What is anxiety?
Anxiety is a normal part of life that we all experience now and then. When we’re feeling anxious, we might be uneasy, worried, or nervous—but most often, these are temporary feelings that are associated with specific situations (e.g., going to the dentist) or objects (e.g., seeing equipment used in dental procedures). Anxiety causes certain feelings (e.g., discomfort, apprehension, shortness of breath), which affects how we think (e.g., “Oh no…this dentist is going to use that drill in my mouth and it’s going to hurt”), which in turn affects what we do (e.g., feel like we want to cancel our dentist appointment).
Normal anxiety shouldn’t be avoided, since it helps us to stay alert to potential dangers—you may have heard of the “fight-or-flight response.” For some people, however, anxiety can take over and cause us to avoid things that are good for us, like social events, being with friends, or trying a new sport (or going to the dentist)!
In children and young people, anxiety is also completely normal and can be brought on by stressful events (e.g., having to take a test) or unknown situations (e.g., starting a new school). Usually, these anxious reactions pass quickly. However, if anxious feelings, thoughts and responses start to interfere with normal daily activities, it may be time to look a bit more deeply at what might be going on.
What does anxiety look like in children and youth?
Anxiety is uncomfortable, and children and young people might not be able to name their feelings in concrete ways. Their anxious feelings may be made more worrisome because they may think something is wrong with them, they might feel self-conscious, or they might experience confusion or shame at some of their behaviours. As their parent or caregiver, being able to recognize anxious feelings and behaviours can help you to help your child or young person manage these experiences. While anxiety can look and feel different for every child and youth, some common signs include:
Physical sensations in the body: e.g., racing heart, headaches, upset stomach, sleep disturbances or nightmares
Thoughts: e.g., constant worry, panic, obsessive thinking, desire to be perfect, feeling of losing control
Behaviours: e.g., avoiding friends and social situations, intense fear of presenting in class, intense fear of making a mistake, test anxiety, angry or explosive outbursts, avoiding school, sleeping too little or too much, difficulty starting or stopping a task
Anxiety is common and usually short-lasting. However, if the above symptoms last over an extended period, overwhelm your child or youth, and/or interfere with their daily activities, it may begin to affect their appetite, sleep, mood, ability to concentrate, ability to relax, and general enjoyment of life. As a parent or caregiver, you may want to seek support to find out if your child or youth is experiencing signs of an anxiety disorder.
What are some common anxiety disorders?
In younger children, anxiety can present itself in a number of ways, including:
Specific Phobia. This involves an extreme fear of an object or situation that isn’t life-threatening, like spiders or elevators.
Separation Anxiety. This causes intense feelings of distress when being separated from parents or caregivers.
Social Anxiety Disorder. This causes extreme worries about being in social situations or meeting new people.
Selective Mutism. This causes an inability to speak in certain situations but not in others.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). This can develop after being involved in or witnessing a traumatic event, causing flashbacks, nightmares, etc.
In older children and youth, anxiety may also present in some additional ways, including:
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). This involves significant worry about what most people usually think of as minor issues, like making a mistake or getting a bad grade.
Panic Disorder. This causes extreme feelings of danger, which is accompanied by shakiness, dizziness, and shortness of breath.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). This involves ruminating (i.e., going over something again and again in your mind) and then doing something to try and decrease these negative thoughts (e.g., washing hands or counting steps).
Eco-Anxiety. This is a new term recently coined to describe the intense worries and concerns about climate change.
What are some causes of anxiety?
There can be many underlying causes of an anxiety disorder, so it’s important to seek advice and guidance from a professional to better understand its origins in your child or youth. In some cases, children can inherit traits or genes from relatives who also experience anxiety, or they might have certain brain chemistry that causes some of the symptoms of anxiety.
Life situations and the social determinants of health (particularly poverty and food insecurity, lack of access to education and health services, housing challenges, gender and sexual orientation, race and racism, and social exclusion) can also cause feelings of anxiety and/or contribute to the development of an anxiety disorder.