situations which may seem threatening. For example, it would be natural to feel anxious when sitting a driving test, taking an exam or being interviewed. Anxiety can actually help us to focus and cope better in situations which are challenging or where we need to perform well. After the stressful situation we can usually calm down and feel better.

However, for some people, even when they’re not in a stressful situation they can become worried or panicky. This is when anxiety can be problematic.

What are the symptoms?

Anxiety symptoms include:

• Feeling nervous, on edge, or panicky all the time
• Feeling overwhelmed or full of dread
• Feeling out of control
• Heart beating really fast or thinking you’re having a heart attack
• Feeling like there’s a weight on your chest
• Felling like there’s energy coursing through your body
• Trembling, or having wobbly legs
• Feeling faint
• Stomach cramps and/or diarrhoea/needing to pee more than usual
• Getting very hot and sweating

What can help?

Supporting your child with anxiety

If your child is struggling with worry or anxiety, click on the link to find out how you can support them and places you can get help.

https://www.youngminds.org.uk/parent/parents-a-z-mental-health-guide/anxiety/

You can also download this handy guide from theparentsguideto.co.uk:

References