TitlePageOverlay.png standardRule.png Anxiety By Holly Trask Clinical Psychology PSX_002 TextPageOverlay.png standardRule.png What is Anxiety? òDefined by American Psychological Association: òAnxiety is an emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts and physical changes like increased blood pressure (Anxiety, n.d.). TextPageOverlay.png standardRule.png Symptoms òWhat are some of the general symptoms of Anxiety? òFeelings of panic, fear, and uneasiness. òProblems sleeping. òCold or sweaty hands and/or feet. òShortness of breath. òHeart palpitations. òAn inability to be still and calm. òDry mouth ò(“Anxiety Disorders…”, n.d.) TextPageOverlay.png standardRule.png Anxiety in Children òAnxiety is a normal part of childhood òExample: Seeing a scary movie, being able to be comforted. This anxiety is temporary òAn anxiety disorder is not a normal part of childhood ò(Children and Teens, n.d.) ò“Anxiety disorders are among the most prevalent psychiatric disorders experienced by children” (Affrunti & Woodruff-Borden, 2015) ò TextPageOverlay.png standardRule.png Childhood Anxiety Disorders òGeneralized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) òObsessive-Compulsion Disorder (OCD) òPanic Disorder òSeparation Anxiety Disorder òSocial Anxiety Disorder òSelective Mutism òPosttraumatic Stress Disorder òSpecific Phobias TextPageOverlay.png standardRule.png Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) ò“excessive worry about a variety of topics” (Carroll, 2014) òWhen a child has GAD they: òTend to worry about many things òVery hard on themselves òMay seek constant approval or reassurance from others òStrive for perfection ò(“Childhood Anxiety Disorders”, n.d.) TextPageOverlay.png standardRule.png Symptoms òExcessive worry òrestlessness ò fatigue òdifficulty concentrating òirritability òmuscle tension ò sleep disturbance ò(Davis, 2013, p. 425) ò TextPageOverlay.png standardRule.png Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) òCharacterized by unwanted and intrusive thoughts (which are obsessions) òFeeling compelled to constantly repeat ritual or routines to try and ease the anxiety (which are compulsions) òMost children are diagnosed by age 10 ò(“Childhood Anxiety Disorders”, n.d.) ò TextPageOverlay.png standardRule.png Common Obsessions òFear of dirt and germs and other contaminations òViolation of religious or moral rules òHarm to self or others òGuilt, self-doubt òAggressive thoughts òBody concerns ò(Davis, 2013, p.422) ò TextPageOverlay.png standardRule.png Common Compulsions òWashing or cleaning òCounting, checking, arranging possessions òPraying, confessing, òSeeking reassurance ò(Davis, 2013, p. 422) TextPageOverlay.png standardRule.png Panic Disorder òUsually diagnosed when a child has two or more unexpected panic or anxiety attacks òMeaning that they came suddenly and for no reason ò(“Childhood Anxiety Disorders”, n.d.) ò TextPageOverlay.png standardRule.png Symptoms òGeneral symptoms: òshortness of breath òchest pain òfear of losing control or “going crazy” òFor children most common are: òheart palpitations òchest pain ò nausea ò(Davis, 2013, p. 419-420) TextPageOverlay.png standardRule.png Separation Anxiety Disorder ò“When separation anxiety disorder occurs, a child experiences excessive anxiety away from home or when separated from parents or caregivers” (“Childhood Anxiety Disorders”, n.d.) òIt is more common with ages seven to nine ò TextPageOverlay.png standardRule.png Symptoms òMay develop extreme homesickness even during brief separation ò Difficulty at bedtime ò Often a fear of a disaster befalling the primary attachment figure in their absence. ò(Davis, 2013, p. 425) ò TextPageOverlay.png standardRule.png Social Anxiety Disorder òintense fear of social and performance situations and activities òLike: òBeing called on in class òStarting an conversation with a peer òSocial anxiety can effect a child’s school performance òVideo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sa8zUrMRDzU ò(“Childhood Anxiety Disorders”, n.d.) TextPageOverlay.png standardRule.png Selective Mutism òWhat is it? òWhen a child refuses to speak to talk in certain situations òA child can have normal behavior and talk at home or in comfortable situations, which surprise’s parents when teacher report that they refuse to speak at school ò(“Childhood Anxiety Disorders”, n.d.) ò ò ò TextPageOverlay.png standardRule.png Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) òFor a child or adolescent to be diagnosed with PTSD, the even must be ò “traumatic enough to produce feelings of extreme fear, helplessness, or horror (or in children, developmentally atypical disorganized or agitated behavior)” (Davis, 2013, p.423) ò TextPageOverlay.png standardRule.png Symptoms òOther symptoms of PTSD include: òintrusive thoughts or nightmares, òavoidance of trauma-related stimuli or memories, òincreased psychological arousal not present before