Anxiety Disorders effect 1 in 8 children. (www.adaa.org)

That’s a lot of kids, right? Read on to get information, tips, resources, a mini-course, and helpful links. I also created a video for parents, teachers, and other therapists to view so they can see some of the ways to manage the problems created by Child Anxiety. Many parents seem to feel that they don’t have time to visit a therapist, so now they can see a therapist reviewing child anxiety definitions and strategies such as cognitive therapy and using them with child anxiety, and get a list of resources they can use themselves if they like. This is not a substitute for therapy, but a good way to get started and if the problems persist then they can seek more direct professional help.
Child Anxiety Video sample link: Anxiety Video

I will also begin posting information about child anxiety definitions and strategies I hope will be helpful here on this blog, and I welcome your feedback and questions.
One of the best and most empirically supported methods of treating anxiety is cognitive behavioral therapy, so I will begin here. Remember, anxiety is a normal part of growing up and being human, so try not to worry too much about the worries!
Cognitive behavioral therapy is based on the premise that it is not what happens that creates our feelings, but how we think about what happens. So it’s our thoughts, not external events, that create the response we might label as anxiety. Here is a list of thinking errors, or cognitive distortions, that are common.

Cognitive Distortions
These are faulty or incorrect ways of thinking. By noticing and writing down your thoughts right before or during a time you are upset, you can begin to realize how often you bother yourself with your thoughts. Then you can either stop the thoughts, refuse to believe them, or replace them with thoughts that are more accurate, realistic, and helpful.

1. Overgeneralization- Nobody cares, everybody hates me, watch out for words like never, always, can’t everybody, nobody, have to, all.
2. Global labeling- All lawyers are greedy, I’m stupid, life is a rat-race, it’s hopeless.
3. Filtering- ignoring the good and focusing on the negative
4. Polarized thinking or extremism- it’s all black or it’s all white, if I make one mistake I’m no good, one strike and your out, if I don’t win this time then I’m a failure.
5. Self-blame- makes you think that every time things go wrong it must be your fault. Characterized by excessive apologizing.
6. Personalization- you think that others are blaming you for what they don’t like. When someone complains, you get defensive.
7. Mind reading- You think you know what others are thinking, it’s about you, and it’s bad.
8. Control fallacy- You think you are responsible for everything, you think you have to make others follow rules or do the right thing
9. Emotional reasoning- You think your feelings are facts and they characterize you and your life- just because you feel bad at the moment, your whole life is bad.
10. Heaven’s reward- you think you are supposed to be rewarded for living right, and maybe you think anybody who breaks the rules should be punished, that the universe is supposed to make life fair.

Get a list of cognitive distortions, practice worksheets, short videos, and instructions in the free Mindgarden mini-course by clicking here.

So the smart thing to do is to begin noticing your thoughts and to realize you are not your thoughts, you don’t have to believe them, you are the observer of your thoughts. You can identify thoughts that are in error, and replace them with thoughts that are more accurate, making yourself smarter and helping yourself feel more the way you want to more often.
Your mind is making thoughts all the time, some are automatic and take time to quell. Everybody has thoughts that are unwanted, inaccurate, or inappropriate every day. Just because you think it doesn’t mean you have to believe it or that your thoughts define who you are. It’s what you do that defines your character and personality.
Get started today with journaling your thoughts or helping that child you care about it make a record of thoughts that can be examined, questioned, and replaced with smarter thoughts.

“Mental disorders are common in the United States and internationally. An estimated 26.2 percent of Americans ages 18 and older — about one in four adults — suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year. When applied to the 2004 U.S. Census residential population estimate for ages 18 and older, this figure translates to 57.7 million people. Even though mental disorders are widespread in the population, the main burden of illness is concentrated in a much smaller proportion — about 6 percent, or 1 in 17 — who suffer from a serious mental illness. In addition, mental disorders are the leading cause of disability in the U.S. and Canada for ages 15-44. Many people suffer from more than one mental disorder at a given time. Nearly half (45 percent) of those with any mental disorder meet criteria for 2 or more disorders, with severity strongly related to comorbidity.” (www.nimh.nih.gov)
About 20 percent of U.S. youth during their lifetime are affected by some type of mental disorder to an extent that they have difficulty functioning, according to a new NIMH survey published in the October 2010 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. The data support the observation from surveys of adults that mental disorders most commonly start in early life. About half of children suffering receive professional treatment.
I have noticed that quite a few children present at my clinic with anxiety and anger about the bullying and teasing problem in our schools. They often report being upset with peer behavior that is mean, then they dwell on the problems that occur for brief spans of time in the school day throughout the day, locking on to and magnifying the size of the problem. What follows is a description of clinical categories of anxiety disorders and a list of interventions and resources.
Obsessive-compulsive Disorder
Obsessions — unwanted intrusive thoughts
Constant, irrational worry about dirt, germs, or contamination.
Excessive concern with order, arrangement, or symmetry.
Fear that negative or aggressive thoughts or impulses will cause personal harm or harm to a loved one.
Preoccupation with losing or throwing away objects with little or no value.
Excessive concern about accidentally or purposefully injuring another person.
Feeling overly responsible for the safety of others.
Distasteful religious and sexual thoughts or images.
Doubting that is irrational or excessive.
Compulsions — ritualistic behaviors and routines to ease anxiety or distress
Cleaning — Repeatedly washing one’s hands, bathing, or cleaning household items, often for hours at a time.
Checking — Checking and re-checking several to hundreds of times a day that the doors are locked, the stove is turned off, the hairdryer is unplugged, etc.
Repeating — Inability to stop repeating a name, phrase, or simple activity (such as going through a doorway over and over).
Hoarding — Difficulty throwing away useless items such as old newspapers or magazines, bottle caps, or rubber bands.
Touching and arranging
Mental rituals — Endless reviewing of conversations, counting; repetitively calling up “good” thoughts to neutralize “bad” thoughts or obsessions; or excessive praying and using special words or phrases to neutralize obsessions.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder
People with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) experience constant, chronic, and unsubstantiated worry, often about health, family, money, or work. This worrying goes on every day, possibly all day. It disrupts social activities and interferes with work, school, or family.
Physical symptoms of GAD include the following:
muscle tension
fatigue
restlessness
difficulty sleeping
irritability
edginess
gastrointestinal discomfort or diarrhea

