ANXIETY: Myth Busting and Coping Strategies

Anxiety is normal and everyone at any age can feel anxious in different situations. Like when we have to talk in front of a roomful of people, go to a new place alone (a new school), or write an important test.

My first experience with anxiety was when I was 6 years old and started going to school full time in grade one. I had anxiety every morning. I would get up in the morning, get dressed, eat breakfast, go to brush my teeth and throw up instead. After my mom cleaned me up, I felt much better and would go off to school with my older brother. This continued for over a week before I was able to get to school with no stomach issues. I didn’t know what was causing it.

Now I know better. There is a part of the brain that causes us to feel emotions and to identify them in other people. It's called the amygdala and can immediately send us a warning when there may be reason to feel fear. So, for me as a child, going to a classroom full of new people on my own was a good reason to feel fear.

The warning may be nausea or butterflies in our stomach, dizziness, heart racing, shortness of breath, etc. It could feel like fear, helplessness, embarrassment, or distress. It’s okay to have these feelings; they’re normal and everyone feels anxious at times. However, anxiety is often misunderstood which leads to several myths like the ones listed below:

• Myth: Children/youth don’t experience real anxiety. They are just being shy or moody.
  
• Fact: Anxiety is common and real with children. Physical symptoms might include headaches, stomach ache, extreme shyness, and tantrums.
• Myth: Anxiety disorders in children and teens are rare.
  
• Fact: Anxiety disorders are quite common among children and teens
• Myth: Taking a child to therapy is a waste of time.
  
• Fact: Therapy can be very effective for children with anxiety.
• Myth: A prescription medication will fix the problem.
  
• Fact: Medication can be helpful but is not always necessary.
• Myth: People with anxiety should avoid stressful situations.
  
• Fact: Avoidance can actually reinforce anxiety.
  
• Myth: Anxiety is the same as being shy.
  
• Fact: Anxiety can become extreme worry about being judged negatively by others and interfere with daily life.
  

It might appear to others that we are being shy or moody but we all need support now and then to manage these feelings. Taking a break to slow things down and using one of the following coping skills may help you feel more in control of your situation.

1. Slowly count to ten quietly (1-100, 2-100, 3-100, etc.) to distract and calm yourself down.
   
2. Play a quick and quiet game of I-Spy with yourself - name 5 things you can see, 4 things you can feel, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell and 1 thing you tasted recently. This will distract you and make you focus on your surroundings instead of your fear.
   
3. You could repeat an empowering phrase like, “I am safe and calm” quietly until the feeling passes. Or describe your current environment until the feeling passes. For example, “I’m sitting at my desk, with my textbook open to page 9 and the teacher is writing an assignment on the board.”
   
4. Focus on your breathing by putting a hand on your belly and feeling it rise and fall as you breathe in and out.
   
5. If possible, go for a short walk, bike ride or hike. Exercise helps to lower your stress level and clear your head. Even taking a break to do 10 jumping jacks can be helpful.
   

More suggestions can be found at the link below, though you may need a friend or family member to assist you. https://www.goodrx.com/health-topic/childrens-health/coping-skills-for-ki ds

Don’t be discouraged if it takes some time to find a combination of coping strategies that work for you. Everyone is different and one strategy may not be the best solution in every situation.

It can be helpful to talk with someone you trust like a parent, counselor, or teacher who knows you well. They should be able to offer you some advice from their own experience with anxiety or their support. This is not something that anyone should continue to struggle with on their own.

Books can be a great resource for strategies, empathy, and to realize that you are not alone. You can find a list of reading material for all ages at the link. https://psychcentral.com/health/books-about-anxiety-for-kids-and-parent s#_noHeaderPrefixedContent

I can still get a bit stressed if I am going somewhere new on my own but I know that I can ask for help if I get lost. I also know that people are generally understanding and helpful. I also have found ways to manage my anxiety if I need to.

References:

https://www.anxietycanada.com/get-help/

https://www.anxietycanada.com/get-involved/action-anxiety-day/

https://www.goodrx.com/health-topic/childrens-health/coping-skills-for-ki ds https://thebrain.mcgill.ca/flash/d/d_04/d_04_cr/d_04_cr_peu/d_04_cr_peu.h tml

https://discoverbrillia.com/blogs/articles/books-for-kids-with-anxiety#:~:te xt=6%20Best%20Books%20for%20Kids%20with%20Anxiety%201,by%20Michae l%20A.%20Tompkins%20and%20Katherine%20Martinez%20