Resources to help manage anxiety

Anxiety

Anxiety is a feeling that everybody experiences. It is thought to have played a big part in our survival and evolution, and still protects us today. Sometimes, though, anxiety becomes too big or overwhelming. You may notice that your child/young person is experiencing worrying thoughts that are hard to get rid of, and these may trigger physical changes in their body such as a racing heart or ‘butterflies’ in the tummy. With younger children this can present as tummy ache and feeling unwell and changes in behaviour, including angry outbursts. Worrying thoughts and feelings are generally thought of as unpleasant, so children/young people will tend to avoid them or try to get rid of them. They might do this by stopping doing the things that make them feel worried (e.g. stop going to school or meeting with friends). This can work in the short term, but in the long term this avoidance only makes the anxiety stronger.

Supporting your child/young person to not sweat the small stuff

It is impossible to get rid of anxiety, and it would be unhelpful to do that anyway. But if you want to learn more about anxiety, and find ways to support your child/young person so that the anxiety does not get in the way of what’s important in their life, then take a look at the following resources:

 

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