Panic Attacks
A panic attack is defined as the abrupt onset of intense fear that reaches a peak within a few minutes and includes at least four of the following symptoms:
a feeling of imminent danger or doom
the need to escape
heart palpitations
sweating
trembling
shortness of breath or a smothering feeling
a feeling of choking
chest pain or discomfort
nausea or abdominal discomfort
dizziness or lightheadedness
a sense of things being unreal, depersonalization
a fear of losing control or “going crazy”
a fear of dying
tingling sensation
chills or heat flush
Since many of the symptoms of panic disorder mimic those of illnesses such as heart disease, thyroid problems, and breathing disorders, people with panic disorder often make many visits to emergency rooms or doctors’ offices, convinced they have a life-threatening illness. It often takes months or years and a great deal of frustration before receiving the correct diagnosis.
Many people suffering from panic attacks don’t know they have a real and treatable disorder

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Posttraumatic stress disorder is characterized by three main types of symptoms:
Re-experiencing the trauma through intrusive distressing recollections of the event, flashbacks, and nightmares.
Emotional numbness and avoidance of places, people, and activities that are reminders of the trauma.
Increased arousal such as difficulty sleeping and concentrating, feeling jumpy, and being easily irritated and angered.
PTSD is diagnosed after a person experiences symptoms for at least one month following a traumatic event. However symptoms may not appear until several months or even years

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd/index.shtml

Social Anxiety
It’s the extreme fear of being scrutinized and judged by others in social or performance situations: Social anxiety disorder can wreak havoc on the lives of those who suffer from it.
Symptoms may be so extreme that they disrupt daily life. People with this disorder, also called social phobia, may have few or no social or romantic relationships, making them feel powerless, alone, or even ashamed.
About 15 million American adults have social anxiety disorder
Typical age of onset: 13 years old
36 percent of people with social anxiety disorder report symptoms for 10 or more years before seeking help
Although they recognize that the fear is excessive and unreasonable, people with social anxiety disorder feel powerless against their anxiety. They are terrified they will humiliate or embarrass themselves.
The anxiety can interfere significantly with daily routines, occupational performance, or social life, making it difficult to complete school, interview and get a job, and have friendships and romantic relationships.
Social anxiety disorder usually begins in childhood or adolescence, and children are prone to clinging behavior, tantrums, and even mutism.
Specific Phobias
While some phobias develop in childhood, most seem to arise unexpectedly, usually during adolescence or early adulthood. Their onset is usually sudden, and they may occur in situations that previously did not cause any discomfort or anxiety.
Specific phobias commonly focus on animals, insects, heights, thunder, driving, public transportation, flying, dental or medical procedures, and elevators.
Although people with phobias realize that their fear is irrational, even thinking about it can often cause extreme anxiety.

What to do?
Seek professional help.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy- Teach Self-talk
Exposure and Response Prevention
Systematic desensitization
Relaxation Training
1-5 Scales
Big Problem/Little Problem
Solution Focus- notice when the problem is not occurring
Medicine
Routines, activity schedules
Model a calm example
Get outside
Exercise
Avoid overscheduling
Vacation station, scheduled breaks
Limit exposure to upsetting media
Do not minimize their feelings
Good nutrition
Regular sleep hours

Bibliotherapy
Happy Face, Sad Face
Don’t Pop Your Cork on Mondays
No More Mr. Worry
The Incredible 1-5 Scale
Exploring Feelings, also CAT-KIT by Tony Attwood www.tonyattwood.com.au

Websites
www.childanxiety.net
www.socialthinking.com
www.adaa.org
www.worrywisekids.org
www.myanxiouschild.com
www.helpguide.org

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anxiety_disorder

I hope this helps you on your journey of learning about child anxiety definitions and strategies!