What is anxiety?

What does it look like?

Why is my child anxious?

What can I do to help my child?

Group Activity:

How do you know when your child is anxious?

What is anxiety? ‘Anxiety is a feeling of unease, such as worry or fear,

that can be mild or severe.’ NHS Choices

Everyone experiences anxiety from time to time

Fear can be useful; e.g. keep you safe, in low levels it can help you pay attention and perform better

…..Or a problem

Fight or Flight Response Evolutionary response

Body’s reaction to fear – Adrenaline

Physical Indicators/ Physiology Dizzy

Dry mouth

Sweating

Short of breath

Stomach ache

Feeling sick

Being sick

Headache

Can’t sleep

Tiredness

Fast or irregular heartbeat

Muscles ache

Feeling tense

Trembling

Shaking

Pins and needles

Lots of toilet trips

Distorted Thinking/Self Talk The way in we think affects how we feel and behave

Anxiety = perceived threat/ prediction of something unpleasant or harmful happening in the future

An overestimation of the probability of something bad happening and overestimation of the consequences (catastrophic) if it did.

Underestimation of our ability to cope (intolerable)

I’ll never be able to learn these formulas

I should be able to keep track of all mystuff by now

I’ll fall over at sports day and everyone will laugh

Distortedthinking I know I’m

going to fail this test

Write down one example of distorted thinking that your child often says

Behavioural Indicators1. Challenging behaviour

2. Avoidance / withdrawal / escape

3. Increased activity levels

4. Increased sensory behaviour (eg: nail-biting, humming, scratching, chewing)

5. Increased repetitive behaviours

6. Increased focus on special interest

Note down how your child behaves when they’re anxious

Anxiety Cycle

ThoughtsFeelings

SymptomsPerceived threat

AvoidanceSafety

behaviour

Short term relief

Fear remains

Westbrook, Kennerly and Kirk, 2007

Does it matter if my child is anxious?High levels of distress

Poorer confidence in trying new things

Fewer friends

Underachieve at school

Increased risk for future physical and mental health problems

How do you respond to your child’s anxiety?

Do you...

Always help your child avoid things they don’t want to do?

Reassure them: don’t worry, everything will be okay?

Tell them to sort it out themselves?

What can you do to help?

Teach and explore Emotions

• Language for emotions – label and model

• Explain anxiety is normal and how it serves a purpose

• Explore their physical indicators of anxiety – body map

Find a picture, photo, piece of music and name the physical feeling

Level it…how intense is the feeling?

www.superpowerspeech.com

•Teach emotions

•Use a 5-point scale linked to special interest

•Model it

www.jacobsfamilyblogspot.com

Learn what makes your child anxious?

Write a list of triggers/stressorsWhich is the most important at the moment?

When does it happen?Where?With whom?What makes it more / less likely to happen?

Challenge Negative Thoughts

Encourage your child to become a Detective with their thoughts

Thoughts NOT Facts

What is the Evidence? What else could happen?

What is an alternative realistic thought? (Calm thought)

Challenge Negative ThoughtsNegative thought Challenge

I can’t do maths.

What if I make a mistake?

Like everyone else I find some subjects hard and other things easy. I can ask for help. If I don’t try I won’t know.

Everybody makes mistakes. It is good to make mistakes because that is how you learn.

Breaking down Anxious behaviour

Validate but avoid giving excessive reassurance (Safety Behaviour)

Keeping your own emotions in check

Avoidance makes the FEAR worse

Loss of confidence – more anxiety – avoidance spreads

Fighting Fear by Facing Fear Bravery breaks the pattern

Encourage and Model ‘Courageous Coping’

Break a Goal down into smaller steps to build up to the Goal

Stay in each situation until the anxiety drops

Repeat several times before moving up the ladder

Praise and Reward each step/courageous coping

Ladder/Exposure Hierarchy

Anxiety Curve

Builds confidence in coping

Tests out the negative thoughts.

What can my child do to get back to calm? Create a tool box: ‘calm’ box, ‘happy’ box..

Identify and use a chill-out zone

Learn belly breathing

Teach them relaxation and imagery skills (safe place)

Refocusing - e.g. 5 Senses

http://www.relaxkids.co.uk

Think a ‘brave’ thought – ‘I’ve done it before, I can do it again’

Schedule ‘worry time’

Worry box/ Worry book/ Worry eaters

Visual timetables / Visual timers

Which strategy will you help your child try first?

‘Put on your own oxygen mask before helping small children or others who may need your assistance.’

Self-care

Practice sustainable and do-able things

Find ways to be mindful:

Be present

Cultivate compassion and acceptance

Use all of the strategies discussed to manage our own anxiety

Where can I go for help?

Talking Therapies

Counselling

CBT (Cognitive Behaviour Therapy)

Diagnostic Support Service (PSC)

GP

Professional Help?

Discuss further with SENCO/Family Liaison Worker

Children’s Action Teams (CAT’s) –multiprofessional teams, Educational Psychologist, Primary Mental Health Workers

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS)

http://www.youngminds.org.uk/ - Parent Helpline

Youth Counselling Services

Resources

Resources

Worry Eaters