the trauma òThese symptoms must be present for more than 1 month ò TextPageOverlay.png standardRule.png Specific Phobias òA specific Phobia is “marked, persistent, unusual, or excessive fear of a specific object or situation” (Davis, 2014, p.420) òIt is important to note that some fear in children is normal during their development ò(Davis, 2014) TextPageOverlay.png standardRule.png Specific Phobias òPossible subtypes of phobias: òanimal type ònatural environment type (i.e., storms or heights) òblood-injection-injury type ò situation type (i.e., tunnels, elevators, flying) òor other type (which could include fear of sickness or a child’s fear of costumed characters ò(Davis, 2013, p. 420) TextPageOverlay.png standardRule.png Specific Phobias òUsually develops in later childhood òTo be diagnosed, a child under 18 must present symptoms for at least 6 months because some irrational fears in children are common òMost common in children are animal and natural environment ò(Davis, 2013, p.420-421) TextPageOverlay.png standardRule.png Symptoms òCrying ò Tantrums ò Freezing in place ò Clinging to a familiar adult òavoidance, headaches, and stomachaches òChildren may also not see that their fear is unreasonable ò TextPageOverlay.png standardRule.png Video òhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVvTEzvAtHo ò TextPageOverlay.png standardRule.png Treatments òJust like another medical condition, Anxiety disorders need to be treated òThere is no one “best” treatment that works for every child òMost common used it Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) TextPageOverlay.png standardRule.png Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) òWhat is CBT? òCBT “is a type of talk therapy that has been scientifically shown to be effective in treating anxiety disorders”(“Treatment”, n.d.) TextPageOverlay.png standardRule.png Other forms of Therapy òThere are also other forms of therapy used to help treat anxiety disorders òAcceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) òDialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) TextPageOverlay.png standardRule.png Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) ò“uses strategies of acceptance and mindfulness ò(living in the moment and experiencing things without judgment) as a way to cope with unwanted thoughts, feelings, and sensations” (“Treatment”, n.d.) ò TextPageOverlay.png standardRule.png Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) ò“emphasizes taking responsibility for one’s problems and helps children examine how they deal with conflict and intense negative emotions” (“Treatment”, n.d.) ò ò TextPageOverlay.png standardRule.png Medication òMedication can be useful in treating anxiety disorders òIn fact “a major research study found that a combination of CBT and an antidepressant worked better for children ages 7-17 than either treatment alone” (“Treatment”, n.d.) òCan be short-term or long term depending on the how severe TextPageOverlay.png standardRule.png Medication cont. òSelective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the medications most commonly used in childhood and adult anxiety treatment òsome SSRIs for the treatment of pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder have been approved by The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) òHowever there are some medicine such as tricyclic antidepressants and benzodiazepines, that are less commonly used to treat children ò (“Treatment”, n.d.) TextPageOverlay.png standardRule.png Managing Anxiety (in general) òExercising òGood nutrition òAdequate amount of sleep òStress reduction òLimit alcohol and caffeine consumption òLearn what triggers anxiety òTalk to someone ò TextPageOverlay.png standardRule.png Questions? TextPageOverlay.png standardRule.png Extra video òhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VbxjsO9IYI ò TextPageOverlay.png standardRule.png References òAffrunti, N., & Woodruff-Borden, J. (2015). The Associations of Executive Function and Temperament in a Model of Risk for Childhood Anxiety. Journal Of Child & Family Studies, 24(3), 715-724. doi:10.1007/s10826-013-9881-4 ò"Anxiety." Http://www.apa.org. Web. . ò"Anxiety Disorders: Types, Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention." WebMD. WebMD. Web. . òCarroll, C. M. (2014). Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Salem Press Encyclopedia Of Health, ò"Childhood Anxiety Disorders." Anxiety and Depression Association of America, ADAA. Web. . ò ò TextPageOverlay.png standardRule.png References ò"Children and Teens." Anxiety and Depression Association of America, ADAA. Web. . òDavis, A. S. (2013). Psychopathology of Childhood and Adolescence : A Neuropsychological Approach. New York: Springer Pub. Co. ò"Tips to Manage Anxiety and Stress." Anxiety and Depression Association of America, ADAA. Web. . ò"Treatment." Anxiety and Depression Association of America, ADAA. Web. . ò